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December 2010

10 hair straightening products centre of Health Canada warning


The products, which are professional grade have been linked to hair loss

Dec 2010

Health Canada has put a stop-sale order on 10 hair-straightening products after they were found to contain excessive levels of formaldehyde.

The products, which are professional-grade and available in hair salons and typically not available to the public, have been linked to hair loss, watery eyes and other symptoms consistent with overexposure to formaldehyde.

Consumer complaints included reports of burning eyes, nose, and throat and breathing difficulties.

The order, which means providers should stop using the products immediately, was issued Friday evening.

Health Canada received at least 30 adverse-reaction reports to the use of the products. No deaths have been reported.

The Canada Border Service Agency has been advised to turn away the products, which originate in the United States, if they arrive at the border.

The affected products are: Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Advanced Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Chocolate Extreme De-Frizzing Treatment; Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy; Global Keratin Taming System Strawberry; Global Keratin Taming System with Juvexin Strawberry Resistant; Global Keratin Taming System with Juvexin Strawberry Light Wave; Pro-Collagen RX Keratin Treatment; IStraight Keratin (Advanced Keratin Treatment); Brazilian Thermal Reconstruction.

The highest formaldehyde content was at seven per cent, while the lowest content among the affected products was 1.4 per cent, Health Canada said. Cosmetics are permitted in Canada to have up to 0.2 per cent formaldehyde for use as a preservative.

In October, high formaldehyde levels were discovered in Brazilian Blowout solution, another hair smoothing agent which is also available at Canadian hair salons.

Health Canada tests indicated the solution had 12 per cent formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a known irritant and has links to cancer when inhaled over a long time period.

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