2023-10-20 13:13:08
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to propose a ban on hair straightening products containing formaldehyde and other chemicals that release formaldehyde, such as methylene or the glycolwhich have been linked to health risks, including uterine cancer, according to an entry in the Unified Agendawhich lists the shares that administrative agencies plan to issue.
If such a proposed rule is issued, the FDA will receive public comments on the matter and, after reviewing those comments, the agency will decide if further action is needed, spokeswoman Courtney Rhodes said.
Scientists have long identified an association between the use of chemical hair straightening products and an increased risk of uterine cancer in the US, particularly among black women, who use these types of products the most. . In fact, just a year ago, a study by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) warned of the risk faced by women who use chemical products to straighten their hair. According to the results of the research, which was carried out on more than 30,000 American women, those who use this type of hair products to get rid of curls have a higher risk of uterine cancer compared to those who do not use them. . However, researchers found no associations between the use of hair dyes, bleaching, highlights or perms and uterine cancer.
The researchers found that women who reported frequent use of hair straightening products, defined as more than four times in the previous yearwere more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to those who did not use them.
Uterine cancer accounts for about 3% of all new cancer cases, but is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, with an estimated 65,950 new cases in 2022. Studies show that uterine cancer incidence rates have increased in the United States, particularly among black women.
According to last year’s study, which was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, approximately 60% of participants who reported using relaxers in the previous year identified themselves as black women. Although the study did not find that the relationship between the use of these products and the incidence of uterine cancer was different by race, the adverse health effects may be greater for black women due to the higher prevalence of use.
The FDA is now expected to propose language stating that these types of hair straightening chemicals are also “linked to short-term adverse health effects, such as sensitization reactions and respiratory problems« and that »these chemicals are used in certain cosmetic products that are applied to human hair as part of a combination of chemical treatment and thermal tools intended to straighten the hair«.
These changes in the US will not have any repercussions in Europe, and therefore in Spain, since here the use of formaldehyde is now prohibited in hair straightening products.
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