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Since the early 20th century, the term "shampoo" has also been used for commercial liquid soap products for washing hair. Shampoo is designed to produce plenty of lather that removes dirt, without removing the natural oils that protect the hair. The product is made slightly acidic to cause the hair to contract slightly, giving it a shinier appearance. It is possible to make mild shampoos at home with natural ingredients for daily wash. Shampoos should be chosen according to hair types. Some shampoos also contain hair conditioners.
There are shampoos available specifically for those who have dandruff. Such shampoos contain zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide etc. These chemicals are fungicides, and reduce dandruff by killing Malassezia furfur.
Many shampoos contain one or more of the following four 'base' chemicals : ammonium laurel (or 'lauryl') sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. The order in which they are listed above is from the most to the least harsh, chemical-wise. Even ALS, in the amounts in shampoo, is not terribly damaging to one's health.
Some companies use "all-natural" or organic ingredients, such as flowers and the like, often combining these healthy additions with a harsher base.
A rumor sprung forth in the late 1980s and early 1990s that sodium laurel sulfate, etc. was more hazardous than it actually was. It is true that it is a somewhat abrasive chemical, however reports that it caused cancer and the like were highly exaggerated. This substance also appears in many toothpastes, among other things, and is largely a foaming agent.
Alternate shampoos, sometimes labeled as being "No SLS" (or SLS with a line through it) have been created which contain much less harsh chemicals and none of the sulfate family. Company Trader Joe's, among others, has a store brand. Because people incorrectly associate "foaming" with "cleaning" many continue to use more mainstream brands.
Shampoo for infantThe word Infant derives from the Latin in-fans meaning unable to speak''. It is commonly used as a slightly more formal word for baby (the youngest category of child). A newborn baby is known as a neonate (neonatal after the final stage of gestation.s is formulated so that it is less irritating to the eyes. Most contain sodium laureth sulfate, the mildest of the sulfate family.
Shampoo for animals (such as for dogThis article discusses the domestic dog. For other members of the dog family, see Canidae. The dog is a canine omnivorous mammal that has been domesticated for somewhere between 14,000 and 150,000 years. In those millennia, the dog has developed into hunds or catFor alternative meanings see cat (disambiguation). The cat (also called domestic cat or house cat is a small feline carnivorous mammal. Its scientific name is Felis silvestris catus or Felis silvestris domesticus but the species is sometimes referred to as) often is formulated so as not to irritate their eyes — so baby shampoo is often an excellent substitute — or might contain insecticideAn insecticide is a pesticide whose purpose is to kill or to prevent the multiplication of insects. Insecticides are very widely used in agriculture, as well as in people's dwellings and workplaces. The use of insecticides is one of the major causal factos or other medications for treatment of skin conditions or parasiteA parasite is an organism that lives in or on the living tissue of a host organism at the expense of it. The biological interaction between the host and the parasite is called parasitism. Parasitism is a type of symbiosis, by one definition, although anots such as fleaFor the musician, a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, see Michael Balzary. Tungidae Sticktight and Chigoe fleas Pulicidae Common fleas Coptopsyllidae Vermipsyllidae Carnivore fleas Rhopalopsyllidae Marsupial fleas Hypsophthalmidae Stephanocircidae Pygis or mangeMange is an irritation of the skin, primarily including hair loss but might also include itching and inflammation, all caused by microscopic mites. Mange is most commonly associated with dogs and other canines, but can occur in other domestic and wild ani.
Shampoo is also available in solid form that is rubbed onto the hair: this has the advantage of having the shampoo easily carried, but also has the disadvantage of working less efficiently on longer hair.