Is Dimethicone in Hair Products Doing any Good for You?

Did you find dimethicone in hair products in a nearby grocery store? This is because this polymer is very common in the industry. Read to learn more about it.

Introduction:

Dimethicone (polydimethylsiloxane) is a very common ingredient in almost every recipe of personal care products. It is a synthetic silicone-based polymer with a chemical formula of (CH₃) ₃SiO[Si(CH₃)₂O]ₙSi(CH₃)₃ in which n denotes the number of repeating units of dimethicone.

This compound is non-soluble in water and contains a methyl group bonded with oxygen and silicon atoms. This polymer has repeating units of dimethylsiloxane (-Si (CH₃) ₂-O-) chained together with silicon-oxygen (Si-O) bonds. It is synthesized by heating sand and carbon at very high temperatures.

In your daily hair and skin regimen, there might be more than one product in which dimethicone might be present which is rather a very common compound found in skin care products. The use of dimethicone in hair products is now almost the same as the skincare bottles all around us.

This is because of its moisturizing feel, velvety texture, and non-comedogenic characteristics in the products it is added to. It gives a smooth and silky texture to hair and skin products. The applications result in moisturizing and locking of moisture in the skin along with other benefits.

It is now also extensively used in haircare products like hair shampoos and hair conditioners, hair serums, styling creams, hair masks, and leave-in treatments. You will also find dimethicone in, sexual lubricants, sexual lubricants, moisturizers, sunscreens, head lice removal, makeup products, such as primers and foundation, and detangling products.

Dimethicone is also used in some medical applications during irritable bowel syndrome and flatulence. Below is the complete list of the significant benefits that dimethicone in hair products offers in the industry:

1. Moisturizing Agent:

Probably the best feature of this silicon polymer is that it provides moisture to your skin and hair by acting as a conditioning agent. This helps smooth the hair cuticle and also forms a protective layer around the hair shaft. This protects moisture loss from the hair shaft and also retains hydration for your hair. The result is more manageable and shining hair. Its hydrophobic nature also helps in locking moisture in your hair.

2. Anti-Frizz Action:

Another core function of dimethicone in hair products is to provide anti-frizz action to the hair thanks to its film-forming properties and low surface tension. Both help to smooth the hair shaft surface and reduce the roughness of the outer layer. This also results in a shiny and more polished appearance. 

4. Volume and Body:

It is also responsible for providing a plumping effect on hair by effectively coating the strands of your hair. This adds more volume to your hair and is particularly useful for those people who are suffering from thinning of hair.

5. Hair Color Protection:

This silicon polymer also provides color fading upon exposure to UV radiation and pollution. It is used by hair stylists to give hair protection against harmful effects when performing heat styling (by using flat irons, hair dryers, and curling wands). The protective barrier we just mentioned above is responsible for this protection.

Side Effects of Dimethicone

Not everything about this polymer is great as it also poses side effects to your hair and environment just like the other much-discussed compounds like sulfates, paraben, and Phthalates. First, it can promote hair fall.

Before you start blaming your favorite cosmetic company, hear us out; it is not directly involved in hair fall but the continuous build-up on your scalp can lead to dryness and brittleness of hair. This is because this silicone-based component has silicon which has the basic nature of repelling water.

This can cause dryness in your hair by an agent that is supposed to help you maintain moisture in your hair. Moreover, industrial use of this polymer is flooding our rivers and oceans with this water-replying agent. Early studies suggest that continuous use of this polymer for skin and hair products will lead to the high concentration of dimethicone in oceans which can disrupt the natural ecosystem for underwater organisms.