FDA May Ban These Hair Straighteners Over Cancer Concerns

Published

11 months ago

October 23, 2023

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Share on Pinterest Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty ImagesThe FDA may ban hair straightening products that contain formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, a colorless compound, is a known human carcinogen.The FDA proposed a rule that, if approved, would ban formaldehyde-based hair products as soon as April 2024.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon ban hair straightening products that contain or emit formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde, a colorless compound thats commonly used in germicides and disinfectants, is a known human carcinogen, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer.

Certain hair smoothing products release formaldehyde gas into the air when heated, which can lead to both short and long-term adverse health effects, including respiratory issues, asthma, and cancer, according to the FDA.

The FDA proposed a rule that, if approved, would ban formaldehyde-based hair products as soon as April 2024.

This proposed rule would ban formaldehyde (FA) and other FA-releasing chemicals (e.g., methylene glycol) as an ingredient in hair smoothing or hair straightening products marketed in the United States, the FDA states.

According to Bunick, the FDA banning these products would be a major achievement in keeping consumers safe from carcinogens used in over-the-counter products.

I sincerely hope lawmakers in Congress continue to fight for improved quality control in the manufacturing of over the counter personal care products, he said. What are the health risks of using products with formaldehyde?

Certain hair straightening or smoothing products release formaldehyde when they are applied to the hair then processed and sealed by using a heat treatment.

The heat releases formaldehyde as a gas, explained Michael T. Kleinman, a professor of environmental toxicology at University of California, Irvine.

If the salon is not properly ventilated, the salon professionals and customers run the risk of inhaling these harmful fumes, according to the FDA.

In the short-term, formaldehyde exposure can lead to irritation of skin and airway membranes, which can trigger asthmatic reactions and other breathing problems, says Kleinman.

The greater the exposure, in regards to both concentration and duration, the higher the health risks, the FDA warns.

Long-term use of formaldehyde-based products is linked to a higher risk of uterine, ovarian, and breast cancers.

In workers with high levels of exposure, formaldehyde is associated with myeloid leukemia and cancers of the paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, and nasopharynx, Kleinman added.

The health risks are greatest among Black women due to higher use of these products, evidence consistently shows.

For example, one study published in 2021 found that 3% of non-Hispanic white women reported hair straightener use during adolescence compared to 75% of Black women, Kleinman highlighted.

Meanwhile, frequent use of straighteners, relaxers or pressing products in the past year at least four times a year is associated with a significantly increased risk of ovarian cancer, research shows.

There is evidence that products containing these chemicals are disproportionately found in hair care products marketed to Black women, which wrongly reinforces health care disparities, says Dr. Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, a Yale Medicine dermatologist.

For years, evidence has been building demonstrating the harms of formaldehyde-releasing hair products.

There is more scientific evidence connecting the use of formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals with cancer, in particular uterine cancer as well as breast cancer, says Bunick. How to determine if your hair products release formaldehyde

Per guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), any product that contains or is capable of releasing formaldehyde needs to say so on its packaging.

To identify products with formaldehyde-related chemicals, look for the ingredients formaldehyde, methylene glycol, and formalin.

Consumers can immediately evaluate their products in the store before purchase, and avoid those products with formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, says Bunick.

Sometimes formaldehyde isnt explicitly listed on the packaging label, and, in certain circumstances, there may be other chemicals that, when heated, can release the carcinogen.

For example, chemicals that are synonyms for formaldehyde include formalin, methanal, methanediol, or formaldehyde monohydrate, according to the OSHA.

Chemicals that release formaldehyde when heated include, but are not limited to, timonacic acid, dimethoxymethane, or decamethyl-cyclopentasiloxane.

More examples can be found here.

You can also ask your salon professional if the products they use contain formaldehyde or if theres an ingredient list you can look at.

Many salons have alternative hair smoothing products that dont release formaldehyde when heated.

More research is needed to understand which products may be harmful personal care products should help, not harm, people, says Bunick.

There is an important movement in medicine today to make sure all people, regardless of skin color, race, or ethnicity have equal access to timely and quality health care, he said. The bottom line:

The Food and Drug Administration may soon ban hair straightening products that contain or emit formaldehyde. Some hair smoothing products release formaldehyde gas into the air when heated, which can lead to both short and long-term adverse health effects, including respiratory issues, asthma, and cancer. If approved, the proposed rule would ban formaldehyde-based hair products as soon as April 2024.

Sports

Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

Published

3 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

Jeff Passan, ESPNSep 21, 2024, 01:47 PM ET
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The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.

Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.

Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.

Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.

Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.

“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”

World

At least 44 people killed in Israel strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in last 24 hours

Published

3 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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At least 44 people killed in Israel strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in last 24 hours

At least 44 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in the last 24 hours.

A strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut killed at least 31 people including three children and seven women, the country’s health minister Firas Abiad said.

Fifteen of the 68 wounded in the attack remain in hospital.

Ali Harake, the head of the rescue team searching through the rubble, told Sky News his team is still looking for between 17 and 18 missing people – though he fears none have survived.

Follow the latest updates on the Middle East

It is understood two apartment blocks in a densely populated southern neighbourhood collapsed in the strike – the deadliest attack on Beirut in decades.

Top Hezbollah commanders are believed to have been meeting in the basement of one of the buildings.

Hezbollah has confirmed two of its senior commanders, Ibrahim Aqil and Ahmed Wahbi, died in the strike while an Israeli military spokesperson said that at least 16 Hezbollah militants were killed.

Wahbi oversaw the military operations of the Radwan special forces – a commando unit that seeks to infiltrate and carry out attacks in Israel – until early 2024. Aqil was also a top commander for the Iran-backed group.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has described the killing of Aqil as a “crime” and a “folly”, adding Israel will “pay the price”.

Meanwhile, at least 13 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza City, according to a local report.

The strikes are believed to have hit several schools sheltering displaced people in the southern part of the city.

The strikes come after Hezbollah launched one of its most intense bombardments of northern Israel in nearly a year of fighting, largely targeting Israeli military sites.

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted most of the Katyusha rockets.

Hezbollah said its latest wave of rocket attacks was a response to past Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon.

It came days after mass explosions of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies killed at least 37 people, including two children. Some 2,900 others were wounded in the assault which has been widely attributed to Israel.

World

Fire rips through arms depot deep inside Russia after huge Ukrainian drone attack – as Zelenskyy prepares to meet Trump

Published

3 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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Fire rips through arms depot deep inside Russia after huge Ukrainian drone attack - as Zelenskyy prepares to meet Trump

A fire has ripped through a Russian missile depot in the Tver region deep inside the country after it was targeted in a Ukrainian drone attack, the defence ministry in Moscow has said.

Footage shows a second Ukrainian drone attack on the southwestern Russian region of Krasnodar also triggered a fire and caused a series of explosions.

Russia’s defence ministry has claimed its forces shot down 101 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and occupied Crimea during the overnight attacks.

The drone strikes were carried out as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskky said he is hoping to meet Donald Trump next week when he travels to the US – where he will present US President Joe Biden with a “victory plan” in relation to the war.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s foreign minister said Russia appears to be planning strikes on Ukrainian nuclear facilities before the winter.

Posts on local Telegram channels said a Ukrainian drone attack struck an arms depot near the town of Toropets, in Russia’s Tver region – which is about 380 kilometres (240 miles) northwest of Moscow and about 500 kilometres (300 miles) from the Ukrainian border on Saturday.

Russian authorities closed a 100-kilometre (62-mile) stretch of a highway and evacuated passengers from a nearby rail station.

The depot appeared to be just miles from a Russian weapons arsenal storing missiles, bombs and ammunition in Tver that was struck by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday, injuring 13 people and also causing a huge fire.

Meanwhile, at least 1,200 people were evacuated from Russia’s southwestern Krasnodar region after an ammunition depot and missile arsenal were struck in the second drone attack overnight, the local governor has said.

Most of those evacuated were staying with friends and relatives, Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar region, said on the Telegram messaging app.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in either Tver or Krasnodar.

Ukraine warning of attacks on nuclear sites

It comes as Kyiv is urging the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Ukraine’s allies to establish permanent monitoring missions at the country’s nuclear plants as it warns they could be targeted in Russian attacks.

“In particular, it concerns open distribution devices at (nuclear power plants and) transmission substations, critical for the safe operation of nuclear energy,” foreign minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X.

Zelenskyy prepares for US trip

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian leader has said he plans to meet Republican presidential candidate Mr Trump on either Thursday or Friday next week.

During the trip, Mr Zelenskyy will present Mr Biden with a so-called victory plan as he hopes to bring about an end to the conflict.

The Ukrainian president has said the plan will include long-range striking capabilities and other weapons long sought by Kyiv, and will serve as the basis for any future negotiation with Russia.

He is also expected to push Washington to lift restrictions on long-range missile strikes inside Russia.

Mr Zelenskyy will attend sessions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly and also plans to meet vice president Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in this year’s US election, in separate meetings on 26 September.

The developments come as three sources have told Reuters that Iran did not include mobile launchers with the close-range ballistic missiles that Washington has accused Tehran of delivering to Russia for use against Ukraine.

The sources – a European diplomat, a European intelligence official and a US official – said it was not clear why Iran did not supply launchers with the Fath-360 missiles, raising questions about when and if the weapons will be operational.