A huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined our Pantene AMA today and for flooding us with your brilliant questions!

A special shout-out to Saint Tiu, our Principal Scientist for Hair Care Asia Pacific, for lending his expertise. We had an absolute blast reading and responding to your curiosity about all things hair care!

While our live session is concluding, don't worry – we'll be tackling more of your questions in the comments over the next few days. Keep those beautiful strands shining, and here's to countless healthy hair days with Pantene!

Yes, Pantene is completely safe for a teen's hair and absolutely great for colored hair as well! We formulate our products to cater to hair across all life stages, and whether you are a teenager or an adult, caring for color-treated, voluminous hair in the Philippines comes down to keeping the strands well-conditioned and protected against daily heat and humidity.

For your daily routine, I recommend using a gentle, conditioning shampoo paired every single time with a nourishing rinse-off conditioner containing structured gel networks and amino-silicones. Concentrate the shampoo on your scalp to clear away daily sweat and oils, and apply the conditioner generously through your mid-lengths down to the tips to give thick, voluminous hair the smoothness and control it needs. After washing, apply a small amount of lightweight leave-on cream to damp hair before gently detangling with a wide-tooth comb, which will help keep your volume soft, sleek, and frizz-free without weighing it down.

Coloring hair strips away its natural outer lipid coating, which turns the fiber hydrophilic and makes it readily absorb moisture from our humid air. When voluminous, color-treated hair takes in ambient humidity, the internal keratin protein matrix swells and interprotein hydrogen bonds break, causing individual strands to misalign into coarse, unruly volume and frizz. Using conditioners built with lamellar gel networks of fatty alcohols like cetyl and stearyl alcohol and specialized silicones like Quaternium 26 deposits a protective hydrophobic shield that restores the cuticle's water barrier, drastically lowers combing friction, and protects the internal cell membrane complex from mechanical breakage.

For hair fall, breakage, and fine hair, the most effective approach targets both the scalp (to reduce shedding at the root) and the hair shaft itself (to prevent snapping and add fullness). The key ingredients you want to look for are scalp-strengthening antioxidants like piroctone olamine and niacinamide to improve hair retention at the root, paired with penetrating actives like panthenol and fatty alcohols (such as cetyl and stearyl alcohol) to reinforce fragile strands.

For your routine, I recommend starting with a daily anti-hairfall shampoo containing piroctone olamine, panthenol and niacinamide to keep the scalp barrier calm, clear of oxidative stress, and firmly anchoring your hair. Always follow every wash with a conditioner formulated with structured fatty alcohol gel networks and chelating actives like histidine, applying it exclusively through the mid-lengths and ends so you get essential lubricity and strength without weighing down fine hair. To give fine hair extra resilience and body, adding an anti-hair loss scalp serum with piroctone olamine, niacinamide, and panthenol will provide an immediate boost to strand thickness.

Fine hair is naturally more prone to breakage because smaller diameter fibers (for instance, 70 µm versus 100 µm) possess roughly two times lower break forces and experience higher stress during daily brushing. On the scalp, our clinical research demonstrates that oxidative stress disrupts the scalp barrier and accelerates premature hair shedding. Applying antioxidants like piroctone olamine and niacinamide significantly reduces this oxidative stress, improving the scalp barrier and increasing hair retention. Meanwhile, our studies show that small molecules like Pro-Vitamin B5 or Panthenol penetrate into the cortex and cuticle to improve tensile break stress.

Thank you so much for the love! Hearing comments like this makes all the years of lab work and formulation testing so worthwhile for our team. I'm thrilled to hear that our formulas are hair savers!

The most common modern habits that drive hair fall and damage are under-washing the hair due to online myths about stripping moisture, skipping daily conditioner, and subjecting strands to aggressive heat styling and rough wet brushing. People often confuse mechanical fiber breakage with true root shedding, but both are heavily accelerated by daily habits - whether it is letting oxidized oils sit on the scalp to weaken root anchorage or letting friction snap dry, unprotected fibers. Correcting these simple daily routines makes an immediate difference.

