Hair-straightening treatments, such as chemical relaxers and pressing products, are likely to be proposed for a ban by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products contain chemicals like formaldehyde, methylene or glycol that pose significant health hazards, according to a report.
How Safe are Hair-Straightening Chemical Products?
The ban is specifically aimed at products that contain formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals like methylene or glycol. These chemicals are used in certain cosmetic products that are applied to human hair as part of a combination of chemical and heating tool treatment intended to smooth or straighten the hair.
These “chemicals are linked to short-term adverse health effects, such as sensitization reactions and breathing problems, and long-term adverse health effects, including an increased risk of certain cancers”,() the FDA said.
After issuing a proposed rule, the FDA will review public comments, and decide whether further action is needed. “Based on the comments, we might decide to end the rule-making process, to issue a new proposed rule, or to issue a final rule. If we decide to issue a final rule, we publish the final rule in the Federal Register,” the FDA said.
Studies have also linked the chemicals with cancers including ovaries, breast, and uterus. In a study published last year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers found a link between the use of straightening products and uterine cancer.
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Among nearly 34,000 women in the US ages 35 to 74, the study found a higher incident uterine cancer rate for those who reported using hair-straightening chemical products in the previous 12 months relative to those who did not.
Reference :
- Use of Straighteners and Other Hair Products and Incident Uterine Cancer – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36245087/)
Source: IANS
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