People Are Blaming Cheap Shampoo For Causing Male Pattern Baldness

It’s a running joke (and arguably a pretty tired one, at this point) that men don’t know how to take care of themselves. Across the internet, you’ll find loads of videos of young women trying to teach their boyfriends the basics of skin care. Commonly, the men have never heard of moisturizer; some don’t even know to wash their faces. Personal care brands famously sell those 3-in-1 (or 4, or 5…) combo products that combine shampoo, conditioner and body wash — presumably because when you’re a man, you don’t have time to use three different products to serve three discrete purposes, I guess. Never mind that shampoo and conditioner aren’t even meant to go on the same parts of your hair. 

But beyond that, it’sbeenespoused as gospeltruth that poor hair care, specifically the use of cheap, low-quality shampoos, can cause or at least exacerbate male pattern baldness. By teaching your boyfriend better habits and setting him up with better products, you can save him from premature balding — or so they say.

That said, higher-end shampoos can run you easily $40, $50 or even $60 dollars per bottle, while the cheap stuff can go for just a few dollars for the same quantity. Does that dramatic price difference signify a major difference in quality? Specifically, could it be the difference between early balding and a thick, healthy head of hair?

We spoke to hair loss experts to find out if cheap shampoo really can cause or worsen hair loss, or if we’re just being upsold on unnecessarily pricey products. 

Short answer: Cheap shampoo alone will not make you go bald.

“The crucial factor here is genetics — male pattern hair loss is predetermined at conception. Lower-cost shampoos, including 3-in-1 products, don’t cause or accelerate genetic hair loss,” explained Dr. Danielle Dubin, a board-certified dermatologist at Mount Sinai in New York. 

“Male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is fundamentally rooted in your genetic profile,” she explained. “Multiple genes inherited from both parents determine how your hair follicles respond to androgens, particularly dihydrotestosterone (DHT), affecting everything from hormone metabolism to receptor sensitivity.”

So if the genetic lottery blessed you with a full head of hair well into your golden years, using a crappy shampoo isn’t going to change that. And likewise, if you’re genetically predisposed to developing a receding hairline, even the fanciest shampoo in the world can’t override your DNA. 

Like so many facets of one’s physical appearance, the thickness of your hair as you age is largely out of your control. Unfair as it may be, hair health isn’t directly proportional to the amount of time or money you invest, especially not in the shampoo aisle.

But shampoo can have indirect effects on hair loss.

Inexpensive, garden-variety shampoos tend to contain sulfates, which are chemical compounds that help create that lathering effect when you wash your hair. These ingredients are very effective at removing oil and dirt from your hair, but sometimes, they can be a little too effective. 

“This lathering action strips away your hair’s natural oils and can irritate the scalp, resulting in dry, brittle hair that breaks more easily,” Dubin said. “When hair becomes damaged, existing thinning appears more pronounced, making androgenetic alopecia seem worse after using cheaper shampoos.”

Additionally, certain ingredients can affect scalp health, which in turn affects the health of new growth. This is especially true if you suffer from contact dermatitis, or specific conditions like plaque psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, or scarring alopecia, James said. (If you do have one of those latter conditions, your dermatologist or trichologist can offer the best guidance on which products to use.) But ultimately, it goes for everyone.

“Think of the scalp as a flowerbed — just as healthy soil promotes strong, vibrant plants, a well-nourished scalp supports thicker, healthier hair,” said Dr. Jack Levy, a board-certified dermatologist with Weill Cornell Medicine who practices in lower Manhattan.

Sulfates and harsh alcohols, he said, “strip the scalp of its natural oils, making it more prone to irritation and allergic reactions.” You’ll see these listed on the bottle as sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate.

Artificial fragrances can also cause irritation and inflammation. Prolonged use of these ingredients could cause chronic scalp irritation, which can interfere with regrowth and worsen any hair loss that’s already taking place.

Don’t buy into buzzwords and fancy labels.

Be wary of marketing claims when picking a shampoo.

“No matter what the bottle tells you, shampoo will not grow your hair,” said Penny James, a board-certified trichologist who owns and operates a multidisciplinary practice in New York. “What shampoo will do is help keep your scalp clean” by washing every day or every other day with a quality shampoo, which allows for healthy hair growth. Ultimately, you just need one that does its job well, without stripping your scalp of its natural oils, clogging pores and follicles or causing irritation. 

Evergreen reminder: a higher price doesn’t necessarily indicate a higher-quality product. Before shelling out for a shampoo (especially an expensive one), check the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t contain those same irritating chemicals typically found in cheap shampoos — sulfates, alcohols and heavy silicones. 

Shampoos and other beauty/personal care products these days love to brag about being “clean” or “all-natural,” using mostly or entirely plant-based ingredients with recognizable names, Just keep in mind that “natural” isn’t inherently better — plenty of things found in nature can irritate the scalp and thus threaten overall hair health. If a new shampoo causes you to experience itching or other discomfort, discontinue use of the product in question for a few weeks and see if the symptoms go away. 

Scalp irritation can be caused by individual allergies and sensitivities to particular ingredients, but there are some natural ingredients that dermatologists will advise you to steer clear of altogether.

“Olive oil, for example, can promote yeast overgrowth on the scalp, potentially worsening hair loss,” Levy said. “To maintain a healthy scalp environment, avoid olive oil-containing products and refrain from applying olive oil directly to the scalp.”

So what should you look for in a shampoo?

If you’re a person of any sex experiencing hair loss, your best bet is to see a dermatologist who can help figure out the cause and thus the best course of action. Your shampoo probably isn’t going to make or break the thickness and overall health of your hair, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to use a shampoo that cleans well without causing irritation. 

Look for shampoos that use sodium cocoyl isethionate, coco-betaine, coco-glucoside, or decyl glucoside as gentle surfactants (cleansers), rather than oil-stripping sulfates. Levy also advises that many shampoos include some sort of hydrating ingredient, but some are better than others.

“Heavy silicones like dimethicone can accumulate over time and potentially clog hair follicles,” he said. Opt instead for shampoos with more lightweight hydrating ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera and panthenol.

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