In addition to baby products in supermarkets, almost all shampoos contain silicone oil. Why do shampoos add silicone oil? Will silicone oil clog hair follicles and damage hair?

       Silicone oil is viscous and stretchable, and has a moisturizing and smoothing effect on hair. Hair grows from follicles in the scalp and its main component is keratin. There are many uneven hair scales on each hair. When the hair cuticle is damaged, it will lift up, which will increase the friction between the hair, causing the hair to tangle together, and more friction will aggravate the damage of the hair cuticle.

       When shampooing, the silicone oil in the shampoo is attached to the gaps in the cuticles, filling the surface of the hair and making the hair soft to the touch. The purpose of washing your hair is to get rid of the dust on the hair and scalp, and to wash off excess oil. But when you wash your hair, the hair absorbs water and swells, becomes moist and soft, and the protective oil outside the cuticle is also washed away. After the anionic surfactant used as the raw material of the shampoo cleans the dirt on the head, it itself is adsorbed on the hair under the action of water. After the hair moisture is dried, the hair will explode due to the repulsion of the same sex. At this time, if you use a plastic comb to comb, it is easy to generate static electricity.

       The problem of anions can be solved comprehensively with cations, such as quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactants. But none of these can solve the problem of hair cuticle damage. The chemical reagents, heat and the sun's ultraviolet rays used in dyeing and perming hair can damage the hair even more. It was later discovered that oils could solve this problem. Oils lubricate the hair and reduce hair damage during combing. It can be found that the osmanthus oil and hair conditioner used by people in the past are mainly oil. Because of its inertness and adsorption, polydimethylsiloxane can be well attached to the hair, fill the damaged parts of the hair scales, and make the surface of the hair smoother, which is the so-called repair effect. Hair with silicon shampoo is shinier and easier to comb, stronger and smoother. Dimethicone also keeps hair hydrated by forming a protective layer.


About silicone oil, please check the following details:
https://www.siliconefoam.net/product-linear-vinyl-silicone-oil-iota-273-.html