Before Bio Ionic Kerasmooth
After Bio Ionic Kerasmooth
The heated debate over Brazilian Keratin products continues….
To avoid any risk to staff and guests at the salon, we have chosen to use Bio Ionic Kerasmooth, see details here:http://beautyonrobertson.com/blog/?p=39
While my choice is to not allow any type of “Brazilian and or Keratin” products in my salon, those of you not sure, or are on the fence, on whether to use Brazilian type straightening products, have some new information to review.
One of the issues that impacted my decision is that a lot of these companies do not list the ingredients, and reps tell you that there is no formaldehyde in these newer versions hitting the market. So if they say there isn’t a formaldehyde, I cannot determine that for myself, short of buying a test kit and seeing for sure.
However, we are now seeing that if a company says there isn’t formaldehyde in the product (or that it’s created as a by product from other ingredients) this may not be the truth.
Another concern is the alarming levels of formaldehyde deemed not safe by the government agencies that regulate the use of these chemicals in products.
This month a salon in Portland, Oregon contacted OSHA and reported illnesses after using the Brazilian Blowout product. http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2010/09/hair_straightening_product_at.html
Before you decide to have this procedure done on your hair (or if you are a stylist or owner wanting to offer this service), make sure you have educated yourself thoroughly.
As an owner of an establishment you have legal responsibilities to measure and check the amount of formaldehyde “workers” are exposed to as set forth per the EPA (see link below).
UPDATE – 11/14/2010
The State of California has filed a lawsuit re Brazilian Blowout products: See here
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=7779712
Here is a synopsis taken from the OSHU/CROET site that discusses OSHA’s findings (link below to full report):
SALON HAIR UPDATE (OCTOBER 1, 2010)
We have new information to add to our updates below. Please carefully read this update along with the previously posted alerts on this topic.
Laboratory Analysis:
CROET received the written lab analytical report from Oregon OSHA on the second sample (Acai Professional Smoothing Solution labeled “formaldehyde free”). In addition to the previously reported formaldehyde (identified in concentrations using four different testing methods at 10.6%, 6.3%, 10.6% and 10.4%) this product was also found to contain methanol, ethanol, 1-hexadecenanol, and phenol. The concentrations of these final four chemicals was not determined, and formaldehyde is still considered to be the highest priority at this time. Oregon OSHA has also reported to news media analytical results from a container from a third Portland-area salon of the Acai Professional Smoothing Solution labeled “formaldehyde free.” Two separate test methods used to analyze this product detected formaldehyde concentrations at 8.4% and 8.6% respectively. The laboratory will continue to report results from other hair straightener products as they are analyzed.
Recommendations:
- Due to these findings, it is recommended that salons either cease using this specific brand of hair straightener or take full precautions as identified by OSHA’s Formaldehyde Standard. Information on the formaldehyde standard can be found online through the OSHA in your state. Oregon OSHA’s formaldehyde standard can be found .
- Salons should recognize the potential for formaldehyde or other hazardous chemicals to be present in other brands of chemical hair straighteners. Salons are urged to carefully evaluate and request science-based information on the ingredients, including accurate material safety data sheets, and to not use products until such information is available or provided. Oregon OSHA and CROET will continue to provide information on this topic as it is available.
See the entire report here:
http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/croet/emerging-issues-and-alerts.cfm
Text & links below courtesy of California Stylist Magazine:
Link to Cindy’s story: http://www.nwstylist.com/features/2010/1110_features/1110_brazilian_blow_up.html
The Brazilian Blow “Up”, by Cindy Van Steelandt (Calif . Stylist Mag)
(Cosmetic Industry Review) http://www.cir-safety.org
(Oregon OSHA) http://www.orosha.org/admin/ newsrelease/2010/nr2010_25.pdf
Now, Health Canada has issued a recall of Brazilian Blowout, which it found to have 12% formaldehyde, as well as an advisory regarding consumer and stylist complaints of “burning eyes, nose, and throat, breathing difficulties, and one report of hair loss associated with use of the product.” As reported by consumeraffairs.com, a class-action lawsuit is also pending in this matter.
(Health Canada) www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_167-eng.php
(US FDA) www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/ProductInformation/ucm228898.htm
The European Union Consumer Alert System cited four keratin smoothing treatments in August, 2010, for containing 1.7 to 2% formaldehyde. These products do not comply with the allowable limit of 0.2% in the European Union, and have been either ordered removed, or voluntarily removed from the European market.
(European Union Consumer Alert System) ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/create_rapex_search.cfm, (search for “formaldehyde” in 2010)
EPA Work Place Requirements:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=10075&p_table=STANDARDS
Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde
Another thing to ponder, I understand that these products in question are banned in Brazil. I’m still looking for an official link/document and will update later.
However, these sorts of products are currently banned in European Union countries; See this link, type in Keratin in the search box, individual brands are listed as not allowed in Europe. http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/create_rapex_search.cfm
