Sodium lauryl sulfate
What is it?
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is an anionic surfactant. Surfactants, or “surface-active agents” are the active ingredients in cleaning products, including household cleaners and laundry detergents, and in personal care products such as body washes, shampoos, creams and toothpaste. SLS is also used as a food additive and in the metal processing industry.
Surfactants perform a number of useful roles in cleaning and personal care products. They act as wetting agents, reducing the surface tension of water and thereby allowing water to penetrate previously non-wettable surfaces. By reducing surface tension they also act as foaming agents. Surfactants also act as cleaning agents by loosening, dispersing and emulsifying soils so that they remain suspended in the wash solution.
What’s the myth?
There has been a myth circulating since the late 1990’s that SLS in consumer products causes cancer.
This myth may have gained some legitimacy by marketing of some products as "SLS-free", in response to perceived consumer attitudes.
FACT: There is no evidence that SLS is a carcinogen
There is no evidence that SLS causes cancer. It is simply an internet myth.
The International Agency on Cancer Research (IARC) does not classify SLS as a known, probable or possible human carcinogen.
The only known human health effect of SLS is that it is a known skin irritant. However, at the low concentrations used in cosmetics and personal care products combined with the rinse-off usage of most of these products, or the recommended usage profiles for household cleaning products, the risk of skin irritation is minimised.
FACT: Regulators say that there is no risk to consumers from SLS in cosmetics and personal care products
The national industrial chemicals regulator, NICNAS (now AICIS), conducted a review of SLS covering not only the alleged carcinogenicity of SLS, but also other potential adverse health effects.[1] NICNAS concluded that "the current controls are considered adequate to minimise the risk to public health posed by the known uses of this chemical in cosmetic or domestic products".
The 1997 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) report came to a similar conclusion that “the human health hazard assessment for SLS shows that at present the substance is of no concern for the general public”
The US Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel found SLS to be safe for use in cosmetic and personal care products in both 1983 and 2002.
The Canadian Health Dept. website states that, “At this time, there is no evidence to show that SLS causes an undue safety risk to consumers when used as directed in cosmetics”.[2]
The bottom line? Rumours that SLS causes cancer are simply untrue.
SLS as used in cosmetics, personal care products and household cleaners is safe when the product is used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Sources
[1] National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, Human Health Tier II Assessment for Sodium, ammonium and potassium lauryl sulfate
[2] www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/cosmet-person/labelling-etiquetage/ingredients-eng.php#a4.13
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is an anionic surfactant. Surfactants, or “surface-active agents” are the active ingredients in cleaning products, including household cleaners and laundry detergents, and in personal care products such as body washes, shampoos, creams and toothpaste. SLS is also used as a food additive and in the metal processing industry.
Surfactants perform a number of useful roles in cleaning and personal care products. They act as wetting agents, reducing the surface tension of water and thereby allowing water to penetrate previously non-wettable surfaces. By reducing surface tension they also act as foaming agents. Surfactants also act as cleaning agents by loosening, dispersing and emulsifying soils so that they remain suspended in the wash solution.
What’s the myth?
There has been a myth circulating since the late 1990’s that SLS in consumer products causes cancer.
This myth may have gained some legitimacy by marketing of some products as "SLS-free", in response to perceived consumer attitudes.
FACT: There is no evidence that SLS is a carcinogen
There is no evidence that SLS causes cancer. It is simply an internet myth.
The International Agency on Cancer Research (IARC) does not classify SLS as a known, probable or possible human carcinogen.
The only known human health effect of SLS is that it is a known skin irritant. However, at the low concentrations used in cosmetics and personal care products combined with the rinse-off usage of most of these products, or the recommended usage profiles for household cleaning products, the risk of skin irritation is minimised.
FACT: Regulators say that there is no risk to consumers from SLS in cosmetics and personal care products
The national industrial chemicals regulator, NICNAS (now AICIS), conducted a review of SLS covering not only the alleged carcinogenicity of SLS, but also other potential adverse health effects.[1] NICNAS concluded that "the current controls are considered adequate to minimise the risk to public health posed by the known uses of this chemical in cosmetic or domestic products".
The 1997 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) report came to a similar conclusion that “the human health hazard assessment for SLS shows that at present the substance is of no concern for the general public”
The US Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel found SLS to be safe for use in cosmetic and personal care products in both 1983 and 2002.
The Canadian Health Dept. website states that, “At this time, there is no evidence to show that SLS causes an undue safety risk to consumers when used as directed in cosmetics”.[2]
The bottom line? Rumours that SLS causes cancer are simply untrue.
SLS as used in cosmetics, personal care products and household cleaners is safe when the product is used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Sources
[1] National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, Human Health Tier II Assessment for Sodium, ammonium and potassium lauryl sulfate
[2] www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/cosmet-person/labelling-etiquetage/ingredients-eng.php#a4.13
