SLS, SLES and DEA

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) & AMMONIUM LAURYL SULFATE COMPARISON

SLS and ALS are both detergent surfactants; in that they both clean
and remove soils (thus have detergency). They also break the surface tension
of water or other liquids; allowing the solution to penetrate into soils,
fabrics, skin, hair etc. (called surfactancy)

The penetrated solution then breaks down the bonds holding the soil and
releasing it for rinsing away. Depending on the chemistry of the surfactant,
it can break down specific or non-specific soil types. They may rinse free
to one degree or another resulting in either a clean or filmed surface,
after rinsing.

This of course is what causes matted or full hair, as an example. It can
also penetrate or not penetrate into what every it comes into contact with;
depending on the type of material and the surfactants size (molecular weight)
or molecular skeletal structure. They can also be irritating or mild due to
their independent composition. Depending on the types or atoms or molecules
used to make up the surfactant; determines these factors.
 
Sometimes very dangerous atoms or molecules can be combined to either form
from a very safe to a very dangerous compound. It all depends on the way the
atoms interact to either neutralize their aggressiveness or magnify it.

Let's analyze table salt as an example.
Its chemical structure is of two atoms combined together, Sodium (Na) and
Chlorine (Cl) Individually, they are extremely dangerous, even deadly. But
when combined together, they become sodium chloride (NaCl) or salt.
This combination takes two deadly atoms and makes an extremely safe compound
and is one of the most vital ingredients for life. It is necessary for
every cell in our body.
 
Now lets talk about the chemistry of SLS and ALS. Both use coconut oil
as the back bone of the molecule In the case of SLS, the coconut oil is reacted
with one atom, Sodium (Na) and one molecule Sulfate (So) (i.e.: one molecule of
sulfur and 4 molecules of oxygen makes sulfate) in a complicated reaction process.
 
The resulting molecule SLS then has properties according to the size and skeletal
structure of the combining atoms and molecules. In the case of SLS, it has a small
molecular weight that will allow it to penetrate through the skin even into the
blood stream and thus will be carried and enter into every organ in the body, heart,
brain, liver, eyes etc. SLS has aggressive properties due to many unstable (unpaired)
electrons. This causes SLS to react aggressively with many compounds it comes in
contact with. With soils its corrosive action breaks down greases, proteins and
many other contaminates.

SLS is used world wide as the standard irritant for biological research on the
skin and other bodily systems. On a scale of 0 to 10 for surfactant irritation,
SLS is rated as a 10. Water would be rated 0. ALS would be at a 4 rating.
 
SLS denatures proteins, which causes skin and *eye damage. It also can react
with nitrogen bearing molecules to form carcinogenic nitrates. If SLS is combined
with a long chain alcohol molecule (called ethoxylation) to create higher foam
levels; it becomes known as SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate or Sodium Laureth
Sulfate) SLES can reacts with ingredients to form both carcinogenic nitrates and
the even more potentially dangerous carcinogenic dioxin. Tests in Germany have
shown that SLES can cause hair loss.
 
ALS on the other hand is much milder than SLS. It is made of the lauryl coconut
soap ester and the sulfate; the same as in SLS. However the irritating sodium atom
is not present and instead an ammonium (not ammonia) molecule (not an atom) made
up of one  nitrogen and four hydrogen atoms (NH) . This ammonium end of the molecular
compound is spread out covering so much of an area that it restricts skin penetration.

Essentially ALS is too large of a molecular weight (size) to penetrate the skin
and blood system. The ammonium bonding is safe with few unstable electrons to cause
 damage to tissues. ALS cannot react with nitrogen bearing or other compounds to
produce either carcinogenic nitrates or dioxins unlike SLS or SLES.
 

DIETHANOLAMINE

Diethanolamine is used in a number of consumer products, such as shampoos, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.  Limited information is available on the health effects of diethanolamine.  Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure to diethanolamine in humans may result in irritation of the nose and throat, and dermal exposure may irritate the skin.  No information is available on the chronic (long-term), reproductive, developmental, or carcinogenic effects of diethanolamine in humans.  Animal studies have reported effects on the liver, kidney, blood, and central nervous system (CNS) from chronic oral exposure to diethanolamine.  The National Toxicology Program (NTP) reported an increased incidence of liver and kidney tumors in mice from dermal exposure to diethanolamine. (EPA, last revised in January 2000)

Often used in cosmetics to adjust the pH, and used with many fatty acids to convert acid to salt (stearate), which then becomes the base for a cleanser. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.These chemicals are already restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects. Dr. Samuel Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois) says that repeated skin applications of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer. (health-report.co.uk)

Suspect cancer-causing agent diethanolamine (DEA) is used as an emulsifier and foaming agent in shampoos. We reported early on that the federal National Toxicology Program (NTP) completed a study in 1998 that found an association between the topical application of diethanolamine and certain DEA-related ingredients and cancer in laboratory animals. For the DEA-related ingredients, the NTP study suggested that the carcinogenic response was linked to possible residual levels of DEA. The NTP study did not establish a link between DEA and the risk of cancer in humans. But when a substance causes cancer in laboratory animals, it is a warning we must take seriously.

In this case, we noted, there is an added concern. The presence of DEA in cosmetics, including shampoos, can also lead to formation of nitrosamines, which are powerful carcinogens. Many nitrosamines have been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals and have also been linked with human cancer. These have also been shown to penetrate the skin. The FDA expressed its concern about the contamination of cosmetics with nitrosamines in a notice published in the Federal Register of April 10, 1979 (44 FR 21365). It stated that cosmetics containing nitrosamines may be considered adulterated and subject to enforcement action, though the agency has never demonstrated a willingness to take meaningful enforcement action in this regard. Thus, in DEA we have both a suspected carcinogen and a clear-cut carcinogen precursor.


When news came out about the cancer-causing potential of DEA, many shampoo manufacturers looked at their labels and realized their products contained DEA or cocamide DEA, both chemicals being cited in the NTP study as cancer-causing. So what did they do? And why did they do it? Apparently more for marketing reasons than consumer health, many manufacturers then decided to eliminate cocamide DEA and instead use substitute ingredients like lauramide DEA — but, manufacturers soon learned, this chemical was also found to be cancer-causing by the same federal program. Consumer outcry and pressure led to its removal from some, but not all, shampoo products.

Nevertheless, instead of waking up to the fact that it might be smart to simply keep DEA derivatives out of their products, many shampoo manufacturers went on to a chemical not yet tested by the NTP but that still contains DEA. If you look at many of the shampoo products today, you will see they list cocamide MEA on their labels. Of cocamide MEA, the FDA says it is one "of the most commonly used ingredients that may contain DEA." So though not tested, it can nevertheless be considered a chemical of concern. In addition, under certain circumstances, it can also cause nitrosamine formation. Alberto VO5 and St. Ives shampoos contain or have contained lauramide DEA. Aussie, Clairol, Dove, Finesse, Herbal Essences, and Neutrogena are examples of shampoos that all list cocamide MEA as an ingredient.