When you are pregnant, you are more cautious, alert, and in some cases, anxious. Even a routine task such as washing your hair can raise the question “Have I had the correct pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioner?”
Pregnancy can be a great time for many things, but it does not come without complications.
One of the biggest problems women face during their pregnancies is hair loss. Hair loss is a common problem that increases as you move throughout your pregnancy.
While some women shed less hair than others, much more troubling, many pregnant women will experience considerable hair loss every day, resulting in thinning and falling hair.
If you are lucky enough, using the right shampoo and conditioner can already fix the hair fall problem. But when you’re pregnant, you may want to be more selective of those products.
Yes, it is time to shop for pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioner!
Can You Use Any Shampoo and Conditioner When Pregnant?
The short answer is no.
Many shampoos and conditioners contain a lot of ingredients that can cause a variety of complications when pregnant.
Some of these ingredients may not be problematic in smaller amounts, but when combined with other chemicals, they can cause problems for pregnant women.
What Ingredients in Shampoos Are Bad for Pregnancy?
There are a few things you should avoid before looking for pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioner.
If the shampoo of your choice contains any of the ingredients mentioned below, you better prepare to look for alternatives.
The chemicals you should avoid while shopping for pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioners are:
#1) Sulfates
Some of you may have a question such as “can you use shampoo with sulfate while pregnant?”
The answer is no. Sulfates clean your hair by breaking down the molecular bonds that hold sebum (oil) to your scalp.
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While this may not be a problem if you have oily hair, using sulfate-containing shampoos when pregnant can strip your scalp of its natural oils, which can cause dryness and irritation.
#2) Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is often found in hair straightening products such as Japanese hair straightening.
It can also be found in body-building shampoos to harden the hair you already have. But when ingested, formaldehyde causes headaches and nosebleeds!
#3) Parabens
Parabens are additives that help prolong the shelf life of shampoos and conditioners.
They also act as anti-bacterial agents to prevent mold from growing in your shampoo bottle. But they can be terrible for pregnant mothers!
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There are ongoing studies to determine whether or not parabens cause cancer.
However, they have been linked to breast cancer and can cause hormonal imbalances that interfere with your pregnancy.
#4) Phthalates
Phthalates are used to dissolve other ingredients, making them easier to mix together in shampoos and conditioners.
They’re also used in nail polishes, hair spray, mousses, perfumes, and some sex toys.
This can be bad news for pregnant women because phthalates have the potential to cause birth defects. If you are pregnant, avoid products that have “fragrance” listed as an ingredient.
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#5) Alcohol
Alcohol is used in some shampoos and conditioners to help distribute the other ingredients evenly throughout your hair.
Unfortunately, alcohol can also dry out your skin and cause possible developmental issues.
#6) Silicones
Silicone is another building block that helps other ingredients dissolve quickly in your shampoo and conditioner.
It coats the hair to make it smooth, shiny and act as a barrier against humidity.
But this ingredient can also prevent your scalp’s natural oils from reaching the ends of your hair strands, causing them to look dry or frizzy.
What to Look for When Choosing Shampoo and Conditioner?
The good news is that there are plenty of ingredients that can help your hair look great while pregnant. And if you avoid the previous “bad” ingredients, you won’t have to compromise on how your hair looks.
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Here are some things you should look for when choosing your pregnancy safe shampoo and conditioner:
#1) Collagen
Collagen is what makes your hair soft, shiny, and strong.
If you make sure to look for collagen in the ingredients of your shampoo or conditioner, you won’t have to worry about dryness or breakage while pregnant!
#2) Squalane
Squalene is an oil that occurs naturally in your scalp. It can be found in olive oil, wheat germ oil, and rice bran oil–all of which are pregnancy safe!
But if you have a dry scalp, it’s going to need extra moisture to help retain its natural oils.
Look for a shampoo or conditioner that has squalene as the first ingredient–this will help you retain your scalp’s natural oils without adding too much extra oil to your hair strands.
#3) Chamomile
Chamomile is a naturally calming herb that can be found in some pregnancy-safe shampoos and conditioners.
It helps prevent dandruff and itchiness, which can develop in the lonely winter months when you’re pregnant and without hair styling products!
#4) Humectants
Humectants help control the level of moisture in your hair and scalp.
If your shampoo or conditioner is too drying, you might experience frizziness and static electricity.
But if it’s too moisturizing, you’ll end up with limp strands that can’t handle any styling. Look
Top 10 Pregnancy Safe Shampoo and Conditioner
A pregnancy-safe shampoo is a type of shampoo that is formulated to be gentle enough for expecting mothers, containing no harsh chemicals that could potentially harm the baby or cause birth defects.
The term “pregnancy safe” is not regulated by the FDA, so any shampoo can be sold with this label.
Pregnancy-safe shampoos are made with natural ingredients to prevent harm to your baby.
However, whether it’s actually effective or not largely depends on the individual shampoo.
One of the most common active ingredients for hair loss in pregnancy safe shampoo is caffeine.
Your best bet is to consult your doctor to determine which shampoo will work for you.
Still interested?
