Aimed at those who appreciate affordable hair care and want to fight dandruff, Head & Shoulders sells products that claim up to seven potential benefits in one bottle, but skin improvement isn’t listed among them.
So when comedian and podcaster Elyse Myers told her 5.7 million followers on TikTok who has used the shampoo brand as an acne-fighting facial cleanser since a doctor recommended it to her in high school, the platform’s community of dermatology enthusiasts (affectionately known as SkinTok for convenience and portmanteau) took it as a call. to the action.
Dermatologists and beauticians have taken note of this. Users of all skin types have experimented with the product and shared their results. One swore that after struggling with spots all his life, Head & Shoulders cleared up his skin. Others testified that the product did nothing or, worse, made their existing problems worse.
In the original TikTok, Myers explained that she washed her face with Head & Shoulders for years and never had a problem with her skin until she switched to expensive products the brands sent her. After experimenting with these more sophisticated options, Myers said she “never had worse skin in her entire life,” so she got rid of them and went back to using Head & Shoulders.
Neither Myers nor Head & Shoulders make any promises about the shampoo’s effectiveness as a facial cleanser, but Myers urged her followers to try it before investing in luxury skin products. (Note: Myers is not a dermatologist.)
And contrary to what the TikTok backlash would have you believe, Myers isn’t the first person to recommend dandruff shampoo as an acne-fighting agent. A quick search on the app shows that users and skin experts alike are promoting the benefits of washing your skin with anti-dandruff shampoo brands like Nizoral and Selsun Blue in 2020.
Not one to shy away from the opportunity to apply strange things to my face in the name of improved performance, I took it upon myself to investigate. First I called Myers, then I consulted several dermatologists.
Myers told me that even though she was dealing with growing hormonal acne when she visited her dermatologist in high school, her main concern was dry, red skin. Dr. Andrea Suarez, a board certified dermatologist, better known as Dr. Dray 1.7 million followers on YouTube, She told me that these are exactly the types of skin problems that Head & Shoulders can best address. The shampoo contains zinc pyrithione, which targets the yeast Malassezia, a major culprit in conditions like dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis (which, Suarez explained to me via email, is “a type of eczema characterized by oily, scaly, red patches that the more commonly around the nose and in the eyebrows”).
Email consultations with several dermatologists assured me that the product was safe for most people to use on their face, but after a week of washing my face with Head & Shoulders 2-in-1, I was forced to admit that it is not about most people. you are My skin is sensitive and the shampoo aggravated the already dry texture. After looking at my face, my dermatologist advised me to stop using it.
Some ingredients in dandruff shampoo can fight acne.
Zinc pyrithione – the active ingredient found in all Head & Shoulders flagship products that works against moderate flaking and scalp infections – isn’t the only element in dandruff shampoo that can help lighten skin.
Head & Shoulders also produces a line of clinically effective shampoos designed to combat severe dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. The active ingredient in these products is selenium sulfide, a chemical compound used to soothe itching and dryness and minimize fungal overgrowth.
Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky, a board certified dermatologist I went to after I met her TikTok’s response to Myers’ videoshe told me that people with pityrosporum folliculitis (aka fungal acne) are likely to respond well to shampooing because their condition, like seborrheic dermatitis, is triggered by yeast.
Who should avoid using dandruff shampoo on the face?
My experience with Head & Shoulders mostly involved a light scrub, but for others with sensitive skin, using the shampoo can create new breakouts or inflame blemishes and prevent them from healing, experts said.
“Surfactants in shampoo can be too harsh for some skin types, triggering disruption of the skin’s barrier and making someone more prone to dryness and irritation,” explained Suarez.
Zubritsky also cautioned people with severe nodulocystic acne against using Head & Shoulders. “This should be addressed by a dermatologist,” she said. “The longer you wait to treat this type of acne, the more likely you are to have scarring.”
For people who have less severe skin problems but have reservations about using a $5 anti-dandruff shampoo as a face wash, Zubritsky advised that acne treatment doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective. She recommended prioritizing ingredients over branding and looking for “tried and true” battle methods like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.
Or, for people like me who like to experiment with unconventional options, she suggested buying a sulfur soap. (It can help treat “not just acne, but rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and fungal acne,” she said.)
Ultimately, skin care products can only do so much, Suarez said: “For those with skin conditions like acne or eczema, prescription treatments and lifestyle factors like avoiding triggers, they can make all the difference.”
Shampoo as a facial cleanser might not be for everyone, but the one skin-care routine secret that’s universal, Suarez said, is “sticking to the basics and protecting your skin from the sun.” Now this is a top that is head and shoulders above the rest.
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.