Health Canada has put a stop-sale order on 10 hair-straightening products

[Jopava]

OTTAWA — 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.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/health/hair+st...#ixzz17vbSkIiB

[glenglen]

hairdressers have been exposed to chemicals for years and there is alot of really horrible diseases that come from them one is scleroderma[not proven but they believe it is form the chemicals used in salons hair spray etc,I wouldn't want to use a chemical straightener that the hairstylist and myself have to wear gas masks.

[Natalka]

There was a segment about this a few days ago on a US news show - and they totally warned people away from the Brazilian Blowout especially.
It just seems to me so bizarre that formaldehyde would be used in styling products!

[recessionisnotfun]

wow, scary, thanks for the post!!

[JRA]

x

[GoddessDigi]

Oohhh, DH and I were watching Judge Joe Brown the other night, and there was a case involving this.
I didn't catch it all (was busy with DD) but from what I saw, this lady asked for a treatment that messed up her hair, and the judge didn't rule in her favor, since she didn't study it enough. And he proved it by asking her about the formaldehyde.

[lekate]

Thanks, I totally wanted to get this done, but I think I'll stick to what's safe!

[Starbaby55]

I get the Brazillian Blowout done (it's a brand name and is not mentioned above) and have no issues with it. I know it got bad press a little while ago, but the lady who does my hair told me there have been different generations of the product and the previous generations had formaldehyde, however the new bottles have acceptable levels as per Health Canada. The BB doesn't make your eyes water, and doesn't need to be applied by someone wearing a mask.

[AddyB]

Been reading through old threads and this one really stands out. It took until 2015 for the products to be pulled worldwide but it looks like Canada took the lead.