Brazilian Blowout Side Effects: Hair Loss, Burning Eyes, Chest Pain. Brazilian Blowout, a popular hair straightening solution used in hair care salons has been found to contain formaldehyde. Yes, formaldehyde, that chemical used by funeral directors to embalm the dead. Anyhoo, the New York Times reports that health authorities in Oregon…. well, here’s the story:
A popular hair-straightening treatment is under scrutiny after lab tests by Oregon’s occupational health agency found significant levels of formaldehyde in a smoothing solution made by the beauty company Brazilian Blowout.
The state agency says it had the solution tested when salon workers in the Portland area complained of nosebleeds, breathing problems and eye irritation.
The company which sells Brazilian Blowout disputes the Oregon findings but laboratory tests in Canada have also found found significant (and dangerous) levels of formaldehyde in the hair straightening solution.
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In fact hundreds of disgruntled Canadian costumers and hair care specialists are reportedly filing a class-action suit against the manufacturer.
From CTV BC:
More than 200 people have joined a B.C.-based class action lawsuit against the makers of a hair product found to contain a dangerous amount of a known carcinogen.
Health Canada first issued a warning against using Brazilian Blowout last week after lab tests revealed the wildly popular hair straightening salon treatment included 12 per cent formaldehyde — 60 times the limit allowed by law for cosmetics.
Sixty times the limit allowed by law? That’s much much more that the “trace levels” that the company insists it found in its product.
Anyhoo, if you are wondering about the side effects of formaldehyde exposure, those who filed a case against the company report that they “experienced a runny nose, sore throat and burning eyes after applying the product. Others had shortness of breath and, in several cases, significant hair loss.”
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UPDATE: U.S. FDA Directs Correct Labeling of Brazilian Blowout
23 August 2011
Thank heavens government authorities are now starting to act against the dangers posed by Brazilian Blowout. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for instance, has warned the manufacturer for its mislabeling of the beauty product. In particular, the agency is pissed because Brazilian Blowout is being labeled “formaldehyde free” or “no formaldehyle” when, in fact, there’s formaldehyde in the hair straightener.
The FDA warned the manufacturers of the product to correctly label their product or else they will be in deep sh*t. Let’s see how it turns out, no?
In our earlier post, we mentioned some adverse Brazilian Blowout side effects noted among salon professionals who used the controversial product.
Brazilian Blowout Side Effects. The FDA has a more complete list of Brazilian Blowout side effects based on the agency’s studies: eye disorders (irritation, increased lacrimation, blurred vision, hyperaemia); nervous system disorders (headache, burning sensation, dizziness, syncope), and respiratory tract (dyspnea, cough, nasal discomfort, epistaxis, wheezing, rhinorrhea, throat irritation, nasopharyngitis). Other reported symptoms included nausea hypotrichosis, chest pain, chest discomfort, vomiting, and rash.
If you’ve been using the product and suffer the above symptoms or Brazilian Blowout side effects, haul your ass off to the doctor’s office before things get worse for you.
Brazilian Blowout Side Effects: Hair Loss, Burning Eyes, Chest Pain. Posted 13 October 2010.