The saloons/parlours commonly use chemical hair straightening products for their customers. For salons/parlours, it has become a business. Salons have flourished everywhere and are waiting for customers by advertising offers. Chemical hair straighteners are linked to several health concerns, most notably an increased risk of cancer, particularly with frequent use, as the chemicals in these products can act as carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, with formaldehyde being a key concern. There is also an increased risk of nasopharyngeal and sinonasal cancers, thus calling for swift regulatory action to mitigate these risks.
The chemicals in hair straighteners include cyclosiloxanes, formaldehyde, parabens, diethanolamine, sodium hydroxide, phthalates, triclosan and benzophenone-3. Chemical hair straighteners are further classified as lye relaxers, no-lye relaxers and thio relaxers, depending on the product’s ingredients.
A 2022 National Institute of Health study found that women who used chemical hair straighteners had more than double the risk of uterine cancer compared to women who didn’t use them. Over the last decade, researchers have warned about the potential dangers of chemical hair straighteners, which have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Some people are more sensitive to formaldehyde than others. The Food and Drug Administration should raid saloons/parlours and ban such harmful ingredients used in some straighteners. There should be regulatory measures to safeguard public health and minimise the risks associated with these products.
