# Does Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Cause cancer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 23, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092 "2005-05-23T14:32:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/1 "2005-05-23T14:32:51Z")
I was just reading the label on my shampoo (I use a popular anti-dandruff shampoo). I was SHOCKED to dicover that the active ingredient was cola-tar derivative! Brning cola gives off a ton of carcinogenic componds-stuff like xanthane, phenols, ,etc. All of this stuff has been known to cause cancer for years 9in fact the fisrt cases of occupational cancer were noted amonge the chimney sweepers of londan). So why does a product like this contain coal tar? Could this be the basis of a class action? And, is the danger cumulative? I’ve been using this stuff for years…now I’m scared! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/2 "2005-05-23T16:41:51Z")
[Sounds like the matter is still open to the possibility.](http://www.aubrey-organics.com/about/articles/dandruff.cfm) [Than again, I can find sites that say an increase of cancer among users has never been established.](http://psorsite.com/coaltar.html) There is sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity in experimental animals of coal-tars, creosotes, creosote oils, anthracene oils and coal-tar pitches. There is sufficient evidence that occupational exposure to coal-tars as it occurs during the destructive distillation of coal is causally associated with the occurrence of skin cancer in humans (IARC, 1984a). The findings of the few studies available on other occupational exposures to coal-tars are consistent with that evaluation. There is sufficient evidence that coal-tar pitches are carcinogenic in humans. There is limited evidence that coal-tar-derived creosotes are carcinogenic in humans. Taken together, the data indicate that coal-tars and coal-tar pitches are causally associated with cancer in humans and that creosotes derived from coal-tars are probably carcinogenic in humans. Products with more than .5% coal tar need to be labeled as possible sources of cancer. You might want to switch to a Selenium Sulfide based shampoo. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/3 "2005-05-23T18:13:47Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Brning cola gives off a ton of carcinogenic componds Personally, I tend to just drink my cola, rather than burning (or brning) it. ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/4 "2005-05-23T19:28:06Z")
What **Uncommon Sense** said. I find that selenium sulfide or ketoconazole shampoos work as well as tar in my patients and myself anyway. Choosy (derm resident) ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/5 "2005-05-23T21:20:40Z")
> [@choosybeggar](#): > > What **Uncommon Sense** said. > > I find that selenium sulfide or ketoconazole shampoos work as well as tar in my patients and myself anyway. > > Choosy (derm resident) How does zinc pyrithione grab you, doc? ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/6 "2005-05-23T21:33:02Z")
It works but I find it less effective. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/7 "2005-05-24T02:34:08Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > So why does a product like this contain coal tar? And, is the danger cumulative? I’ve been using this stuff for years…now I’m scared! eek: Didn’t you know? Everything causes cancer. s/Chicken Little. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/8 "2005-05-25T09:06:31Z")
> [@choosybeggar](#): > > What **Uncommon Sense** said. > > I find that selenium sulfide or ketoconazole shampoos work as well as tar in my patients and myself anyway. Last I heard selenium sulfide was also a suspected carcinogen. It’s been banned in several countries for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/9 "2005-05-25T14:46:11Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Last I heard selenium sulfide was also a suspected carcinogen. It’s been banned in several countries for that reason. It’s a group R substance which means that it is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. Rather than _known_ to be one. And I think that’s through ingestion, not topical applications. Not sure though. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anti-dandruff-shampoo-cause-cancer/305092/10 "2005-05-25T14:48:42Z")
[Site](http://www.pharmacy.ohio-state.edu/services/safety/chemhygiene_table_carcinos.html) And only one of the four groups labels it as such.