Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment

A Popular Hair Straightener Treatment Worth Dying For!!

The October issue of Allure magazine in US includes an investigation into the Brazilian Keratin hair treatment also known as "escova progressiva" treatments, which cost as much as $600 and claim to turn dry, frizzy hair into smooth, silky hair for months. Stylists and clients often wear gas masks or other protective equipment and still may feel the ill effects of this potentially fatal gas.

Many customers and stylists do not know that this Brazilian treatment often contains high concentrations of formaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical.

The magazine found that many of the most popular treatments on the market contain at least ten times more formaldehyde than the .2 percent considered safe by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate cosmetics but now is looking into the "escova progressiva" treatments.

Some salon owners and stylists believed that their Brazilian keratin treatment solution contained 2 percent and not .2 percent formaldehyde and that is actually approved by the FDA. But that statement is false according to FDA's spokeswoman Veronica Castero.

Most stylists using this treatment said they use safe measure, like wearing latex gloves and working near ventilation hood or windows, but that might not be enough.

Most interesting part is that this product claim smooth silky hair using Keratin, but it seems keratin has nothing to do with hair straightening and does NOT change the structure of the hair and it's really the formaldehyde that makes the treatment work. According to Allure Magazine "It's doubtful that keratin does anything except provide a good marketing story. It's window dressing."

Many hair salons are started to suspend this kind of treatments and others offering their own alternative to unsafe popular Brazilian Keratin treatment. Yellow Strawberry Salon in Florida has developed its own Caribbean Dream treatment. "Caribbean Dream requires no gas masks, no extreme or unorthodox safety equipment and stylists can use this product without worrying about endangering their clients or themselves, confident that this hair treatment will give women the same, sought-after look as escova progressiva," Says the owner Jesse Briggs.

Source: Allure Magazine
Issue October 2007 - Article: Scared Straight
Sub-title: Warning: A hot new hair-straightening treatment from Brazil could be a health hazard. But that hasn't stopped people from performing it.

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Comparison of different types of hair straighteners

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Reaction to Keratin Hair Treatment  My hair is frizz free after paying two hundred dollars to my hair stylist. I did have to sit through the harsh smell while I wore the mask while the hairstylist ...

Desperate For a Good Hair Treatment  I was sick of my hair and blow drying it all the time so I heard about the keratin hair treatment and I was so excited that finally there was an alternative ...

Caribbean Dream Relaxer with NO formaldehyde  I washed my hair last night for the first time since having The Caribbean Dream Relaxer applied, and I LOVE IT!!! It actually stayed straight!!! This ...

The TRUTH About Formaldehyde  UNDERSTANDING:

1- The formaldehyde is found in aprox. 0.02 percent of an ounce in drinking water, high in rain water, in our textiles, in some raw meat,...

I Had to Cut My Hair  After having Keratin treatment and paid a fortune for it, I found no change in my hair's appearance at all so I went back to my hair stylist and he proposed ...

I am worried  I did do this treatment a month ago, and now I am worried. Is there anything I can do as a precaution for any danger?

For your info, we did not wear ...

Got My Brazilian Keratin Treatment Last Week  I receive Allure monthly and been very familiar with Brazil I read the article with an open mind. Yes, the Brazilian products were never meant to be used ...

Keratin Hair Treatment Success  I have been struggling with coarse, unruly hair my entire life. No amount of product or straightening device would do the trick, especially once the humidity ...

Why Do We Have The Same All The Time?  For some reason only here in America we face these issues like Brazilian Hair Treatment. Here everything is restricted, coincidentally all the things that ...

Keratin Complex by Coppola Use Aldehyde  There is another product called Keratin Complex that uses another derivative called aldehyde which is safer than formaldehyde used in Brazilian keratin ...

About the brazilian keratin system  Its know already that Marcia, Coppola, and QOB Escova progressive have more formaldehyde in their products than what the FDA approves also the companies ...

Formaldehyde free Brazilian Keratin  Some of the Brazilian keratin products offered in the US are formaldehyde free and work perfectly. I know because I have had it done and my hairdresser ...

Facts on Formaldehyde in Cosmetic Products and Position of FDA  Lately there’s a lot of talking about the Brazilian keratin treatment and I saw some articles here as well. I wanted to give all stylist and the public ...

Scary???  I had the Keratin treatment on a Friday afternoon, (maybe a coincidence) but when completed it was about 6pm, went to dinner and got home at around 9:30pm ...

I Just Have Done The Progressiva Treatment 5 Days Ago  Don't ever do this treatment if you are caring about your hair.
It is the worse ever,I am now shocked and surprised to found out the formula of the treatment....

What Can We Trust?   I just want my stylist to put on my scalp and hair safe products. One that can be trusted and approved by the FDA or some government regulators, going ...

Did Allure Increased the Success of Keratin Treatment?  Allure thought they can stop Brazilian Keratin Treatment by publishing such investigation, but in January edition of Allure, they just published a new ...