Soy Protein... something to think about...

[Tee]

I've noticed that a lot of skin care products that claim to diminish hair growth on the body use soy protein as the key ingredient (for example, Jergins Naturally Smooth lotion). I used Rusk Calm, a soy protein based conditioner, very frequently for over a year. I did have some thinning during that time period, but it may have been caused by my frequent wrapping. After realizing that soy protein is being promoted as a hair growth retardant, I've decided to stop using hair products with soy protein. I don't want to take any chances.

 

[DahomeyAhosi]

Thanks! Good to know

 

[dahllia]

What you are saying is very very interesting. I never thought of it like that, I use the same Jergens lotion. Yet I also use the VO5 coconut and soy conditioner and never made any connections in my head. Hmmmm, what gives here? Just what is soy's purpose when used in hair products?

 

[Supergirl]

That is something to think about...

 

[Kaela]

This is a fascinating topic, I'm glad you posted this...

What I was wondering: are they using the same component of soy in both types of products? Because sometimes they market it so that it says something like 'active soy compounds' or similar. So are they using one part of the soy for conditioner and a different part/extraction for the lotions?

I hope that doesn't sound stupid....I wish I knew the reason that soy had the ability to inhibit growth. Given that, why would they even make hair products containing soy?

Curious to know about this...

 

[Tee]

The Jergins Naturally Smooth Lotion has hydrolyzed soy protein, the same ingredient in most soy protein based conditioners I've seen. I know there are a couple of other hair minimizing facial and body moisturizers on the market, and I'm pretty sure most of them tout soy as this magical hair stopper.

 

[Supergirl]

On second thought:

I don't think the soy protein in the lotions inhibits the growth. I think it makes the hair finer and less noticeable--not that we'd want to do that to the hair on our heads though

Many hair care lines are using soy protein now. I don't see why they would sell a product that could be harmful to the hair though.

 

[divanrare4m]

Help...somebody find out. All the VO5 fruit and cream cond. have soy milk protein. I have the strawberries and cream now.

 

[Kaela]

bump

 

[ny2atl]

This is actually contrary to what I've read. There have been studies done where soy actually was believed to encourage hair growth. I drink a soy protein shake everyday and my hair has been growing very nicely. Go figure.

 

[Tracy]

I wondered about this too...

And if it is contrary to research like ny2atl said, then I wonder how they can be marketing it both as a good protein to manage hair on the head and then as a growth retardant on the rest of the body....

Curiouser and curiouser...

 

[Supergirl]

I think I've figured this one out ladies

There is a fairly new line of hair care products called Got2B So Smooth. They market their line of products as such that can make the hair very "smooth." Well, the product "theme ingredient" appears to be soy protein.

So the connection I'm making (only my theory) is that soy protein is good for smoothing hair. I can think of plenty of times when I didn't feel like shaving my legs so I used baby oil or lotion to just smooth is down against my leg. Maybe this is what these soy protein hair "minimizers" are actually doing, but much more effectively than regular ol' lotion...

Again, as I said above--I just wouldn't think that hair product manufacturers would add something to a product that would harm the hair. Also, remember that hair is pretty much protein so I wouldn't think it possible that protein could hinder protein. (I consider myself to be pretty science-savvy)

Hope I've enlightened you.

 

[Spagirl]

Thanks Supergirl....Got2b fix tx might be the next bomb! It's been in my hair for 9 hours now and I'm still liking it.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

Thanks Supergirl! You are always on top of things!

 

[Tee]

I was checking the ingredients in some products by Got2B and Sexy Hair Concepts , another brand that features soy in most of their products. Both of them use soy glycine. Most of the other products I've seen that just happen to use soy but don't feature it use hydrolyzed soy protein, the same as the lotions. The soy based hair minimimizing lotions work on the root, not already existing hair. They claim that "new" hair will grow in finer. And, it does.

I think I would trust a Got2B or a Sexy Hair Concepts product over something that uses hydrolized soy protein because these companies center their entire product line around soy and they've chosen to use soy glycine. I would think if they believe in soy so strongly, they must have done thier research and use a variant of soy that will benefit hair instead of harm it.

And don't think companies would hesitate to use a potentially harmful ingredient. Look at the tobacco companies. For decades they knew that nicotine in cigarettes caused cancer before the public knew, yet they kept that knowledge on the hush-hush and continued to make their money. I'm not equating hydrolized soy protein with nicotine, I'm just giving an example.

 

[Katrine]

Most hair-inhibitors inhibits the production of DHT (di-hydro testoterone).

DHT thins hair on head and makes body hair grow. Body hair (which again is divided in non-sexual and sexual) and head-hair is controlled by the same hormones, but is reacting in totally oppposite directions.

Other dht-inhibitors is for instance green tea, a diet low in sugar, borago oil, pumpkins seeds or grapewine seeds...etc etc.

What I do know about soy is that it has an estrogen effect and some people use it under menopause (along with flax seed oil and evening primrose oil). Im not sure if it is the estrogen effect alone that works against unwanted hair or if soy is a dht-inhibitor too.(but I think so!)

Alot of sickness show up in either thinning of head-hair or/and unwanted body/facial hair.

Hairyness and baldness is two intertwined research topics...

 

[Supergirl]

Tee,

That is interesting. But remember these lotion companies are out to get $$ also. Remember we say all the time on this board that nothing applied topically can affect hair growth. (and scientifically, this is true

)

 

[Supergirl]

Spagirl,

It's so good that you are counting the hours, huh?

 

[Katrine]

[ QUOTE ]


Remember we say all the time on this board that nothing applied topically can affect hair growth. (and scientifically, this is true

)

[/ QUOTE ]

No it is not true. Vaniqa, rogaine, finansterid etc etc all affects hairgrowth.

edited because I spelled it vanique...

 

[Supergirl]

Katrine,

That is true and the active ingredient in those products is Minoxidil. My bad--I should've said with the exception of Minoxidil.

 

[Katrine]

Supergirl as far as I know that is different kind of products...

 

[Spagirl]

[ QUOTE ]
Spagirl,

It's so good that you are counting the hours, huh?

[/ QUOTE ]

Girl, I'm making sure no one is mislead by my minimal experience with the product. Before you know it you might find a disclaimer in my bio or somewhere.

 

[Zuppy]

bumbity bumb.

 

[ChildlikeEmpress]

Truthfully, I wouldn't worry about it. I've been using V05 Strawberries And Cream conditioner almost exclusively for the last five months, and my hair is absolutely no thinner or finer now than it's ever been. It feels softer after washing, but then again, that IS what conditioner is for.

I think this is just a case of the same thing having different applications. Did you know that while, say, peppermint oil is harmless to humans and pets and can even be used as a flavoring, it can also be used to kill bugs? If you just zeroed on in the "kills bugs" part, it would look a little scary.

~Rochelle.

 

[simcha]

I think soy is a major staple in Asian diets and well need I say more. They have very little body hair but a head full of hair.

 

[C@ssandr@]

What's the verdict? Anyone's fave products contain soy protein?

Bumping.