Shampoo

1. Wipe or rinse out mouth.
2. Give a serving size of water to drink.
3. Wash any exposed skin thoroughly with warm water.
4. Call 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.

If someone gets a shampoo product in the eye, there can be immediate burning and stinging, which requires prompt first aid to avoid eye injury.

1. Start rinsing eye(s) with lukewarm water.
2. Call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 for further recommendations.

Shampoo is a staple of modern hair care. It is used to cleanse the hair and treat certain scalp and hair conditions like dandruff, dryness, or oily hair. Today, shampoo comes in a huge variety of formulas, but the base is always the same: a detergent or surfactant for cleansing. It is different than dry shampoo.

Types of Detergents Found in Shampoo

Shampoos contain four detergent types: anionic, nonionic, cationic, and amphoteric.

• Anionic and nonionic surfactants are most common because they clean well and lather easily. Examples include sodium laurel sulfate, phosphates, sulfonates, alcohol ethoxylates, and fatty acid esters.
• Cationic detergents are most often found in 2-in-1 products or shampoos for chemically treated hair. They do not lather or clean as well as anionic or nonionic detergents, but are gentle on hair. Examples include stearalkonium chloride, polyquaternium-10, and cetrimonium chloride.
• Amphoteric detergents are often in baby shampoos and products for sensitive skin because they are gentle and won’t irritate or sting the eyes like other detergents. They may be listed as cocamidopropyl betaine or disodium cocoamphodiacetate on the ingredients list.

Medicated shampoos contain detergents like regular shampoo but also have ingredients to treat scalp or hair concerns like dandruff, scalp irritation, or itching. Active ingredients in medicated shampoo may include pyrithione zinc, salicylic acid, or selenium sulfide for dandruff or coal tar for scalp itching and irritation.

What happens if you swallow shampoo?

Accidentally swallowing shampoo is not expected to cause serious harm, even if it’s an over-the-counter medicated type. But shampoo can irritate the mouth and throat, and more than a taste may cause mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or diarrhea. Bubbly shampoo may cause choking, coughing, gagging, or nasal burning. Serious breathing problems are rare.

Does shampoo expire?

Another potential risk is that shampoo ingredients can change over time and may expire. This is true for both medicated and non-medicated varieties. If you have an old bottle and aren’t sure if it’s safe to use, first look for an expiration date or a PAO (period after opening) icon on the bottle. The PAO is a small jar icon with a number inside, followed by “M” for months; for example, 12M means it expires 12 months after opening. Next, inspect the product for separation, visible mold, discoloration, decreased fragrance, or a foul odor, and do not use it if any of these signs are present.

If you already mistakenly used an expired shampoo, it’s ok. It may be less effective at cleaning hair and could cause mild skin irritation. Accidentally swallowing expired shampoo isn’t expected to cause serious harm, but it can cause throat irritation and stomach upset, just like regular shampoo.

If you find someone has swallowed a small amount of shampoo, do not panic. Wipe out the mouth with a soft, wet cloth and give them some water to drink. Call the Missouri Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. The poison center is open all day, every day, for poisoning emergencies and questions.

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