Formaldehyde, a chemical found in hair straightening products, poses an “unreasonable risk to human health,” according to an alarming new warning from US health authorities.
In a long-awaited review of the safety of the chemical, which is used in multiple industries from textiles to construction, officials warned that the “almost everywhere” substance increases the risk of cancer.
Experts have long been concerned about the presence of this substance in chemical treatments to straighten or relax hair.
These substances, called formaldehyde, formalin or methylene glycol, relax hair wrinkles by reacting with keratin, the protein that hair is made of.
When At the end of the treatment, heat is applied to the hair (using a dryer or straightener) and formaldehyde gas is subsequently emitted into the air.
This colorless gas is then inhaled, causing at best eye and respiratory irritation and at worst an increased risk of long-term head and neck cancer.
These risks increase if an area such as the living room, bathroom or bedroom is not well ventilated.
The new warning, issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said: “Inhaling formaldehyde for longer ‘chronic’ periods may reduce lung function and increase asthma, allergy-related conditions, and cancer”.
Formaldehyde, a chemical that can be found in hair straightening products, has been declared an “unreasonable risk of harm to human health,” according to US authorities.
While the EPA did not specifically name hair products, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already recognized the link between hair straightening products and exposure to formaldehyde.
The EPA report documented other possible environmental exposures to formaldehyde, including foam for bedding, furniture and toys.
Gas can escape from these objects over time, exposing people to the risks of the chemical.
They also recognized the risk to workers who may be using products containing the chemical without proper personal protective equipment.
While the warning was issued by US authorities, MailOnline found examples of hair straightening chemicals containing formaldehyde on sale in the UK.
One product, a hair straightening cream, was on sale for £217.
The instructions advised users to apply it to their hair before blow-drying it on medium heat and then styling it with a titanium hair straightener set between 210 and 230 °C (410 and 446 °F).
The UK Health Safety Agency says formaldehyde is a cancer-causing chemical, and evidence shows that exposure can cause nasal tumors and even leukemia, a blood cancer.
However, it adds: “Exposure to low levels due to correct use of formaldehyde-containing products would not be expected to cause any adverse health effects.”
Some studies have also linked formaldehyde exposure to up to a 150 percent increased risk of uterine and breast cancer.
Several European countries have set strict limits on the amount of formaldehyde hair products can contain.