Several hair products ‘unsafe’.
THE quest for smooth, silky straight hair by applying Brazilian keratin type (BKT) hair-straightening products may be more of a danger than a beauty booster.
A recent study by researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) tested seven such products sold in South Africa in 2012 and found that six contained unacceptably high and dangerous concentrations of formaldehyde, which could put users at risk of cancer.
The researchers, Dr Mbulelo Maneli and associate professor Peter Smith, were led by associate professor in the university’s division of dermatology, Nonhlanhla Khumalo.
The trio tested the levels of formaldehyde in these products three times.
Khumalo said the maximum safe concentration of formaldehyde set by the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel and by most countries, including South Africa, is less than 0.2%.
Of the seven brands studied, their team found six had formaldehyde levels of between 0.96% to 1.4% – five times higher than the safe level.
Furthermore, five of the brands were labeled formaldehyde-free.
The study, titled: Elevated formaldehyde concentration in ‘Brazilian keratin type’ hairstrengthening products: A cross study, was published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Warning: Brazilian straighteners a beauty danger
THE quest for smooth, silky straight hair by applying Brazilian keratin type (BKT) hair-straightening products may be more of a danger than a beauty booster.
A recent study by researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) tested seven such products sold in South Africa in 2012 and found that six contained unacceptably high and dangerous concentrations of formaldehyde, which could put users at risk of cancer.
The researchers, Dr Mbulelo Maneli and associate professor Peter Smith, were led by associate professor in the university’s division of dermatology, Nonhlanhla Khumalo.
The trio tested the levels of formaldehyde in these products three times.
Khumalo said the maximum safe concentration of formaldehyde set by the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel and by most countries, including South Africa, is less than 0.2%.
Of the seven brands studied, their team found six had formaldehyde levels of between 0.96% to 1.4% – five times higher than the safe level.
Furthermore, five of the brands were labeled formaldehyde-free.
The study, titled: Elevated formaldehyde concentration in ‘Brazilian keratin type’ hairstrengthening products: A cross study, was published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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