Brazilian Hair Straightening - Fabulous or Fatal?
Fad Hair Treatment Responsible for at Least One Death
By Nancy Lichtenstein, published Dec 18, 2007
Published Content: 28 Total Views: 38,990 Favorited By: 39 CPs
While keratin is indeed an ingredient in the formulas used to perform Brazilian Hair Straightening, the true active ingredient is formaldehyde (as in embalming fluid). Formaldehyde is known to be an aggressive carcinogen, and its fumes are extremely dangerous. Heat and moderate humidity levels accelerate the noxious effects of the chemical. Since the Brazilian Hair Straightening treatment also involves applying heat to the hair with a straight-iron, stylists who perform it are in danger, and are cautioned to wear gas masks and latex gloves and perform the procedure in an area with ventilation. Even with these precautions the FDA considers any solution containing more than .02% formaldehyde to be patently unsafe. They don't regulate the formulas, however, most of which are manufactured in Latin America, and the higher the percentage of formaldehyde, the more effective a straightener the treatment is. Random testing performed by Allure Magazine indicated that some salons were using solutions that contained as much as ten times the safe amount.
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Takeaways
- The active ingredient of the straightening solution is formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
- Most solutions contain up to 10 times the amount of formaldehyde that the FDA considers safe.
- In March 2007 a 33 year old Brazilian woman died from the treatment.
Did You Know?
Negative publicity has driven the process underground, making it more dangerous rather than safer.
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