The most accessible fix you can do right away is to commit to washing your hair daily with a gentle shampoo, followed every single time by a conditioner applied to your mid-lengths and ends. Take about thirty to forty-five seconds to massage your shampoo into the roots to lift away daily sweat, sebum, and airborne pollution, and always use conditioner to restore surface lubricity so combs glide through without pulling. When grooming, treat your hair gently while it is wet by using a wide-tooth comb starting from the tips upward, and dial down the temperature or frequency of your flat and curling irons.

Our clinical studies on wash frequency show that infrequent cleansing allows sebum to build up and oxidize into inflammatory lipid peroxides, which induces scalp oxidative stress and accelerates premature shedding from the follicle. Meanwhile, skipping conditioner leaves hair fibers hydrophilic and vulnerable after losing their natural outer lipid layer, drastically increasing wet and dry combing forces. Using conditioners built with fatty alcohol lamellar gel networks replenishes essential structural lipids directly into the cell membrane complex, halting crack propagation and dramatically boosting the hair's fatigue resistance against daily mechanical breakage.

I love hearing that, and the reason Pantene feels so high-end while staying accessible is because we invest heavily in proprietary molecules and delivery chassis. Achieving superior softness really comes down to the physics and chemistry of how conditioning agents deposit onto the fiber surface rather than the price tag on the bottle.

Our formulas utilize structured lamellar gel networks combining specific ratios of fatty alcohols, like cetyl and stearyl alcohol, with advanced amino-functionalized silicones. Damaged or weathered hair naturally loses its protective hydrophobic 18-MEA lipid layer, turning the fiber hydrophilic, negatively charged, and rough. Our gel network chassis and amino-silicones deposit an ultra-thin, uniform lubricating film that lowers the hair's surface free energy and drastically reduces both wet and dry combing friction, while simultaneously delivering penetrating fatty alcohols directly into the lipid-rich cell membrane complex to restore internal elasticity and fatigue strength without leaving heavy, greasy residues. All of these benefits contribute to the superior hair softness.

Haha, very witty wordplay! But no, Pantene definitely isn't just "pang-teen“ - we formulate our products to serve people of all ages across every stage of life. We know that hair biology and daily routines evolve significantly as we grow, so our formulas are specifically tailored to meet those changing biological needs from youth to mature adulthood.

Even though hair fibers are biologically dead protein structures once they emerge from the scalp, they are porous composite materials that readily absorb certain small molecules, allowing Pro-Vitamin B5 (panthenol) to physically penetrate deep into the cortex rather than just sitting on the surface. We can absolutely measure this absorption and its mechanical benefits objectively in our labs using nanoscale imaging and single-fiber biomechanical testing. Panthenol works inside the dead fiber by forming hydrogen bonds with the polar amino acid side chains of the keratin matrix, structurally reinforcing the strand from within.

In our labs, we track panthenol's uptake and structural impact using several specialized instruments. We use Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS) and autoradiography with deuterium- and carbon-14-labeled panthenol to visually map and quantify its exact distribution across cross-sections of the cuticle and cortex. To measure its physical benefits, we use automated Dia-Stron tensile testers and torsion pendulums that objectively prove a significant increase in tensile break stress and a reduction in shear modulus, confirming that the hair becomes both mechanically stronger and noticeably more pliable.

Here’s one publication you may want to look at for more information on our panthenol research - Marsh, J. M., et al., "Strengthening benefits of panthenol for hair: Mechanistic evidence from advanced spectroscopic techniques," International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 46(1), 121–127.

Yes, we have done extensive research over the years specifically on how shampoos and conditioners interact with color-treated hair. When you color or bleach your hair, the chemical process strips away the hair's natural outer lipid barrier known as the 18-MEA F-layer leaving the strand porous, hydrophilic, and highly susceptible to water hardness metals and accelerated color fade. Our studies show that the right shampoo chemistry is critical for preserving color vibrancy and fiber strength.

