Ingredient Index

Is Zinc Pyrithione banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes: zinc pyrithione has been banned in EU cosmetics since March 2022 as a category 1B reproductive toxicant, while the FDA still allows it at up to 2% in US anti-dandruff shampoos.

CAS: 13463-41-7 Also seen as: Pyrithione zinc, ZPT

What the EU does

Banned, and the consumer impact was unusually visible. Zinc pyrithione was classified as a category 1B reproductive toxicant under the CLP Regulation, which triggered the Cosmetics Regulation's automatic CMR prohibition: Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1902 added it to Annex II, effective March 1, 2022. The classification rests on fetal-development effects in animal studies at high doses.

One nuance the headlines missed: the automatic ban applies because an exemption was refused, and the refusal hinged partly on the existence of adequate alternatives (piroctone olamine, selenium disulfide), not on a finding that shampoo users were being harmed. Procter & Gamble reformulated Head & Shoulders for the European market accordingly.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 1670; Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1902

What the US does

Fully legal: zinc pyrithione remains an FDA-monographed over-the-counter anti-dandruff active at up to 2% (21 CFR 358.710), and US Head & Shoulders still uses the original formula. The FDA has shown no movement toward the EU position.

For shoppers this is now one of the cleanest single-product transatlantic comparisons on any shelf: the same brand, same promise, different active ingredient depending on which side of the Atlantic the bottle was made for.

Citation 21 CFR 358.710 (OTC anti-dandruff actives; pyrithione zinc up to 2%)

Products that commonly contain it

Zinc pyrithione is the classic anti-dandruff workhorse. In the US it appears in:

Head & Shoulders (US formulas)
Most drugstore anti-dandruff shampoos
Anti-dandruff conditioners and 2-in-1s
Some anti-fungal body washes and bar soaps

What to look for on a label

Easy to check; it's an active ingredient, so it's on the front of the box in the US:

"Pyrithione zinc" in the US Active Ingredient box (usually 1–2%)
EU-market dandruff shampoos now list "piroctone olamine" or "selenium disulfide" instead
Ketoconazole (Nizoral) is the pharmacy-strength alternative legal in both markets

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Frequently asked questions

Is zinc pyrithione banned in Europe?

Yes, in all cosmetics since March 1, 2022, via Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1902, after its classification as a category 1B reproductive toxicant.

Is zinc pyrithione legal in the United States?

Yes: it is an FDA-monographed OTC anti-dandruff active at up to 2%, and remains the active in US Head & Shoulders.

Why did the EU ban the Head & Shoulders ingredient?

Animal studies at high doses showed fetal-development effects, earning a CMR 1B classification that triggers an automatic cosmetics ban. The EU also noted adequate alternatives existed. It was a hazard-classification mechanism, not a shampoo-user injury finding.

What do European dandruff shampoos use now?

Mostly piroctone olamine, plus selenium disulfide and ketoconazole. Comparative studies generally find piroctone olamine similarly effective.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses