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What happens if you ingest hair rinse or conditioner?

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The bottom line

Most hair rinses and conditioners are relatively safe. If you accidentally swallow them, you may experience no toxicity or possibly mild irritation in the mouth, throat, or stomach. More significant gastrointestinal irritation can occur with some color rinses that contain ammonia or hydrogen peroxide and deep conditioners that contain cationic detergents.

Prevention Tips

  • Store hair rinses and conditioners up, away, and out of sight of children.

  • Read and follow label instructions.

  • Use the right product for your hair type.

  • Don’t wash and condition your hair every day; wait until your hair is dirty or oily.

  • Rinse the conditioner thoroughly out of your hair to avoid buildup of residue.

  • Do not leave the rinse or conditioner in longer than the directions say.

  • Avoid leaving the conditioner in your hair overnight, unless it is designed for overnight use.

  • Keep rinses and conditioners away from your eyes.

  • Do a patch test on your skin to check for allergy before using color rinses. 

This Really Happened

While taking a bath, a 2-year-old girl grabbed the hair conditioner container on the side of the bathtub and swallowed a mouthful before her mother could take the container from her. She tried to spit it out, but the mother thought she had still swallowed some. The mother wiped her mouth out with a washcloth and gave her water to drink. She then called her poison center to check if her daughter would be okay. The poison center asked about the type of conditioner and whether her daughter had any symptoms. Since it was a rinse-out conditioner and the girl had no symptoms, the poison center recommended that the mother wipe out her daughter’s mouth and give her a drink. She should not expect any toxicity.

Hair rinse and conditioner: What are they made of?

Hair rinses produce a variety of effects on your hair depending on the type of rinse. They can cleanse, strengthen, nourish, moisturize, add shine, add color, or dissolve buildup. Some hair color rinses contain chemicals such as ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and p-phenylenediamine (PPD or PPDA). Rinses may contain herbs and/or other natural products such as apple cider vinegar, tea, rice water, and lemon juice.  

Hair conditioners are used after the hair is washed with shampoo to improve the texture and appearance of hair. They are usually available as thick liquids, gels, and creams. The ingredients depend on the type of conditioner. The most common are rinse-out conditioners that are applied for around 5 minutes and that contain water, cetyl alcohol or similar conditioning agents, glycerin or similar humectants, emollients (such as coconut oil), proteins, fragrances, and preservatives. Deep conditioners that are applied to the hair for 30-45 minutes contain cationic surfactants, such as cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, behentrimonium chloride (BTAC), and cetrimonium chloride (CETAC). 

Are these products toxic if swallowed?

Most hair rinses and conditioners are relatively safe if swallowed. Depending on the ingredients, swallowing them can cause an upset stomach, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Hair rinses with ammonia or hydrogen peroxide and conditioners with cationic surfactants may cause more significant irritation to the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.

What ingredients should I avoid in these products?

If possible, avoid products with ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, or PPD. 

Are allergic reactions to these hair products possible?

Some people experience allergic reactions to their scalp and skin from rinses and conditioners. They experience contact dermatitis manifesting with redness, itching, swelling, and rash.  

What should I do if these products are swallowed or get in the eye?

If these products are swallowed, rinse out the mouth with water. If they get into the eyes, rinse with water for 10-15 minutes.Use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool to get help or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

Share This:
Wendy Klein-Schwartz, Pharm.D., MPH,
Clinical Toxicologist

References

D’Souza P, Rathi SK. Shampoo and conditioners: What a dermatologist should know? Indian J Dermatol. 2015;60(3):248-254. Doi: 10.4103/0019-5154.156355.

Loretz LJ, Api AM, Babcock L,Barraj LM, Burdick J, Cater KC, Jarrett G, Mann S, Pan YHL, Re TA, Renskers KJ, Scrafford CG. Exposure data for cosmetic products: facial cleaner, hair conditioner, and eye shadow. Food Chem Toxicol. 2008;46(5):1516-1524. 10.1016/j.fct.2007.12.011.

Monnot AD, Towle KM, Warshaw E, Fung ES, Novic RM, Paustenbach DJ, Drechsel DA. Skin sensitization induction risk assessment of common ingredients in commercially available cleansing conditioners. Dermatitis. 2019;30(2):116-128. doi: 10.1097/DER.0000000000000445.

Sang SH, Akowuah GA, Liew KB, Lee SK, Keng JW, Lee SK, Yon JA, Tan CS Chew YL. Natural alternatives from your garden for hair care: Revisiting the benefits of tropical herbs. Heliyon. 2023;9(11):e21876. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21876.

Tawfik M, Rodriguez-Homs LG, Alexander T, Patterson S, Okoye G, Atwater AR. Allergen content of best-selling ethnic versus nonethnic shampoo products. Dermatitis. 2021;32:101-110. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000668.

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