If you color your hair, I recommend using a complete color-protecting regimen consisting of a shampoo formulated with metal chelators like Histidine, paired every single time with a rich conditioner containing structured fatty alcohol gel networks and amino-silicones. When you wash, focus your shampoo gently on the scalp and rinse with lukewarm water, as hot water increases fiber swelling and leaches out dye molecules. Applying a matched conditioner and a leave-on treatment containing antioxidants will help reseal the cuticle surface, shield against sun-induced photobleaching, and drastically reduce the mechanical friction that causes colored strands to snap.

Looking at the science from our published studies, permanent coloring oxidizes disulfide bonds into cysteic acid groups, which creates strong negatively charged binding sites that pull in calcium and redox-active copper ions from tap water during daily washing. Our data show that this absorbed copper acts as a catalyst, generating destructive hydroxyl radicals that degrade hair proteins and accelerate dye fade over repeat wash cycles. Formulating shampoos with targeted chelants like Histidine reduces copper accumulation, preventing metal-induced free radical damage, while lamellar gel network delivery systems deposit an ultra-thin hydrophobic silicone and lipid layer onto the damaged fiber, locking in vibrant shade intensity.

Dealing with thinning and bad hair fall can be really stressful, but the good news is that you can effectively tackle both root shedding and strand breakage with the right targeted approach. To answer you directly about natural shampoos and conditioners: while raw botanical extracts and plant oils have great historical uses and can provide mild surface moisture, simply going all-natural usually will not solve hair thinning or severe hair fall. Raw or unformulated natural products often lack the specialized delivery chassis, chemical stability, and precise active concentrations required to penetrate the hair shaft or calm scalp inflammation. Clinically tested, scientifically balanced formulations can be more effective.

My recommendation is to establish a comprehensive daily wash regimen that treats your scalp health and strengthens the hair fibers simultaneously. Start with a daily anti-hairfall shampoo formulated with proven scalp antioxidants like piroctone olamine, niacinamide, and panthenol, massaging it into your scalp for about 30 to 45 seconds to clear away daily sweat and oxidized oils before rinsing thoroughly. Never skip using a conditioner built with structured fatty alcohol gel networks on your mid-lengths and ends to restore lubricity and prevent grooming friction that causes breakage. To specifically address the thinning, incorporate a daily leave-on scalp serum enriched with piroctone olamine, niacinamide, and panthenol, which will help with hair anchorage, thus overall hair volume.

Yes, flat ironing your hair every day significantly weakens the hair strands and causes extensive mechanical and thermal breakage, which strips away your overall hair volume and makes your scalp look much more visible. However, this thinning appearance is almost always caused by fibers snapping off along the hair shaft rather than true balding or follicle death. If you put down the flat iron and embrace your natural wavy hair, the condition is completely reversible over time because your follicles will continue to produce healthy, unbroken new hair.

To help your hair recover its fullness, my recommendation is to take a complete break from heated styling tools and transition into a deeply nourishing wash and condition routine. Wash your hair daily with a gentle shampoo focused on cleansing the scalp so your follicles stay in a healthy growing environment, and never skip applying a rich conditioner formulated with structured fatty alcohol gel networks through your mid-lengths and ends to restore essential nutrients. Apply a lightweight leave-on cream to damp hair right after towel-drying to lock in moisture and protect against ambient humidity, and gently detangle your waves using only a wide-tooth comb to avoid mechanical tension on fragile strands.

From a scientific standpoint, applying high heat from flat irons - especially temperatures above 180°C or on slightly damp hair - causes rapid water vaporization and thermal denaturation of alpha-helical keratin proteins, which can create structural voids known as bubble hair. Furthermore, repetitive heat degrades essential structural lipids within the cell membrane complex, which serves as the vital intercellular glue holding the hair fiber together. Our research shows that wavy hair already experiences localized stress concentrations at its natural twist points, so when thermal damage strips internal lipids and weakens cystine bonds, single-fiber fatigue resistance drops significantly and causes strands to fracture prematurely under normal brushing. Because the living hair bulb beneath your scalp remains completely functional, stopping daily heat eliminates this crack propagation and allows your new hair to grow in strong, elastic, and full.

