One HUGELY popular gluten-free topic is hair loss.  While many people who are gluten sensitive do not want to go though the trouble of ensuring that all of their beauty products are gluten-free, after suffering from hair loss or thinning, many still do insist upon using only gluten-free shampoos and conditioners.

And I often hear stories from women telling about how once they’ve switched to gluten-free hair care products, trips to the salon can result in their scalp being irritated or breaking out in a rash from gluten-laden shampoos and conditioners.

So first of all, why/how can gluten cause hair loss, and how can you address this all-too-common problem?

How Does Gluten Affect Hair Loss? Some time ago I consulted several experts who had a range of opinions on how gluten relates to hair loss. But generally, the more popular belief is that because gluten attacks the body and can stress the adrenal glands, causing hormonal imbalances, it can result in hair loss.  And because the body often needs repairing even after going gluten-free (typically using probiotics and enzymes), unless you seek help from an expert in the field of gluten sensitivity, your adrenal system and hormones may remain out of balance until they are back to normal. I suppose the system could repair itself without extra support in some cases; differences in the hair still usually take at least six weeks to appear.

And how does gluten in hair care products come into play? Well, on this topic there is very much less research and information available, but in my opinion (and this is just that, I’m not a doctor, just someone who has been through it all) why put an offending protein onto an area that is already seemingly stressed as a result of that protein. And if going gluten-free with hair care, and then reacting to gluten-containing products can result in a reaction such as a rash, then the gluten would certainly seem to be disagreeing with the scalp.

How to Find Gluten-Free Shampoo and Hair Care Products? So now that you’ve made the decision to go gluten-free with your hair care products, which ones are safe? Well, I would actually say that more are now than several years ago. When I was diagnosed I remember seeing “hydrolyzed wheat protein” in most nourishing shampoos and conditioners, but today I more often see proteins from soy and bamboo. So it is good that companies are responding. And after choosing to stay out of the salon for fear of another reaction, I’ve even found that by calling the number on the hair color boxes at drugstores and groceries that most of those kits are even gluten-free now (including the conditioner).

But if you’re like me, gluten-free is not enough. I also believe in only putting healthier products onto my scalp and body–if you’re already gluten-sensitive, why chance a reaction to some irritating synthetic?!

So, what do I use? Well, it does tend to vary, but I do have a few favorites. On this site I have a few gluten-free hair care products that I prefer, but I also adore Jason’s Kids Only hair care line. For my colored, fine, tangle-prone hair, the detangler is pretty amazing, and the shampoo is quite gentle. Other than that, I look for other natural kids lines, which are more often gluten-free and labeled as such; sometimes if I’m feeling thrifty I’ll check out natural store’s in-house brands. Here is a list of gluten-containing ingredients that can help you to know what to watch for. Though typically hydrolyzed wheat protein and wheat germ oil are the only ones I see in hair products.

You may also want to check out this d0-it-yourself gluten-free Sea Spray Hair Mist Recipe!

It’s sister product, the Shea Hair Cream is a great addition to styled hair, helping maitain smoothness or curl.  And it also nourishes and protects the hair from sun damage.