Is Your Current Shampoo Not Cutting It?

The mass-produced shampoos on the shelves of beauty stores and pharmacies are effective, but only to a point. Many individuals need custom options to address specific concerns. As a result, there is a larger shift to personalized hair care. Shampoos should cleanse the hair while not causing hair loss or exacerbating specific hair conditions. There is also a growing list of individuals with sensitivities or allergies to the ingredients in big-brand shampoos. Custom shampoos via compounding are growing in demand and popularity, addressing medical concerns or creating the perfect hair care solution.

Why you may need to go custom

Some individuals struggle with maintaining clean hair and dealing with underlying hair conditions. Dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, dry scalp, and hair loss are some of the issues some people struggle with daily. Finding a shampoo to help comes down to trial and error, with many options not achieving results. The options that do work may have ingredients that are too potent or additives that further damage hair. Some simply need a solution that combines medicated treatment with ingredients that maintain hydration and volume. In the past, these requests would seem near impossible. Now, pharmacists can help create custom shampoos to satisfy both needs.

A custom option with compounding

Compounding is an innovative practice where pharmacists create custom medical solutions for patients with individual needs. The practice is popular in prescription oral medicine to address medication shortages, avoid allergies, or adjust dosages. Now, compounding has helped other areas of health, including hair care. Using a deep understanding of chemistry and formulation, the compounding team creates a solution specific to the user. As a result, a custom shampoo with all the requirements is formulated, leading to higher adherence and better results. Creating a custom shampoo sounds expensive, but the long-term savings come from trying multiple expensive brands to achieve the same results.

Compounding shampoo benefits

Conventional shampoos must cater to a broad spectrum of hair types, colors, and styles. The ingredients that help a specific hair type, however, may be too harsh for others. Custom shampoos are tailored to meet the specific needs and sensitivities of that hair type. These shampoos can also be formulated to address hair conditions. Medicated cleansing agents and natural botanicals can be added in specific concentrations to maintain healthy hair and scalp. Customizing shampoos means ingredients can be removed. Some preservatives or stabilizers may lead to dryness, thinning, or breakage. Removing these irritants or including gentle alternatives increases the long-term effectiveness of the product.

Working with your compounding team

The pharmacist or hair care specialist will work with the user to find the perfect formulation. An assessment of hair type, current hair condition, and future goals will determine what is needed in the custom shampoo. Factors like hair compatibility, active ingredients, and pH balance all go into a customized option. The most appropriate shampoo is formulated under strict quality controls and safety standards. The data is recorded and adjusted to match the evolving needs of hair over time. Compounding is essential for dermatologists who need to treat conditions to restore hair like alopecia areata, dry scalp, fungal infections, or psoriasis. With a custom shampoo, a holistic approach to improving symptoms is possible.

Achieve healthier hair with custom solutions

Who said the perfect hair care solution is not possible? Everyone’s hair is different and, at times, needs specific care. For individuals with scalp or hair conditions, grabbing a medicated shampoo off the shelf may not be enough. A custom shampoo matches the unique needs of the patient and can be more potent and cost-effective in the long run. Compounding also encourages a personalized approach to hair care, with patients excited to include natural scents and engaging packaging. Work closely with the pharmacy team to formulate an unexpected hero in the quest for perfect hair care.