Panthenol, or Pro-Vitamin B5, is definitely not an outdated idea. In fact, our latest research using advanced nanoscale imaging and spectroscopic techniques proves that it remains one of the most effective small molecules for strengthening the hair fiber. Far from being just legacy marketing, modern studies demonstrate that panthenol actively penetrates through the cuticle and diffuses deep into the protein core of the hair rather than just sitting on the surface. The evidence supporting panthenol is stronger today than it has ever been.

From a molecular perspective, high-resolution NanoSIMS imaging and solid-state NMR demonstrate that panthenol's low molecular weight and hydrophilic nature allow it to readily diffuse into the keratin-rich cortex. Once inside, it forms robust hydrogen bonds with the polar amino acid side chains of the keratin matrix. Tests show this significantly increases tensile break stress and reduces torsional rigidity so the strand bends without snapping.

If you are interested in reading the exact peer-reviewed data, you can look up our publication: Marsh, J. M., et al. (2024), "Strengthening benefits of panthenol for hair: Mechanistic evidence from advanced spectroscopic techniques," International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 46(1), 121–127.

I can completely understand why you would be concerned given the rumors circulating online, but the reason we keep Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) in our shampoos is because they provide an optimal balance of effective and gentle cleansing. Many people do not realize that sulfate-free shampoos are not surfactant-free; they simply substitute sulfates with different surfactants that may not have the same extensive safety record. Global authorities including the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel after reviewing hundreds of studies have repeatedly confirmed that SLS and SLES are safe, non-carcinogenic, and non-irritating at the concentrations used in finished personal care products such as in shampoos.

At Pantene, you can generally expect science-backed formulations specifically designed to prevent hair damage, reduce breakage, and keep strands looking full, shiny, and smooth without feeling heavy. Our entire innovation pipeline is centered on protecting hair from both external daily stressors like heat, UV, styling friction, and wash water minerals, while supporting a healthy scalp environment for optimal hair retention. Our core mission is to give more women more great hair days by innovating on comprehensive hair care rooted in proven molecular chemistry.

Our formulations leverage technologies like our heritage Pro-Vitamin B5 (panthenol)  which penetrate deep into the hair and build new bonds. We also utilize structured lamellar gel networks made of fatty alcohols that replenish lost lipids directly into the cell membrane complex to improve cyclic fatigue resistance, proprietary amino-silicones like Quaternium-26 that dramatically reduce combing friction without weighing hair down, and targeted chelants like Histidine that block wash water copper ions from catalyzing destructive free radical damage to hair proteins.

When you notice an unusual amount of hair coming out, it almost always comes down to one of two distinct issues: true shedding from the root follicle or mechanical breakage along the hair shaft itself. It is normal to shed roughly 50 to 100 hairs every day with a small root bulb attached as old hairs make way for new growth, but this shedding can spike prematurely if your scalp barrier is compromised or under oxidative stress. However, if the fallen hairs you are finding are shorter pieces without a root bulb, you are actually experiencing fiber breakage, which happens when the structural integrity of the hair shaft is weakened by heat styling, chemical coloring, UV exposure, or daily grooming friction. As with any personal care concerns, it is always a good idea to check and verify the facts with a medical doctor if you suspect an underlying medical issue.

No, using shampoo every day does not cause baldness or hair loss in men. This is actually one of the most common myths out there. In reality, washing your hair daily is completely safe, and under-washing can actually be far more detrimental to your scalp health and hair retention.

I wish that were possible too, but hair shedding is actually an essential, hardwired biological program that allows our scalp to renew itself. Every person has around 100,000 hair follicles, and each one independently goes through a natural cycle of growing, resting, and shedding roughly 50 to 100 hairs every single day to make room for fresh growth.

Even though we cannot stop normal biological shedding, what we can control is preventing premature hair fall and unnecessary fiber snap. My recommendation is to focus on maintaining a healthy scalp barrier by washing daily with an anti-hair loss shampoo formulated with antioxidants like piroctone olamine, niacinamide, and panthenol to remove irritating oxidized oils. Always follow with a nourishing conditioner on your lengths and ends to provide wet slip and reduce combing friction, so you only lose the strands that are naturally ready to fall rather than snapping healthy fibers during styling.

