Shampoos created for adults and children are different in their content for different reasons. The skin of babies is much more sensitive than that of adults and requires a more gentle formula to be cleansed and to avoid allergic reactions. On the other side, the sebum that the hair naturally produces to coat the hair strands and protect them is secreted in smaller quantities on the head of babies. Their hair, therefore, does not need such a deep washout as adults who experience oily hair. Baby shampoos are made to be a more gentle form of cleaning.
The agents that are most commonly used in baby shampoos are chemicals like sodium trideceth sulfate that are known to be very neutral to the skin. The fact that it is easier to get shampoo on a baby's eyes while washing it makes baby shampoo companies create formulas that are also neutral when they end up in the eyes. The ingredients found inside generally do not cause the burning and uncomfortable sensations that other shampoos do. Lastly, the skin is the protection that your baby has from different bacteria and viruses from the outside environment. This is done through the beneficial bacteria found on the skin itself. Using inappropriate shampoos and soaps can damage this layer of good bacteria and expose the child to outside threats.
Common Ingredients and Specifics Of Baby Shampoo
To achieve a more gentle formula, baby shampoos are formulated through:
- The baby shampoo is diluted much faster so that if it gets washed into the eyes with the water it will be more diluted and will not affect them as much.
- PH is made to be much closer to the natural PH of the eyes and skin
- The baby shampoo contains surfactants which are less irritating than ingredients in other shampoos.
Baby Shampoo Questions and Answers
Q: Can baby shampoo be used by adults?
A: Baby shampoo is more gentle on the hair and can be used by adults who have a more sensitive skin. People who have more oily hair may have to wash out the hair twice to remove the extra sebum with the more gentle baby shampoo formula.
Q: How is baby shampoo better than regular shampoos?
A: The formulas that are used in baby shampoo are more gentle than the chemicals used for regular shampoos and do not strip the head of its natural oils as much as regular shampoos do.
Q: What is the PH of baby shampoo?
A: Baby shampoo is neutral as the formula is water based and water is PH neutral.
Q: Does baby shampoo encourage hair growth?
A: Baby shampoo is less harsh on the natural oils that the head secretes to protect the hair strands. This can boost hair health and help it grow faster.
Q: What are ingredients to avoid in baby shampoo brands?
A: There are many chemicals which should be avoided in baby shampoo. Simply looking at the label can often be enough to detect which of the ingredients shouldn’t be there.
The articles on this website should not be used to start the use of dietary supplements or vitamins, natural or herbal products, homeopathic medicine or other mentioned products prior to a proper consultation with a doctor or certified health provider.
