# Can someone poison you by putting something in your shampoo, conditioner or lotion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561 "2014-11-13T20:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CKS846](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@CKS846](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CKS846)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/1 "2014-11-13T20:30:06Z")
I have been feeling exhausted, achy and dizzy for several weeks. It came on all of a sudden. I noticed that my shampoo didn’t seem to lather and the conditioner was leaving my hair with a tacky feel. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/2 "2014-11-13T20:33:13Z")
In principle, I think so. There are definitely substances that can be harmfully absorbed through the skin, and all of those products come in contact with your skin when you use them. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/3 "2014-11-13T20:52:15Z")
Yes, they have tamper-proot sealer caps to protect you from terrorists. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/4 "2014-11-13T21:09:00Z")
If you’ve been feeling exhausted, achy, and dizzy for several weeks, the best thing to do would be to consult your doctor. It’s possible that someone is poisoning you, but a far more likely possibility is that you have a treatable medical problem. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/5 "2014-11-13T21:10:49Z")
I suppose it’s theoretically possible, but I couldn’t find a single case of anyone ever poisoning shampoo while poking around on google. It would be rare enough that I suspect you would make the national news if you could prove it had happened to you. Since the weather is getting cold, a much more likely suspect is carbon monoxide poisoning from a broken or blocked furnace exhaust. Or you could just be sick. A trip to the doctor would probably be a good idea. No offense, but shampoo poisoning is pretty far down in the list of likely suspects. ---
**Author:** ![CKS846](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@CKS846](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CKS846)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/6 "2014-11-14T12:38:16Z")
I have seen a number of doctors who have run tests and told me how healthy I am. But yet I had continued to feel poorly. I saw a nutritionist who started me on vitamins and a Chiropracter who been doing adjustments to fix my back and neck. These both seem to be helping. The biggest help seemed to come from when I stopped using my shampoo and conditioner and shampoo and switched to using my husbands and my kids. I think I am finally feeling better but I am running scared. Is there a lab anyone could recommend to run testing on conditioner for some sort of poison? I can imagine that this seems paranoid, but there have been some strange things that have happened that made me think this is possible. I had bought a new bottle of conditioner a few days back and my husband put it in the bathroom for use. My daughter noted “Why does it smell like conditioner in here?” The pump was also primed (very unusual). The most concerning was that the next day during showers for the kids, my oldest daughter pumped out some of the conditioner and put it on her hair. My husband said in a very concerned voice “no, you don’t need that remember? The (kids) shampoo is a 2 in 1 which includes conditioner. Just rinse that out.” I was the level of concern in his voice that struck me. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/7 "2014-11-14T12:44:43Z")
That’s absurd. Speaking as a husband and a father, there are many, many easier and more sure ways to kill your wife than slowly poisoning her through her conditioner. If the main symptoms are fatigue and dizzyness, how could he expect you to make him a sandwich? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/8 "2014-11-14T12:48:22Z")
> [@CKS846](#): > > I have seen a number of doctors who have run tests and told me how healthy I am. But yet I had continued to feel poorly. I saw a nutritionist who started me on vitamins and a Chiropracter who been doing adjustments to fix my back and neck. These both seem to be helping. The biggest help seemed to come from when I stopped using my shampoo and conditioner and shampoo and switched to using my husbands and my kids. I think I am finally feeling better but I am running scared. Is there a lab anyone could recommend to run testing on conditioner for some sort of poison? > I can imagine that this seems paranoid, but there have been some strange things that have happened that made me think this is possible. I had bought a new bottle of conditioner a few days back and my husband put it in the bathroom for use. My daughter noted “Why does it smell like conditioner in here?” The pump was also primed (very unusual). The most concerning was that the next day during showers for the kids, my oldest daughter pumped out some of the conditioner and put it on her hair. My husband said in a very concerned voice “no, you don’t need that remember? The (kids) shampoo is a 2 in 1 which includes conditioner. Just rinse that out.” I was the level of concern in his voice that struck me. Do you have any reason to believe your husband might want to poison you? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/9 "2014-11-14T13:23:02Z")
