The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suggested a ban on specific hair straightening products linked to uterine cancer, in a historic action intended to protect public health.
The FDA’s proposed rule targets formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing compounds like methylene or glycol found in hair straightening treatments. Particularly in black and Latina women, these substances have been associated with an increased risk of hormone-related malignancies, such as ovarian, breast, and uterine cancer.
Scientists have long established a link between using chemical hair straightening products and a higher risk of some hormone-related malignancies. Studies show that these kinds of compounds are present in almost 50% of items marketed to black women and only 7% of products marketed to white women.
The plan from the FDA has received broad support from legislators. The proposed rule has received support from Representatives Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts), who had earlier requested the FDA look into the issue. “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,” Pressley said in a news release about the plan.
It is unclear how this proposed restriction will affect the market for hair straightening products as a whole and help to create a safer atmosphere for customers as these events play out.
FDA Proposes Ban on Hair Straightening Products Linked to Uterine Cancer
