Silicone for Hair ~ Good or Bad?

by Mansi

So, the new trend ‘Avoid Silicones’ is rising nowadays. I have girls saying I want to get silicone free hair products so as to avoid damaging of my hair and thus I wanted to know how silicones harm your hair and is it really true that they damage hair or it’s just a myth. I did lot of research and I would love to share it with you girls!

What are silicones?:

Silicone is very common ingredient used in styling products of hairs whether it is shampoo, conditioners, serum or hair gel. They are basically polymers that layer your hairs with a thin hydrophobic coating which is NOT water-soluble. That means once silicone layers are there in your hairs you can’t get rid of it with water as they are waterproof. Phenyl trimethicone, dimethicone, Lauryl Methicone Copolyol and other “hard to pronounce” words or the words ending with “con”, “col” and “cone” are silicones. But as people are getting aware of the harmful effects of silicones, companies are trying hard to avoid the damage they cause. Thus, they are designing such silicones that not water proof and they won’t harm your hairs much.

Advantages of Using Silicone products:

• Silicone coating in your hairs makes your frizz-free and manageable.
• The coating also helps in detangling your hairs which ultimately reduces hair fall.
• As silicones layer up in your hair they help in protecting your hairs from heat i.e. straightening tool, hair dryers, Curling iron etc.
• It is also said that they protect your hairs from harmful radiations of UV-rays but I don’t know why I do not believe it but it claims to do so.
• Silicone products add shine to your hairs and make them soft and smoother.
• Basically silicone products do what every girl desires for. Right?

Disadvantages of Using Silicone Products are:

• Silicones don’t penetrate your hairs from roots and thus they make your hair roots weak.
• As I already told that silicones wrap up your hairs which is water-proof and that is why your hairs can’t breathe which eventually leads to dullness of hairs. Your hairs become brittle and lifeless.
• Girls will curly hairs lose their curls with regular usage of silicone products.
• Hair treatments like coloring your hairs, oiling them etc will fade away soon or will not work as your hairs are coated by silicones.
• Once silicones gets build-up in your hairs it’s HARD to get rid of it.
• How to avoid silicone layering up into your hairs?

You can avoid silicones to layer up your hairs by using ‘good silicones’. Yes, you must use silicones that not water proof and they can be easily washed away with water or use silicones that won’t build up in your hairs. Dimethicone copolyol, Lauryl methicone copolyol, Polysiloxane these are three water-soluble silicones which I’m aware of that don’t damage your hairs much.

Avoid silicone or not??

According to me, yes you should definitely avoid silicones as they damage your hairs from roots. Start using clarifying shampoos which will help in removing silicones from your hairs. But if you love your hairs with silicones then opt for “good silicone” so that your hairs can also love you back. :)

Do you use silicone based hair styling products and shampoos?