In this section, we recommend the top 10 pregnancy-safe shampoos and conditioners:
#1) Jason Shampoo and Conditioner (Both)
Jason Natural Products Blackberry & Vanilla Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner both contain a combination of ingredients like blackberry extract, natural vanilla, and chamomile extract.
These ingredients are meant to make the shampoo nourishing for your hair without sacrificing its efficacy.
Its top ingredients make it a safe bet for expecting mothers.
#2) Neutrogena T/Gel Daily Control Shampoo & Conditioner
Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo contains the active ingredient Coal Tar, which is usually prescribed to patients with dandruff or scalp psoriasis.
It is known to help hair grow back and reduce flaking. It won’t be as nourishing as the Jason shampoo. But, one of its active ingredients makes it a safer bet than most other shampoos.
#3) Maple Holistics Silk18 Shampoo & Conditioner (Both)
Both the Maple Holistics Silk18 Shampoo and Conditioner contain silk proteins that help nourish your hair and restore its natural shine.
It also contains chamomile extract, which is a popular pregnancy-safe ingredient for dandruff prevention.
#4) Aubrey Organics White Camelia Scented Shampoo & Conditioner (Both)
Made with natural ingredients like sunflower seed oil, Vitamin E, and chamomile flower extract, the Aubrey Organics White Camelia Scented Shampoo, and Conditioner are perfect if you don’t suffer from dandruff or scalp psoriasis.
Both products contain gentle yet effective cleansing properties to properly clean your hair without stripping it of its moisture.
#5) Specific Beauty Calm Hair Care Shampoo & Conditioner (Both)
The Specific Beauty Calm Hair Care Shampoo and Conditioner are pregnancy-safe for expectant mothers who don’t have dandruff or scalp psoriasis.
They both contain organic aloe leaf extract, which helps moisturize your scalp and hair without weighing it down.
It also contains oat extract, which is another common pregnancy-safe ingredient for dandruff prevention.
#6) Prenatal Multivitamin Hair Loss Prevention Shampoo & Conditioner (Both)
The Prenatal Multivitamin Hair Loss Prevention Shampoo and Conditioner are pregnancy-safe for expectant mothers who may have dandruff or psoriasis.
They both contain panthenol, which is a common ingredient in hair loss shampoo.
It helps protect hair from damage and keeps it moisturized, so if you’re suffering from one of these conditions, this is an excellent choice for you.
#7) DermaChange Therapeutic Shampoo & Conditioner (Only The Shampoo)
The DermaChange Therapeutic Shampoo might be a better choice than the conditioner for expecting mothers who suffer from dandruff or scalp psoriasis.
It contains ketoconazole, which is an antifungal medicine used to treat dandruff, eczema, and seborrhea.
It’s also safe for pregnant women who suffer from these conditions because the shampoo contains natural ingredients that are known pregnancy-safe alternatives to ketoconazole.
#8) Alaffia Nourishing Coconut Curling Shampoo & Conditioner (Both)
The Alaffia Nourishing Coconut Curling Shampoo is a gentle formula made with coconut extracts that nourish your hair instead of weighing it down.
The conditioner features protein-rich soybean extract, which helps strengthen your strands without stripping away moisture.
These products contain no sulfates or parabens, so expectant mothers who are sensitive to these harmful chemicals can use these pregnancy-safe products.
#9) Yes To Cucumbers Color Protection Shampoo & Conditioner (Both)
The Yes To Cucumbers Color Protection Shampoo and Conditioner are excellent pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioner options for expectant mothers because they’re made with natural ingredients that won’t irritate your skin or strip away its moisture.
They both contain cucumber extract, which is a common ingredient in many long-lasting shampoos to prevent flaking and dandruff because it contains vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, K, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and folic acid.
This pregnancy-safe shampoo also has yogurt proteins in it to help strengthen your hair and prevent hair loss.
The Yes To Cucumbers Color Protection Shampoo is safe for color-treated hair, but the conditioner isn’t.
#10) Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash (Only The Face Wash)
The Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash can be used by pregnant women suffering from dandruff or scalp psoriasis to treat these conditions with natural yet effective ingredients:
- tea tree oil,
- jojoba seed oil,
- grape seed extract,
- raspberry seed oil,
- black cumin seed oil,
- apricot kernel oil,
- green tea leaf extract,
- rosemary leaf extract,
- lavender flower extract,
- lemon peel extract and
- vitamin E.
It’s also vegan-friendly! This face wash is made with 100% vegan ingredients and can be used by all skin types.
The Bottom Line
If you are looking for pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioner, now you know it is time to look for those formulations that are designed with the health of the mother-to-be in mind, containing no harsh chemicals that could hurt your baby.
Keep in mind that whether it’s actually effective or not largely depends on the individual product.
One of the most common active ingredients for hair loss in pregnancy safe shampoo is caffeine. Your best bet is to consult your doctor to determine which shampoo will work best for you.
Whether you’re looking for a pregnancy-safe shampoo or just want to check if the ingredients in your normal shampoo and conditioner are considered safe during pregnancy, always consult your doctor.
This is not an exhaustive list of what you should avoid while pregnant, but it includes some of the most commonly questioned products.
If you have any additional questions about food, drugs, or anything else, ask your doctor.
They are there to help you get through this special time in your life and can give you helpful advice about anything concerning your health.