FRIDAY, March 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) – You might decide your frizzy locks aren’t all that bad after a new warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that most hair straightening / straightening products contain formaldehyde gas, a human, releasing a carcinogen.
According to the FDA, exposure to formaldehyde over long periods of time and in higher concentrations increases the health risk.
Exposure to formaldehyde can cause a variety of conditions, including eye problems or irritation. Nervous system problems such as headaches and dizziness; and breathing problems such as a sore throat or scratch, coughing or wheezing. Nausea, chest pain, vomiting, and skin rashes are also associated with formaldehyde exposure.
Long-term effects can include chronic headaches, asthma, contact dermatitis (a red, itchy rash), and possibly cancer, the FDA noted in a press release.
Some people are very sensitive to the colorless gas while others are not reacting to the same exposure. If you’re sensitive to formaldehyde, don’t use hair straighteners, warned the FDA.
If you want to use hair straighteners, consult a licensed hair professional who is trained in precautions. This includes wearing gloves and goggles, and working in a salon with adequate ventilation. If there is poor or no ventilation, there is a risk of inhaling formaldehyde, which is released when the product is heated.
It’s also a good idea to consult the stylist. Find out if the product contains formaldehyde, ask if you can see the ingredients list and safety data sheet, and ask if there are alternative products that do not release formaldehyde.
The FDA does not recommend buying straighteners from a store or online to apply. However, if you are determined, check out the required list of ingredients on the package or on the website. If there isn’t a list, don’t buy the product.
If formaldehyde, formalin, or methylene glycol are listed as ingredients, it means that the product contains formaldehyde or releases formaldehyde. Not all hair straightening products contain formaldehyde, which is why you need to read the ingredients list, according to the FDA.
More information
The American Cancer Society did more about formaldehyde.
Source: US Food and Drug Administration, press release, March 2, 2021
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