Is the Hair Keratin Treatment Safe?

Keratin treatments make hair smooth and straight for months at a time, but can have potentially hazardous health impacts. Because many keratin treatments contain formaldehyde which is toxic when inhaled, it is best to visit a well-ventilated salon or opt for 100% formaldehyde-free formulas when getting treatments done.

Formaldehyde is a colorless and pungent gas classified as a carcinogen that’s produced when heated keratin solutions are heated in salons for treatments like Keratin. Keratin treatments produce this carcinogenic gas when their solution is heated to create heat within its chambers, leading to its release and thus exposure.

Formaldehyde

Keratin treatments such as the Brazilian blowout utilize formaldehyde, a carcinogen known as methanal or formalin, in order to enhance shine and smooth out imperfections in hair. Formaldehyde (also referred to as methanal, formalin or methanediol) is produced through the breakdown of organic materials found in plant or animal tissue and used as an preservative in building materials, paper plywood resins as well as food and medicines.

Stylists have reported experiencing nose bleeds, scratchy eyes and sore throat from exposure to formaldehyde for years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), long-term exposure can also cause asthma, allergies and other health complications.

Four years have passed since the Environmental Working Group released their groundbreaking report showing that keratin hair-smoothing treatments emit unsafe levels of formaldehyde. Since then, however, cosmetics industry representatives have mostly ignored it while any potential regulations that might have banned toxic treatments were gutted due to President Donald Trump’s deregulatory agenda.

Sulfates

Sulfates are mineral salts produced naturally or artificially. They are found both in nature and many cleaning and personal care products; helping create foamy textures in shampoos and cleansers.

Sulfate-free shampoos are more eco-friendly because they do not cause skin or hair irritation like SLS and SLES products do. Sulfates come from palm oil plantations deforestation as well as petroleum extraction which leads to climate change and pollution issues.

Sodium lauryl and sodium laureth sulfates can be an effective way of cleaning hair and skin, but their chemicals can be too strong for some individuals. Their chemicals may irritate eyes, skin, lungs and can even clog pores leading to acne breakouts. Furthermore, their impact can also be detrimental on aquatic ecosystems with toxic salt residue leaving waterways.

Temperature

Heating at extremely high temperatures during a keratin treatment can seal chemical into your hair, making it harder for you to remove. Furthermore, this high heat may also damage it further. Therefore, it’s crucial that you find a stylist trained in applying these treatments and who understands which temperatures work best with your particular hair type and texture.

Keratin treatments can be time-consuming and results may take up to several months before appearing. Furthermore, salon versions of these treatments are quite costly while at-home versions may cost less but don’t last as long. Furthermore, some people experience allergic reactions during or shortly after having one; such reactions include respiratory irritation and itchy scalp/skin reactions. Furthermore, some other hair treatments such as bleach can interfere with keratin treatments, leading to unpredictable or damaging results; finally keratin treatments leave hair brittle and dry as they reduce its elasticity compared to salon versions of treatments.

Chemicals

Keratin treatments typically last two hours in the salon. Your stylist starts by washing and drying your hair before applying a solution all over your head using heat from a flat iron to straighten out your strands.

Some keratin products contain formaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical. This could present problems for customers with sensitive skin as well as for hairdressers who must work regularly with these products.

Some keratin treatments labeled as “formaldehyde free,” yet still contain dangerous chemicals like methylene glycol that release formaldehyde when heated – it would be wiser for both your hair and health to steer clear of these types of treatments.