Date:         Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:29:33 -0500
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: blatant plea for sympathy (LVC!) hair attack  nvc
In-Reply-To:  <718EA812-B6E5-4069-825B-FB332F28F27C@telus.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

I'm going to toss out one extra tidbit that maybe of interest to
those folks who (unlike me) are loosing hair.

Check your shampoo.

Nearly every shampoo now a days is made with one of several chemicals
that contribute to hair loss. it doesn't affect everyone, but it
affects a surprisingly large group of folks. These chemicals are
known as Sodium Laurel Sulfate, or Sodum Laureth Sulfate (SLS).
Another alternate is Sodium Maureth Sulfate (SMS). You can also find
them in almost every laundry detergent, and most household cleaners
and liquid soaps.

I'm allergic to them. I break out in hives, if exposed to them. Even
in minute amounts, such as might be left in clothes upon washing.

In many people they cause hair to fall out, even if you aren't
allergic to them.

They are derived from coconut (so even if they are explicitly
mentioned on the list of ingredients, they might be listed as
vegetable or coconut derived surficants.

It took me 15 years to identify the problem (which started when the
detergent companies switched away from nitrate based cleaners, and
started producing "Ultra" concentrated cleaners.) It took me another
5 years to find a solution.

I now wash my clothes and bed linens in a SLS/SMS free shampoo. No
more hives, and I have a full head of hair (male pattern baldness
doesn't appear to be in either side of my family.)


On Jan 15, 2007, at 4:50 PM, don spence wrote:

> Assuming that "A" above is true then you are left with a choice.
>
> As the Professor said, as he ran his hand across his hairless head,
> "Gentlemen, you may choose to be a bald stud, or a hairy eunuch."