Silicones are a very commonly used hair care ingredient. Silicones
in hair care products have received both negative and positive propaganda. The
truth is that there are many different silicones and not all of them are alike.
Whether you decide to use hair products with silicones or decide to avoid
silicones you should gain some basic knowledge about them. If you want to know
if the hair care products you are using contain silicone read the label.
Products that have "cone" as an extension are silicones (for example
cyclomethicone).
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How do silicones work?
In general silicones work by covering hair with a thin
hydrophobic coating (waterproof coating). It reduces the porosity of the hair
making it less likely to absorb humidity. This coating also reduces the
loss of moisture from the inside of the hair. Additionally it lubricates
the hair so that it tangles less and feels smooth and slippery. Therefore it is
great as a conditioning and straightening agent and reduces hair tangling.
Silicones do not actually benefit the hair in any way, they only temporary coat
the hair giving it a nicer and healthier appearance.
Types of silicones
There are two types of silicones: water soluble and non-soluble
silicones. Water soluble silicones are ones that can be rinsed or washed away
with water. Non-soluble silicones require sulfates (such as SLS - sodium lauryl
sulfate) in order to remove the silicone coating from the hair. Dimethicone
copolyol and lauryl methicone copolyol are examples of water soluble silicones.
Dimethicone, cetearyl methicone, and amodimethicon are examples of non water
soluble silicones.
Issues with silicones
Both type of silicones (water-soluble and non-soluble) coat the
hair preventing not only moisture, but also proteins and other products from
penetrating hair. Silicones also buildup in your hair and need to be washed out
or will eventually cause hair breakage. If you are a heavy user of products
containing silicone you might often need to lather and rinse more than once
when washing your hair to remove the silicone buildup.
If you do decide that the
benefits of using hair care products with silicone outweigh any negatives then
you should keep in mind that lightweight silicones are better then heavyweight
ones. Therefore when buying new hair care products search for ones with
cyclomethicone or dimethicone copolyol instead of a heavyweight silicone such
as dimethicone.
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