Hair is not known as your crowning glory for nothing, but you would think there are limits to how far anyone would would go to make it so. The latest craze, the Brazilian blow-dry or blow-out, is said to straighten your hair for up to three to five months and is loved by celebrities like Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan. But there are claims that the original form of this treatment is not good for your hair or your health.
The main chemical used in the process is formaldehyde – one of the ingredients in embalming fluid.
Brazilian Blowout, the company that markets the product is facing a class action lawsuit from more than 200 people in the US who claim the product damaged their health.
People from around the world have voiced concerns on a variety of websites, with many saying products that contain formaldehyde cause severe problems including headaches, nausea, dizziness, chest pains, allergic reactions, and asthma.
According to European Union rules, the level of formaldehyde in the hair product must be less than 0.2 percent to protect the health of both stylist and client. But in the US, where the treatments have been popular for longer, some manufacturers have been caught using solutions containing up to 50 times the limit to make the result longer lasting and more effective.
Countries such as Italy, Germany, France and Ireland have already banned products that contain more than 0.2 percent.
Formaldehyde is a class one carcinogen, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer. It has been used in the textile industry to straighten wool.
Many hair salons in South Africa have stopped offering the treatment and have substituted it with a product they claim is chemical-free. Others say they stick to a safe version.
Taz Ahmed, a stylist at Dash hairdresser in Newlands in Cape Town, said: “We do offer the Brazilian blow-dry and we use the original products which contain formaldehyde, but the amount is below the total allowed.
“The products we use are called Inoar G-Hair. The treatment lasts for approximately three to five months depending on the frequency of hair washing and whether the aftercare products are used correctly.
“The products mainly contain keratin and this eradicates the damage your hair sustains with all the styling and damaging substances used. It also reduces volume by about 80 percent, along with curl and frizz.”
Carlton Hair in Canal Walk offers the Keratin Smoothing Complex, Partners Hair Design in the Waterfront offers the Global Keratin treatment and Frank Fowden hair salon offers a keratin treatment using Coppola products.
These treatments claim to be free of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and instead are likely to contain a chemical which is said to be organic and unharmful – aldehyde.
International Academy of Hairdressing principal Lindey Visser said: “The academy doesn’t offer the treatment in the teaching courses nor do we offer it at our salon.
“This is because we were made aware of the dangers of the treatments and we do not believe in exposing our clients or students to it, despite the good results.
“We use a keratin treatment that is not a relaxing treatment, but is a de-frizzing treatment and it is free of all chemicals like formaldehyde, aldehyde and formalin.
“Aldehyde is safer than formaldehyde at room temperature, but because the treatment requires a flat iron with temperatures of at least 450ºC to be applied to the hair, it does release a toxic vapour.
“In the material safety data sheet of Keratin Complex, you will find that they caution you to wear a breathing mask when performing the service as the mixture, when subjected to heat, can cause respiratory problems.”
Cosmo Hair at Sable Square has chosen a product said to be free of formaldehyde and aldehyde – the Brazilian Cacau treatment.
Head stylist Jenny Feyerabend said: “The treatment we offer isn’t a straightener, it’s the same procedure and has similar characteristics to the Brazilian blow-dry, but is, in fact, a de-frizzing treatment.
“The products we use make your hair healthier and reduce the ‘bigness’, but clients come into the salon asking for a Brazilian because they want their hair to be straight.
“We then have to tell them that the procedure that we offer doesn’t guarantee straighter hair, but instead more manageable hair – we don’t use any products which actually change the chemical structure of your hair.”
Case study: Treatment a ‘waste of time and money’
A 26-year-old Cape Town woman, who does not want to be named for professional reasons, said: “ I went for the treatment late last year. The procedure was long, it took about three hours.
“The stylist used a lot of creams and masks and sealed it into my hair with a straightener, but the thing that stood out for me was that he had a fan behind my head to get the fumes away from us because the products used contained formaldehyde.
“I’d researched the procedure and the products and I knew there were dangers, but the stylist said that it would be a minimal risk for me.
“I think that I had a good month after the treatment was done – my hair was manageable and easy to style.
“But then after a while every time I used the shampoo and conditioner that they recommended, my scalp burned.
“I also noticed that there was a lot of irritation on my scalp and that I had large chunks of dandruff in my hair. I went to a different hairdresser and the stylist said I should change the shampoo and conditioner that I was using. But the original salon that did the treatment said I shouldn’t use ordinary products because these would strip my hair of the treatment.
“I’d had enough and I changed the products I was using. After quite a few washes, I could feel that my scalp was going back to its normal state and my hair began to feel like my hair again – it was thicker, the irritation was gone and my hair was wavy again.
“This confirmed my suspicion that this treatment was too good to be true and it has taught me that next time I will first find someone reputable to go to and find someone who can tell me more about their experience.
“I really thought this procedure would make my life easier, but it was a waste of time and money.”
Her investment was R900 for the treatment and R420 for the shampoo and conditioner. - Weekend Argus