Current:Home > NewsFDA proposes ban on hair-straightening, smoothing products over cancer-causing chemicals-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
FDA proposes ban on hair-straightening, smoothing products over cancer-causing chemicals
View Date:2024-12-24 10:07:35
A proposed ruling filed from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could mean bans on some chemical hair-smoothing and straightening products that have been linked to cancer.
The FDA has proposed a rule banning formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals from being used in hair-smoothing and straightening products sold in the U.S.
The use of such chemicals has been linked to long-term health concerns, including an increased risk of cancer, according to the FDA. They can also cause short-term health risks, including sensitization reactions and breathing problems, the agency says.
Before an FDA proposal can become an official rule, the agency takes comments from the public and then may "decide to end the rulemaking process, to issue a new proposed rule, or to issue a final rule," the agency's site says.
Maternity units closing in Alabama:Pregnant women have to travel further for care
How have hair-smoothing and straightening products been linked to cancer?
A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Cancer linked hair dye and chemical straightener use to a risk of breast cancer in women in the U.S.
The link was further solidified in 2022, when the National Institutes of Health published a study that found women who used hair-straightening chemicals were associated with a higher uterine cancer risk, and that Black women may be more affected due to a higher use.
There has also been Congressional pressure to look into the link between chemical straighteners and cancer. In March 2023, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts) and Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) wrote a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf asking the agency conduct an investigation into the matter.
"We urge the FDA to investigate the potential health threat posed by chemical hair straightening products," the letter reads. "Consumers need to be reassured that the cosmetic products they use do not threaten their health. It is critical that the agency act quickly to address these legitimate concerns."
In a news release following the FDA's proposed new rule, Pressley called it "a win for public health — especially the health of Black women who are disproportionately put at risk by these products as a result of systemic racism and anti-Black hair sentiment,”
veryGood! (2691)
Related
- Prominent conservative lawyer Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount and same-sex marriage cases, dies
- Mali ends crucial peace deal with rebels, raising concerns about a possible escalation of violence
- Martin Scorsese Shares How Daughter Francesca Got Him to Star in Their Viral TikToks
- Jannik Sinner knocks out 10-time champ Novak Djokovic in Australian Open semifinals
- Glen Powell responds to rumor that he could replace Tom Cruise in 'Mission: Impossible'
- Can't find a dupe? Making your own Anthropologie mirror is easy and cheap with these steps
- Why Sharon Stone Says It's Stupid for People to Be Ashamed of Aging
- Small cargo plane crashes after takeoff from New Hampshire airport, pilot hospitalized
- Bev Priestman fired as Canada women’s soccer coach after review of Olympic drone scandal
- Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher gets five-game supsension for elbowing Adam Pelech's head
Ranking
- Eminem, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, N.W.A. and Janet Jackson get Songwriters Hall of Fame nods
- Exotic animals including South American ostrich and giant African snail seized from suburban NY home
- Why Jesse Eisenberg Was Shaking in Kieran Culkin’s Arms on Sundance Red Carpet
- Illegal border crossings from Mexico reach highest on record in December before January lull
- Detroit-area police win appeal over liability in death of woman in custody
- JetBlue informs Spirit “certain conditions” of $3.8 billion buyout deal may not be met by deadline
- Canadian man accused of selling deadly substances to plead not guilty: lawyer
- Prominent celebrity lawyer pleads guilty to leaking documents to reporters in Fugees rapper’s case
Recommendation
-
South Carolina does not set a date for the next execution after requests for a holiday pause
-
Many Costa Ricans welcome court ruling that they don’t have to use their father’s surname first
-
What happened at the nation’s first nitrogen gas execution: An AP eyewitness account
-
Gun-waving St. Louis lawyer wants misdemeanor wiped off his record
-
Republican Vos reelected as Wisconsin Assembly speaker despite losing seats, fights with Trump
-
Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj feud escalates with 'get up on your good foot' lyric
-
South Korean police investigating 14-year-old boy as suspect of attack on lawmaker
-
King Charles admitted to London hospital for prostate treatment, palace says