Hair straighteners are everywhere. From perms to braids, altering the looks of our hair has become as common as changing clothes. Now American authorities have raised a red flag on hair straighteners, saying they are dangerous, and could irrevocably damage the health of those who use them.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a ban on certain hair-straightening products, such as chemical relaxers and pressing treatments, due to associated health risks. The FDA’s intention to propose this ban is outlined in the Unified Agenda, a list of planned actions by administrative agencies.
The proposed rule aims to prohibit hair-straightening products containing formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals like methylene or glycol. Once the proposal is issued, the FDA will invite public comments. Following a review of these comments, the agency will determine whether further action is necessary.
Spokesperson Courtney Rhodes confirmed on Friday, “Based on the comments, we might decide to end the rulemaking 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,” according to the FDA’s website.
Links to cancer
Scientists have long identified a connection between the use of hair-straightening chemical products and an increased risk of certain hormone-related cancers, including ovarian, breast, and uterine cancer, particularly among Black women. Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health indicates that approximately 50% of products marketed to Black women contain these chemicals, compared to only 7% of products marketed to White women.
The FDA is expected to include language in the proposal highlighting that these hair-straightening chemical products are also linked to short-term adverse health effects, such as sensitization reactions and breathing problems. These chemicals are typically used in certain cosmetic products applied to human hair as part of a combination of chemical and heating tool treatments intended to smooth or straighten the hair.
American lawmakers take note
In March, two lawmakers, Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Shontel Brown of Ohio, penned a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, urging the agency to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into whether hair-straightening chemical products on the market contain carcinogens that increase the risk of uterine cancer.
Both Pressley and Brown have commended the FDA’s actions and called for the ban to be implemented. Pressley stated, “The FDA’s proposal to ban these harmful chemicals in hair straighteners and relaxers is a win for public health – especially the health of Black women who are disproportionately put at risk by these products as a result of systemic racism and anti-Black hair sentiment. Regardless of how we wear our hair, we should be allowed to show up in the world without putting our health at risk. I applaud the FDA for being responsive to our calls and advancing a rule that will help prevent manufacturers from making a profit at the expense of our health. The Administration should finalize this rule without delay.”
Researchers find link to cancer
A study published last year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found evidence of a link between the use of hair-straightening products and uterine cancer. The study, which involved nearly 34,000 women in the United States aged 35 to 74, revealed a higher incidence of uterine cancer among those who reported using such products in the previous 12 months.
Among women who frequently used hair-straightening chemical products, the risk of developing uterine cancer by age 70 was approximately 4%. In contrast, women who did not use these products in the previous 12 months had a risk of about 1.6%.
The wheel is turning and a large cosmetics company has already been taken to court over these products damaging a woman’s health in the US. Whether she wins or not will not make much difference, the word is out, and people are starting to ask questions.
