For Quick Alerts
For Daily Alerts

6 Alarming Side Effects Of Hair Gels You Should Be Aware Of!

We all want to look chic and well put-together when we step out of the house. And whether you've realised it or not, your hair plays a pivotal role in enhancing or damaging your entire look. You can use multiple skin care and make-up products to look perfect all day long, but if your hair isn't styled properly it won't make a difference.

Styling the hair can be a tedious task and who wouldn't want a product that can make this task easier? And that is what a hair gel does for our hair. A hair gel is a quite convenient product to style and mould your hair the way you want to. However, it comes with certain side effects that can probably ruin your hair in the long run.


And these are the side effects that you should be aware of. In fact, it always is a good precaution to know the pros and cons of any product that you use. This article, therefore, talks about the alarming side effects of using a hair gel.

But before that, let's get a better understanding of what actually a hair gel is and how does it work. Let's start, shall we?

What Does A Hair Gel Do?

A grooming product that is used by both men and women, a hair gel helps you to style your hair in the way you want to. It is, basically, a jelly-like substance that hardens your hair and allows you to mould your hair into the desired hairstyles. You will find a wide range of hair gels in the market, meant for men and women specifically. It mainly consists of proteins, oil, humectants and conditioners and is generally applied to wet hair.


Hair gel works so efficiently to style your hair because it contains a plastic called PVP as its main ingredient. PVP is a polymer sealer that helps to strengthen the hair cuticles. The polymers in PVP when dissolves in water form a layer between each hair strand, connecting and hardening your hair to let you style your hair. Thus, when applied to wet hair, hair gel hardens your hair and allows you to mould it.

While hair gels are quite useful, they do have certain side effects that you must know. Let's find out what these are.

Side Effects Of Hair Gels

1. Hair loss

Excessive and continuous use of hair gels makes your roots weak. The weak roots cause hair fall and hindered hair growth and thus damages your hair. Not only that, hair gels dehydrate your scalp and make your hair rough and brittle as well. In short, they make your hair prone to damage and hair loss.

2. Discolouration

Apart from its other side effects, hair gels also affect the hair colour. This is one disadvantage that might be the biggest for you. Hair gels disturb the pH balance of your scalp and the harsh chemicals present in them can cause your natural hair colour to fade and thus leads to hair discolouration.

3. Dehydrated hair

This is another side effect of using hair gels. Hair gels contain alcohol and other harsh chemicals that strip off the moisture from your hair, thereby making your hair dry and dehydrated. Besides, using hair gels excessively can cause itchy and flaky scalp and make your hair rough and frizzy as well.

4. Dandruff

A dehydrated scalp can cause a lot of hair issues and dandruff is one of them. Excessive use of hair gels can make your scalp dry and flaky and this, in turn, leads to dandruff. Also, hair gels make your scalp prone to damage and bacterial infestation, which is one of the main causes of dandruff. So, be mindful of how frequently you use the hair gel.

5. Split ends

Dry, damaged, rough and brittle hair often lead to split ends. Hair gels hinder the nourishment to the scalp, strips the scalp of its moisture and thus makes your hair vulnerable. All these eventually lead to split ends.

6. Change in hair texture

Another major side effects of extensive use of hair gels are that it alters the hair texture. Using hair gels can reduce the sebum production in the scalp and over time this makes your hair lifeless and frizzy. If you use hair gels frequently, you will notice a change in your hair texture.

Hence, it isn't a good idea to use hair gels without any thought. It is wise to keep its usage limited to special occasions to keep your hair healthy and happy.

Read more about: side effects all about how to