# Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in shampoo...is it killing us? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 12, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485 "2001-06-12T02:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inferno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/df705f/32.png) [@Inferno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inferno)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/1 "2001-06-12T02:19:44Z")
So what is the latest word on whether Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate is cancerous or not? For those who haven’t heard, this chemical (SLS), used in a huge number of shampoos and body washes to create a thick lather, has been found to cause cancer. Or not? I haven’t heard anything more about this in the news. Does anybody have any info? I’ve checked out some of the bottles in my bathroom and was surprised to find it in a lot of products, including face washes and even stuff from the Body Shop. Should I be worried about having this crap all over my body and in my hair everyday? Psychosomatically yours; Dante ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/2 "2001-06-12T02:38:21Z")
Quick answer-no, it’s not killing you. [snopes](http://www.snopes2.com/index.html) is a great site for urban legends. ---
**Author:** ![Azazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Azazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azazel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/3 "2001-06-12T02:39:35Z")
[Not dangerous](http://www.snopes2.com/toxins/shampoo.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/4 "2001-06-12T04:02:40Z")
0.5 points to **sam** for being quickest on the draw and 2.0 points to **Azazel** for actually linking to the appropriate article. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/5 "2001-06-12T04:28:17Z")
“Give a wo(man) a specific link, and you’ll answer their specific question. Give them a general link(at snopes) and you’ll sometimes confound them for an eternity.” ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/6 "2001-06-12T04:38:02Z")
Good thought, there, **sam**. ---
**Author:** ![Inferno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/df705f/32.png) [@Inferno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inferno)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/7 "2001-06-12T12:10:28Z")
Thank you to those who gave me the answer and provided me with that awesome link. I guess I can move onto worrying about all the other chemicals killing me. Finally, a website I’m really interested in that doesn’t have nudity;). ---
**Author:** ![Acco40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Acco40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acco40)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoo-is-it-killing-us/68485/8 "2001-06-12T13:26:07Z")
I suppose if you ate enough of it…