Sodium lauryl sulfate is the victim of an urban myth similar to
the one that haunts parabens. It is accused of causing cancer.
This is false. However, there may be other reasons to avoid
sodium lauryl sulfate and even its gentler sister, sodium
laureth sulfate. First of all what is it? Sodium lauryl sulfate
is a detergent. As well as cleansing, it makes foam. Hence, it
is frequently used as the base for shampoos, soaps and
toothpaste. Although studies specifically cleared sodium lauryl
sulfate of being carcinogenic, it has been established that it
can cause severe epidermal changes to the area where it is
applied that, theoretically, could increase the chances of
cancer. If you have the suspicion that washing your face is
making your skin dry, or that shampooing is giving you an itchy
scalp or making your eyes sting, or that cleaning your teeth is
giving you mouth ulcers, sodium lauryl sulfate is the likely
culprit. In studies, there are "significant correlations" (in
the words of one) between SLS and contact