# What is it about head and shoulders that makes my hair lovely? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512 "2012-11-01T01:52:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/1 "2012-11-01T01:52:12Z")
Head and Shoulders is an anti dandruff shampoo, and while it is not exactly expensive it’s certainly more than an average shampoo and I am a fairly cheap person (when it comes to unnecessary spending on stuff I don’t like, and I don’t like washing my hair) and also a person with no dandruff. But even so I have not been able to find any shampoo who makes my hair the super dooper silky way it is if I use H&S. Honestly, if you’ve ever had a comfort blanket as a kid with silk on the edges, my hair is like that. It’s amazing\*. Stands to reason there is something in H&S. But I cannot see it in the ingredients when I compare it to other shampoos. Even other anti-dandruff ones. What is going on? \*To be clear I am talking only about how it feels to the touch. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/2 "2012-11-01T03:14:01Z")
Low phosphorous content is the key doesn’t strip out as much oil. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/3 "2012-11-01T12:33:08Z")
In my case, I used to scatter dandruff (from my beard; I don’t have enough hair on my head to matter) all over my shirt. Since I used H&S, this has ceased. So it certainly has some effect. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/4 "2012-11-01T13:40:04Z")
According to the Professor, [sulphur and selenium](http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/034.htm) are the anti-dandruff components. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/5 "2012-11-03T05:27:16Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > According to the Professor, [sulphur and selenium](http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/034.htm) are the anti-dandruff components. Selenium sulfide is the active ingredient in Selsun Blue - see [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selsun_Blue) Zinc pyrithione is the active ingredient in Head and Shoulders - see [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrithione_zinc) ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/6 "2012-11-03T11:35:32Z")
Both of my sons tend to get dermatitis of the scalp, and although it’s not the same thing as dandruff, both our family doctor and our family hairdresser recommended trying Head and Shoulders. Both claim that it rinses out more cleanly than most other shampoos, leaving less stuff behind to irritate the scalp with. I have no idea if this is true or not, I just know it works. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/7 "2012-11-03T13:06:35Z")
The 30% more MDMA content. ---
**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 3, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/8 "2012-11-03T13:29:27Z")
Could you post some before and after pics? Nothing personal, but I’ve seen your visage and I’m having trouble imagining you “lovely”. I mean, dude. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/9 "2012-11-03T14:31:49Z")
Head & Shoulders is a bog-simple conditioning shampoo. Ingredients like glycol distearate, dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, and guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride will stay behind and make the hair feel soft. Are the other shampoos you’ve tried conditioning shampoos? Low phosphates? ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/10 "2012-11-03T15:10:31Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > In my case, I used to scatter dandruff (from my _ **beard** _; I don’t have enough hair on my head to matter) all over my shirt. Since I used H&S, this has ceased. So it certainly has some effect. Hmmm. For some reason, maybe related to the old movie _Singin’ in The Rain_, I’ve always thought that \*\*Hari Seldon \*\*was a female. (sorry). I’ll have to rethink my reactions to future posts, I guess, as sometimes gender is pertinent - in my mind, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/11 "2012-11-03T16:26:29Z")
Maybe try the no-poo approach. Since you mention being frugal, I’d suggest getting a 99 cent Suave Naturals conditioner and using that instead of shampoo. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/12 "2012-11-03T18:34:49Z")
If your pets have fleas,wash them with Head & Shoulders. Kills the little buggers (NOT the pets :)) on contact. And probably a lot of other little creepies they might have on them too. I’ve used it for years and years on my animals with no harm to them. ---
**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 3, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-head-and-shoulders-that-makes-my-hair-lovely/639512/13 "2012-11-03T18:49:18Z")
You know how it was known Vic Morrow had dandruff? they found his head and shoulders in the bushes Very. Old. Humor.