Pantene Pro-V: Bad for Our Hair and Body
Written by Ajay Chohan, Founder
Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo – Procter & Gamble
Why the Pantene Pro-V shampoo product labeling is misleading: The more appropriate tag line for Pantene shampoos would be “daily harsh chemicals renewal”…ones that are tied to chemical burns, hair loss and allergic reactions
Harmful Ingredients in Pantene Shampoos to Avoid: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
PANTENE CLAIMS its “powerful Pro-V formula deeply hydrates and nourishes hair,” but its formula contains the same generic, synthetic & toxic ingredients as other shampoos of its kind. Note that Pantene’s marketing itself says that the “moisture renewal” claim is “based on moisturized feel,” and does not say anything about the shampoo actually rejuvenating or nourishing our hair resulting in less dry hair. It’s all marketing gimmicks.
Let’s now get into the actual ingredient profile of Pantene shampoos which are tied to skin irritations, chemical scalp burns and hair loss — there is a lot to get into. At the end of the article I will also give my thoughts on what does make a better shampoo and give natural shampoo recommendations. Let’s begin:
Sodium Laureth Sulfate in Pantene shampoos and the cancer causing carcinogens Ethylene Oxide and 1,4-Dioxane it might be contaminated with:
After water, the first key ingredient (and thus forming the highest percentage of this concoction after water) is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). SLES is a known skin & eye irritant (1). SLES may also be “contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane,” which the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as human carcinogens (1). The California Environment Protection Agency also says ethylene oxide is a toxicant which may interfere with human development (1). Yikes. The fact that SLES composes the highest percentage of this concoction after water is especially disturbing.
Skin & Eye Irritant and Allergen of the Year in Pantene shampoos.
The detergent Cocamidopropyl Betaine is also among the top five ingredients. This is "an amphoteric synthetic detergent" linked with skin and eye irritation, as well as blistering and burning for more sensitive skin (2) (3). It was named Allergen of the Year in 2004 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society (2).
Please Note: Here is my article on the best all-natural shampoos for naturally strong hair sprouting from a healthy scalp.
Pantene shampoos contain synthetic fragrance tied to allergic reactions.
The Synthetic Fragrance in this shampoo could denote any number of over 2,000 chemicals used with various safety records. Cosmetic companies are not required to disclose exactly which chemical(s) their fragrance is comprised of, leaving the fun to us. Fragrances are often responsible for the allergic reactions consumers have to cosmetics (4).
Pantene shampoos use neurotoxins tied with chemical burns, allergic reactions and unknown long term health effects as preservatives.
Pantene shampoos contain the chelating agent Tetrasodium EDTA. A study published in the National Library of Medicine describes salts like this one as ‘cytotoxic,’ meaning they can damage our body’s cells (5). The study also states, “oral exposures to EDTA produced adverse reproductive and developmental effects in animals” (5). While the risk of significant oral exposure via a shampoo is minimal, it goes to show the toxicity of this chemical. While EDTA salts are not absorbed by skin, the study states that Tetrasodium EDTA can make the penetration of other chemicals into the skin easier, which becomes a concern given all the toxic chemicals present in Pantene shampoos.
Speaking of those, Pantene has Methylchloroisothiazolinone - a preservative linked with allergic reactions and chemical burns (6) and Methylisothiazolinone - another nasty preservative and a known neurotoxic (7). That’s an insane amount of toxic ingredients for getting the moisturized feel. No thank you.
Pantene shampoo and concerns around hair loss:
Consumer complains and allegations of hair loss after using the shampoo have long followed Pantene. In 2010, 19 year old Myleene Klass said using Pantene Pro-V resulted in hair loss to the point of significantly receding her hair line. Myleene here describes her ordeal in this DailyMail article, “but it was only when I patted my hair dry with a towel and looked in the mirror, that I realized the extent of the hair damage. My hairline had receded several inches where my hair had broken off at the roots. Meanwhile, the rest of my hair was so damaged and frizzy it was breaking off in handfuls. I was so devastated, I broke down in tears.”
Please Note: Here is my complete guide to all the 16 harmful chemicals commonly found across shampoos + a list of the worst shampoo brands to avoid.
Another young consumer’s Pantene hair loss story.
Then in 2019, 21 year old Ashley Rose Robinson’s story similarly gained attention. She experienced sudden hair loss after using Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume conditioner. Ashley here quotes to CBS WCCO in this Fox News article, “My hair just started falling out in clumps on the floor, and it just kept coming out and coming out and coming out and I screamed.” Ashley’s post on Facebook garnered almost 20,000 comments from sympathizing users. The fact that both of these women had significant hair loss at such a young age and for no other apparent reason is especially concerning.
Pantene is bad for our hair & is one of the worst shampoos we can use.
Pantene shampoo is highly misleading because it only gives the feel of moisturizing and hydrating our hair, but is not actually nourishing for our hair in any way. Instead, it is absolutely loaded with toxic ingredients. We suggest you ditch this harmful shampoo from your daily shampooing and conditioning routine and find a milder alternative.
What makes a better shampoo?
The best actually natural shampoos are safe yet effective. Such shampoos gently cleanse with ingredients that are whole + alive + naturally nourishing. Meaning — the ingredients come from whole botanical and flower extracts from living & breathing plants — not dead chemical compounds from a lab. The quality and aliveness of the ingredients is thus the biggest factor that makes a truly better natural shampoo. You can read my article here where I further cover the key attributes of a better shampoo and give recommendations.
That shall do it for this research article. Have you used a Pantene shampoo? Do share your experience below.
Sources - Research for Yourself!
1. https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/dirty-dozen-sodium-laureth-sulfate/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18627690/
3. https://rollingreens.com/blogs/news/the-truth-about-what-s-in-your-beauty-products
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12396676/
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylchloroisothiazolinone
7. https://www.forceofnatureclean.com/chemical-free-living-methylisothiazolinone/
Think a loved one can benefit from this important research on Pantene shampoo ingredients? Do not forget to share!