An investigation done by Consumer Reports is raising concerns about the safety of synthetic braiding hair.
The organization tested 10 of the most popular synthetic braiding hair brands and found carcinogens, or chemicals that may cause cancer, in 100% of the samples.
James Rogers, director and head of product safety testing at Consumer Reports, said his team began testing in 2024 to determine if chemicals were present, whether you could measure them and find out more about the potential consumer risk.
“We have a long history of testing products for heavy metals, so we tested for arsenic, cadmium and lead, and then we decided to test for volatile organic compounds,” Rogers said. “These are chemicals — mostly man-made — that can be released when products are heated.”
Lead and other volatile organic compounds, or VOC, including acetone, were detected in nine out of 10 products.
“Every product had a chemical that has been associated with causing cancer. For instance, every product had some level of methylene chloride,” Rogers said.
In adults, a concerning amount of lead can cause damage to the brain, suppression of the immune system and make it harder to fight off infections, Rogers said.
“But for children, because their bodies are developing so quickly, the main effects are in their essential nervous system to the point where their brain development is affected so much that they actually lose IQ points and can have behavioral issues,” Rogers said.
Although the levels of chemicals found in the hair may not be alarming, people should be aware if they are already exposed to them in their day-to-day life.
“We don’t think (the chemicals) should be there, because we do know that you will be exposed to them from other sources in your lifestyle. We should reduce every source that we can so the total amount that you’re exposed to is not something that will cause you health problems,” he said.
Rogers added that people who use synthetic braiding hair don’t have to stop using the product, but should consider the impacts.
“Consider, instead of wearing your braids four to six weeks — which is what we were told is the average — maybe cut that in half,” Rogers said. “We also suggested that you extend the periods between braiding events to let your hair rest, let your skin rest, your scalp — and that lowers your exposure too.”
According the Consumer Reports, consumers who face adverse reactions to braiding hair should report the issues to their health care provider and to the Food and Drug Administration.
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