Many women get sleek, straight hair with Brazilian Blowouts – but according to the FDA, they’re also getting a deadly dose of formaldehyde. Time Magazine reports that five months after OSHA issued a hazard alert about Brazilian Blowouts and similar products, the FDA has sent a warning letter to the makers of Brazilian Blowout, confirming that the product is “adulterated” with the liquid form of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde helps bind Keratin to hair making it straighter – but is also a known carcinogen.
The FDA went on to say that the Brazilian Blowout is “misbranded” because labels often spuriously claim that these products contain “No Formaldehyde” or are “Formaldehyde Free.” The company (click here for the official website) has until mid-September to address the letter, or the product could be banned.
Testing found that Brazilian Blowout products contained 8.7% to 10.4% formaldehyde – about the same as embalming fluid at a funeral home – when cosmetics are only supposed to contain up to 0.2%. However, Brazilian Blowout CEO Mike Brady denied these claims, saying that “We have been tested countless times by OSHA and we have never exceeded a safety standard ever.” A statement on the product’s website added: “In our continued effort to clear up misinformation about the Brazilian Blowout, we are delighted to be working with the FDA in demonstrating that the Brazilian Blowout complies with both state and federal guidelines.”
Still, the FDA claims that customers and salon workers have experienced eye and throat irritation, headache, dizziness, burning sensations, breathing problems, nosebleeds, chest pain, vomiting and rash as a result of the Formaldehyde. Attorney Tor Hoerman suggests that customers haven’t come forward with public complaints because people with these symptoms are often misdiagnosed. A Huffington Post article does quote a salon worker who filed a lawsuit after needing to use an inhaler.
Any readers want to share their BB experiences?
In the meantime, you may want to check out some all natural hair straightening products, like this one.
Is FDA still slowing companies to conduct their own products test? recall the generic Rx scandal of the 90′s? The State of Texas refused to pay for generic DYazide. Too many stroke cases in ER/ICU among Texas medicaid patients was costing them millions. The common factor was generic Dyazide. Many MD had begun to to dispense “Brand name necessary”. It began a whole series of product recalls. The GG company was found to have swapped brand name Dyazide into it’s companies generic gel caps. They then sent that product in to private company for testing. They killed unknown number of patients with this greedy & heartless act. Government fined them but did not ban employees from industry. How could they? The entire industry was found to conduct business like this. FDA did not change product testing procedures. As a result of this scandal. Generic companies where now required to rate their generic products. Bioequivalence &Therapeutic Equivalence . NEVER accept any generic whose rating doesn’t start with an A rating( AA, AN, AO, and AP). Pharmacist will NEVER offer you information on their own. You must demand info. It’s all available in The Orange Book.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/orange/adppreface.htm#Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations Codes
The system was set up to shut consumers out of process. You are too stupid to have figured out how to program a VCR before they became obsolete. Remember that tobacco products are known killers. Money talks & replacement consumers are born everyday.
As a professional who has worked closely with this product and the company which developed it, all I can say is that in my experience I found the stuff to be extremely irritating to the nose, lungs, eyes, and skin. I have since stopped using it on my clients and avoid exposing myself to the fumes whenever possible. Knowing what I do about Brazilian Blow Out and the people marketing it, I’m hardly surprised by all of this. I can tell you first hand that they care little about the health or well being of their consumers.
I would advise anyone to avoid being in a confined space where this product is being used. Your health is far more important than having straight hair.
It is unfortunate that so many people are having problems w BB. As a stylist in the biz for 12+ yrs I must say that I hAve really liked it. Think some people may misuse the product, some may be more sensitivities and some are just plain letigious. I’m obviously not a scientist so if FDA bans it then I will discontinue; as w everything else though, there’s almost always some type of risk. It is disappointing if the company is not disclosing all the info, but what do we expect?