Hair Straightener Warnings Spread Worldwide
Late last year, Arocha Hair Restoration echoed the warnings of the attorneys general of a number of U.S. states (see our articles "Help for Hair Straightener Victims," and "Brazilian Blowout Under Fire"), and now those warnings have spread overseas.
The article, "Killer hair straighening products spark health warnings," by Briana Domjen in The Sunday Telegraph describes how authorities in Australia are responding to the health concerns. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is taking action, claiming that women have suffered hair loss and had difficulty breathing after using certain hair treatments containing up to 20 times the safe limit of the cancer-causing chemical formaldehyde.
The Sunday Telegraph story explains that the ACCC has warned hairdressers and consumers to check the levels of formaldehyde in hair straightening products following a spate of safety recalls in recent months.
The ACCC has been inundated with complaints about the hair products.
The permitted limit of formaldehyde as a preservative ingredient in products is 0.05 per cent but products labelled with warnings can have up to 0.2 per cent. Officials with the ACCC say their examination has found that some of the products used to straighten hair had levels up to 10 percent.
Domjen's article quotes ACCC deputy chair Peter Kell as saying, "We have had complaints from customers who have received hair loss, suffered skin sensitivity and itchiness. We have also received complaints from salon workers, who not surprisingly are concerned the products they use on a daily basis may pose significant health risks."
Six brands have been recalled in the past eight months. Mr Kell said it was unusual to see so many similar products recalled in such a short time.
"The workers have alerted us to issues when they have had runny eyes, headaches, skin rashes and breathing difficulties," said Kell.
Recognizing that reports such as these can elevate the public's awareness of hair loss, the dangers of chemical hair treatments and popular hair straighteners, Dr. Bernardino Arocha of Arocha Hair Restoration is offering a free consultation to anyone concerned about their rapid hair loss so it can be correctly diagnosed.
Dr. Arocha says he believes most people aren't aware of the dangers of these chemical procedures and urges people would do research before allowing their hair stylist to use chemicals on their hair. If they don't, they may be shocked by their hair falling out.
Dr. Arocha encourages anyone experiencing hair loss to consult with a hair restoration expert to get a proper diagnosis. If hair restoration treatments are appropriate, Dr. Arocha can recommend scientifically proven and FDA-approved options.
Late last year, tests conducted by Oregon's Occupational Safety & Health Administration found dangerous levels of formaldehyde in Brazilian Blowout that they said were 50 times higher than levels permitted in cosmetics. The California Attorney General has filed suit against the company behind Brazilian Blowout.