> [@CKS846](#): > > I have seen a number of doctors who have run tests and told me how healthy I am. But yet I had continued to feel poorly. I saw a nutritionist who started me on vitamins and a Chiropracter who been doing adjustments to fix my back and neck. :rolleyes: See a _real_ doctor, not a “nutritionist” or “chiropractor”. Are you aware that overdoses of certain supplements/vitamins/minerals can cause symptoms? And if you think your shampoo or conditioner is poisoning you _throw them out_ and buy new ones! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/10 "2014-11-14T14:01:34Z")
If we outlaw shampoo and conditioner, then only outlaws will have shampoo and conditioner. But that might be a good idea. We could catch them by arresting the people with Good Hair. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/11 "2014-11-14T14:06:52Z")
> [@CKS846](#): > > The biggest help seemed to come from when I stopped using my shampoo and conditioner and shampoo and switched to using my husbands and my kids. I’m aware that this isn’t very useful, but is it possible your husband has found out about your bigamy and doesn’t like being used as shampoo, with or without the involvement of the other husbands? Also, kids don’t make good conditioner, or so I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/12 "2014-11-14T14:53:32Z")
I just watched an old Law and Order: Criminal Intent episode that had that as its premise. A father had put poison in his daughter’s lotion because he had a huge insurance policy on her. It’s in Season 5, I think. Not to get you more worked up… ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/13 "2014-11-14T15:07:07Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > Also, kids don’t make good conditioner, or so I’ve heard. They do, but you have to render down a lot of them to get useful amounts of product. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/14 "2014-11-14T15:27:23Z")
Come on! [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=730918) [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738373) [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731880) and [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731436) Noticed a pattern? Because **I need the truth**! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/15 "2014-11-14T16:20:52Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > I just watched an old Law and Order: Criminal Intent episode that had that as its premise. A father had put poison in his daughter’s lotion because he had a huge insurance policy on her. It’s in Season 5, I think. > > Not to get you more worked up… I think I remember that - wasn’t it a hormone [like testosterone or something] to trigger some other medical condition, so it would look like she died of that other pre-existing condition? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/16 "2014-11-14T16:30:03Z")
Considering shampoo is very personal, narrowing down a suspect list should be easy. I blame the dog. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/17 "2014-11-14T17:09:08Z")
> [@CKS846](#): > > I saw a nutritionist who started me on vitamins and a Chiropracter who been doing adjustments to fix my back and neck. These both seem to be helping. Until you get your reflexologist in the loop, how do you expect to get better? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/18 "2014-11-14T17:12:49Z")
[Organophosphates](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3350449) could do it. Common in many insecticides, absorbed through skin, not much needed especially in repeated doses. (Hey, while the odds may be that our op is a crock, one previously know here or not, the question is still a fun hypothetical.) ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/19 "2014-11-14T17:28:13Z")
> [@CKS846](#): > > I have seen a number of doctors who have run tests and told me how healthy I am. But yet I had continued to feel poorly. I saw a nutritionist who started me on vitamins and a Chiropracter who been doing adjustments to fix my back and neck. These both seem to be helping. The biggest help seemed to come from when I stopped using my shampoo and conditioner and shampoo and switched to using my husbands and my kids. I think I am finally feeling better but I am running scared. Is there a lab anyone could recommend to run testing on conditioner for some sort of poison? CKS846 please go and see a mental health practitioner and get some expert help. I have a brother with paranoid schizophrenia and he started with symptoms very much like yours. Schizophrenia is a treatable disorder and there is no stigma attached to seeking help. ---
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561/20 "2014-11-15T05:55:47Z")
And then there was Richard Overton. > **[Richard K. Overton dies at 81; convicted of fatally poisoning his wife](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-richard-overton7-2009jun07-story.html)** > > He was the center of a publicized Orange County murder trial after the death of his wife, a popular and outgoing school board member in the Capistrano Unified School District. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-poison-you-by-putting-something-in-your-shampoo-conditioner-or-lotion/704561.md?page=2)