Professional Beauty Association Alert on Brazilian Hair Straighteners

by Craig
(Los Angeles)

Alert from the PBA Professional Beauty Association concerning Brazilian Hair Straighteners dated February 2008

"February 2008 - Recent media stories (The Early Show, Allure magazine October issue, CBS News, etc.) have raised questions in our industry about the safety of some so-called Brazilian hair straighteners - also known as Brazilian Keratin Treatments (BKT) and/or "escova progressiva". The media has highlighted the use of formaldehyde as an ingredient in these treatments, raising particular questions about the levels of formaldehyde used in some products.

Additionally, the media has drawn attention to the mislabeling and/or lack of labeling on the part of some product manufacturers. Specifically, it has been reported that some Brazilian hair straightening products are being marketed as "formaldehyde free" when in fact they contain formaldehyde.

The use of Brazilian hair straighteners has become increasingly popular over the last year. Although there have been no conclusive studies on these products and treatments, some experts are concerned about the possible inhalation and/or absorption of formaldehyde through the skin in unsafe quantities - both on the part of salon industry workers and consumers.

Commonly used as a preservative, formaldehyde is found in everyday household objects such as glue and particle board. However, acute exposure can be highly irritating and may cause severe allergic reactions of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It is also a suspected human carcinogen. Individual reactions to different levels of formaldehyde (as with most environmental stimuli) can vary greatly based on hereditary and lifestyle factors.

The independent Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel completed an extensive review of formaldehyde in 1984, and listed it as "safe as used" in cosmetics within certain specifications. The CIR has listed formaldehyde as safe for use in cosmetics in quantities of point two percent (0.2%) or less. CIR also advises that "Formaldehyde should not be used in products intended to be aerosolized".

OSHA does not have a formaldehyde concentration limitation for cosmetic products; however it is concerned with the concentration of formaldehyde vapors in the atmosphere emanating from products. The OSHA limit is 0.75 parts per million (ppm) over an eight (8) hour exposure period. When a product like the Brazilian straightener is applied to the hair and is heated with a flat iron, formaldehyde vaporizes and is released into the atmosphere. In this situation, both stylist and client can be exposed to levels of formaldehyde greater than 0.75 ppm by inhaling these vapors.

Some products currently on the market have been found to contain formaldehyde in excess of the CIR standard. The health and safety of beauty professionals and consumers is a top priority for our industry. As such, PBA encourages our member companies to educate themselves on these products and to ask pertinent questions regarding product ingredients, appropriate handling, application techniques and any safety or allergy warnings that should be shared with consumers.

The market abounds with various hair straightening products - whose safety has been established by selection of ingredients that are safe and suitable for straightening and relaxing hair. Product safety can be established though strict adherence to the principles of Quality Assurance and Good Manufacturing Practices. This includes testing the compatibility of the product with packaging as well as shelf-life stability. It is especially important to follow the directions on the label of the product to ensure that the product performs as intended and that there is no irritation to the skin.

Finally, the safety of products is monitored in the market-place through reports of consumer comments and complaints. Companies include a phone number on their products where comments or complaints may be reported."