The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against the use of hair smoothing products containing formaldehyde.
The agency says the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed it of the short and long-term effects of formaldehyde exposure in hair smoothing products.
The alert, No: 006/2021 – Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products, was signed by the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
It said most hair smoothing or straightening products release formaldehyde gas, a known human carcinogen, as classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, into the air during hair straightening or smoothing.
According to the alert, when formaldehyde is released into the air and is present in the air at level exceeding 0.1 ppm, it can cause serious irritation of the eyes, nose and lungs.
“It can also cause skin sensitivity or allergic dermatitis,” it read.
The alert outlined some recommendations for people not to use hair products by themselves at home, except they visited a licensed hair professional in a salon.
It said hair professionals should be trained to take precautions, such as wearing gloves and safety glasses as well as ensuring proper ventilation when applying hair smoothing products.
According to the statement, hair professionals must read through the list of components, adding that the U.S Food and Drug Administration discourages individuals from buying hair smoothing products for home use.
“If you are obtaining from a retailer or purchasing online to utilise, read the required list of ingredients. If there isn’t one, don’t buy the product.
“If the hair smoothing product lists one of these ingredient names on the packaging: formaldehyde, formalin, or methylene glycol, then it means the product contains formaldehyde or will release formaldehyde.
“Be aware that not all hair smoothing products contain formaldehyde, which is why you need to read the label to see what is in the product,” the alert urges.
It advised anyone with a bad experience of hair smoothing solution to stop the usage of the product or service and report the reactions to healthcare provider.
It encouraged consumers, hair and health professionals to report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of these smoothing products to the nearest NAFDAC office.
About Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde, is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula CH₂O. The pure compound is a pungent-smelling colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde, hence it is stored as an aqueous solution. It is the simplest of the aldehydes.
When exposed to the body (in the air, at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm), some individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation.
Ingestion of formaldehyde can be fatal, and long-term exposure to low levels in the air or on the skin can cause asthma-like respiratory problems and skin irritation such as dermatitis and itching. Concentrations of 100 ppm are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH).
The largest source of formaldehyde is the chemical manufacturing industry. Formaldehyde is found in cigarette smoke and also can be formed in the environment during the burning of fuels or household waste. Very small amounts of formaldehyde are found naturally in the human body.
Why You Should Listen to NAFDAC
The National Toxicology Program calls formaldehyde a known human carcinogen…. Once it affects the scalp, formaldehyde can cause trauma to the hair follicles and thus hair loss. Because of these issues, some countries have banned the use of formaldehyde in products on the market.
Though it is used in hair smoothing products used to straighten hair or to smooth out curls; locks the hair into that straighter position so it stays smooth beyond your next shampoo, then helps your natural texture gradually returns over two to five months; this carcinogen you must be very careful with.
