Is Coal Tar Shampoo Safe?
Coal tar is an approved over-the-counter active ingredient. The FDA’s monograph for dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis products lists coal tar at 0.5 to 5 percent for controlling dandruff, and requires labels to warn users to use caution exposing skin to sunlight after applying it, because it may increase the tendency to sunburn for up to 24 hours, and not to use it for prolonged periods without consulting a doctor.
Coal tar is also a recognized carcinogen. The National Toxicology Program lists coal tars and coal-tar pitches as known to be human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence from studies in humans, and the National Cancer Institute says occupational exposure to coal tar or coal-tar pitch increases the risk of skin cancer, with lung, bladder, kidney and digestive tract cancers also linked to workplace exposure.
For people using medicated products, the National Cancer Institute says the general population may be exposed to coal tars through coal tar preparations used to treat skin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis and dandruff, and the National Toxicology Program notes there have been many case reports of skin cancer among patients using therapeutic coal-tar preparations.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Regulatory filingThe FDA’s over-the-counter monograph for dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis products lists coal tar at 0.5 to 5 percent as an active ingredient for the control of dandruff. US FDA, 21 CFR 358.710 (eCFR) ↗
- Regulatory filingThe monograph requires coal tar products to warn users to use caution exposing skin to sunlight, since the product may increase the tendency to sunburn for up to 24 hours, and not to use it for prolonged periods without consulting a doctor. US FDA, 21 CFR 358.750 (eCFR) ↗
- Government sourceThe National Toxicology Program lists coal tars and coal-tar pitches as known to be human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans. National Toxicology Program, 15th Report on Carcinogens ↗
- Government sourceThe National Cancer Institute says occupational exposure to coal tar or coal-tar pitch increases the risk of skin cancer, and that lung, bladder, kidney and digestive tract cancers have also been linked to it. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceThe National Cancer Institute says the general population may be exposed to coal tars through coal tar preparations used to treat skin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis and dandruff. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceThe National Toxicology Program says there have been many case reports of skin cancer among patients using therapeutic coal-tar preparations. National Toxicology Program, 15th Report on Carcinogens ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.