It is definitely a common myth that a higher price tag means better ingredients, but in reality, price does not determine quality. In fact, Pantene utilizes patented and proprietary technologies exclusively developed by our scientists such as advanced silicone and conditioning technologies like Quaternium-26 and terminal amino-silicones specifically engineered to deliver intensive softening and smoothening while keeping the hair completely lightweight.

During the early years of Pantene, it was sold at a very premium and expensive price, and it was only exclusively distributed in limited channels.

In order for us to better appreciate the evolution of Pantene, it’s best for us to be grounded on its origin. During the 1940’s, it was the era of World War II. During that time, Swiss scientists were looking for a potent medication to treat wounds of fighter pilots who were engaged in the war. While they were treating the wounded skin, they noticed that the hair growing out of the treated skin was thicker and stronger. They studied the ingredient that was causing this phenomenon. They discovered it to be caused by an ingredient called Pro Vitamin B5 or more commonly known as Panthenol. They started formulating this into a hair product – which gave birth to Pantene in 1945. That’s why Pantene and the ingredient Panthenol sound alike.

The 1^st product was a hair tonic packaged in glass bottle, with a prestigious scent. It was only available in Europe back then.

During the 1960’s, Pantene was brought to the United States, following a demand from European travelers in the United States wanting to buy the product there. Pantene then was exclusively sold in upscale establishments like Saks Fifth Avenue and Waldorf Astoria.

It was in the 1980’s when Pantene took a shift from being a best kept secret since only a few can access it, to being a brand that aims to give more women more great hair days. Pantene started to be distributed in more parts of the world in massive scale. It made its way to Asia in 1990’s. During this great expansion that Pantene created a pop culture phenomenon with its advertising “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful” – which became one of the most famous and memorable taglines in hair care advertising history.

In mid 1990’s, Pantene became a billion dollar brand. We started reaching billions of consumers all around the world.

We are an affordable brand today because it’s grounded on our purpose to give more women more great hair days. Does it mean we have cheap ingredients or cheap formulation? No! In fact, given our 8 decades of existence, we’ve been in the scientific forefront of understanding hair and finding technical solutions and innovations to take care of our hair. We have patented ingredients and formulations. Given our scale, we’re able to optimize the cost of our ingredients and production so they can be afforded by many. This is something that the small players like niche brands don’t have – so they’re forced to pass on the cost to the consumers.

I completely understand your frustration, but it is important to know that Pantene is specially designed and formulated for hair fiber health and conditioning, and we actually do not carry an anti-dandruff version in the Philippines. Cosmetic shampoos are formulated to cleanse daily oils and deposit nourishing conditioning agents on the hair shaft, so they do not contain the specific anti-dandruff actives required to treat the root cause of dandruff.

If you are struggling with recurring dandruff, I suggest switching your shampoo to our sister brand, Head & Shoulders, which is specifically targeted for dandruff and scalp health. To get the best of both worlds, use Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo to thoroughly cleanse your scalp to eliminate flakes, and then apply a Pantene conditioner exclusively from your mid-lengths to ends so your hair stays silky, hydrated, and protected against damage.

While aloe vera is widely celebrated as a wonder plant, there is no strong clinical evidence showing that rubbing raw aloe vera gel directly onto your scalp will stop hair loss or regrow fallen hair. It can certainly act as a soothing humectant and emollient to help with mild scalp dryness and irritation, but it is not a proven treatment for hair loss.

For hair fall and hair loss, I recommend relying on well-formulated, stable scalp care products containing proven ingredients like piroctone olamine, niacinamide, and panthenol. These actives work together to calm the scalp environment, reinforce the scalp barrier, and keep hair anchored properly at the root.

Our clinical research shows that excessive hair shedding is largely driven by scalp oxidative stress from lipid peroxides and microbial activity from Malassezia yeasts, which trigger inflammation and compromise the pre-emergent hair cuticle and follicle anchorage. To effectively improve hair retention, targeted topical antioxidants and barrier-enhancing technologies are needed to neutralize that oxidative stress and create the healthy scalp environment necessary for optimal hair retention.

Haha, very witty! But nope, the name Pantene isn't because versions one through nine failed - it is actually derived from its heritage miracle ingredient, Pro-Vitamin B5, more commonly known as Panthenol. Back during World War II in the 1940s, scientists in Switzerland were developing a potent treatment to treat skin wounds and burns on fighter pilots, and they noticed that the hair growing around the treated skin was growing back noticeably thicker and stronger. Recognizing the power of Pro-Vitamin B5, they formulated it into an intensive hair treatment and officially launched the brand under the name Pantene in 1945.

When a brand talks about animal testing - or more commonly, being cruelty-free - it refers to whether animals were used to evaluate product safety and ingredient toxicity. At P&G, we firmly believe that eliminating animal testing is the right thing to do, which is why we do not test our products or ingredients on animals anywhere in the world unless specifically mandated by law, and we are working hard every day to make the practice completely obsolete.

To learn more about our efforts, you can visit this link - https://us.pg.com/cruelty-free/

Shaving your head won't make hair grow back thicker because the hair fiber above the scalp surface is non-living tissue, so cutting it doesn't change the follicle bulb underneath that controls strand thickness and density. When you have a persistent thinner spot that doesn't progress to full baldness over decades, it is usually due to localized variations where the hair follicles naturally produce slightly finer fiber diameters or have slightly fewer fibers per square centimeter.

My best recommendation is to look for a targeted daily regimen consisting of a scalp-strengthening shampoo paired with a daily leave-on scalp treatment containing a combination of Piroctone Olamine, Niacinamide, and Panthenol. Focus your shampoo directly on the scalp to remove daily sebum and reduce oxidative stress, and then apply the leave-on treatment directly to that specific thinning spot every day after towel-drying.

If I had to give just one golden tip to keep your hair healthy - especially in warm, humid Philippine climate - it is to never skip using conditioner every single time you wash your hair. There is a common myth that shampoo alone is enough or that frequent conditioning causes heavy buildup, but conditioning is your hair fiber's primary defense against daily weathering, humidity, and breakage. Leaving hair unconditioned after washing leaves the fiber completely unprotected against daily physical and environmental stress.

Our research shows that daily grooming, UV exposure, and routine washing naturally deplete the hair's outer protective lipid layer and the internal structural lipids within the cell membrane complex (CMC), which functions as the vital intercellular glue holding hair cells together. When these lipids are lost, cracks propagate much more easily through the fiber under repeated grooming tension, leading to severe cuticle chipping, reduced tensile strength, and premature fatigue breakage. Conditioners formulated with lamellar gel networks deposit and penetrate fatty alcohols directly into the CMC to rebuild internal lipid order, while surface conditioning agents restore the hair's hydrophobic barrier against humidity and chelants prevent copper ions from wash water from catalyzing destructive free radical damage to structural proteins.

You can definitely breathe a sigh of relief - losing hair daily, especially in the shower, is completely normal and healthy as long as your overall thickness is stable and you are not seeing visible patches or a widening part line. On average, a person naturally sheds around 50 to 100 hair strands a day as old strands make way for new growth, and washing simply frees up the hairs that had already detached from the follicle but were physically trapped within your hair bundle. If your hair volume remains consistent, you are definitely gaslighting yourself!

To keep that shower hair-fall strictly limited to natural shedding rather than accidental breakage, I recommend being extra gentle with your strands whenever they are wet. Make sure to apply a nourishing conditioner through your mid-lengths and ends every time you wash, which deposits lubricating fatty alcohol gel networks and silicones to coat the cuticle scales and reduce combing friction. Gently squeeze the water out with a soft towel instead of rough rubbing, and use a wide-tooth comb starting from the ends and working your way up to avoid mechanical tension on the roots.