A health justice organization has publicly criticized the Food and Drug Administration for repeatedly missing deadlines to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde-inducing chemicals in hair straightening products, raising serious concerns about racial health disparities.
Weaving Voices for Health and Justice condemned the FDA’s inaction as gross negligence that disproportionately impacts Black women and salon workers who primarily use these products as hair relaxers. The agency has missed five consecutive deadlines to enact regulations initially promised in 2023, leaving communities exposed to known carcinogens.
Debra Erenberg, co-executive director of Weaving Voices for Health & Justice, emphasized the severity of the situation. The FDA has been aware of formaldehyde dangers in hair straightening products for over a decade, yet continues to delay protective regulations. This pattern raises troubling questions about whose health receives priority and whose gets sacrificed.
Jayla Burton, director of Programs at the organization, noted that every delay means continued exposure to a known carcinogen for those who face the greatest risk. The science documenting these harms is clear and well-established, making continued inaction even more concerning.
Despite years of open letters to the FDA, grassroots initiatives, and social action campaigns, no new legislation has emerged to protect women from these harmful chemicals. Products containing these dangerous substances remain readily available, with companies specifically marketing them to women of color, perpetuating health risks in minority communities.
At a time when public trust in health protections remains fragile, the FDA’s continued delays reinforce perceptions that the agency does not prioritize the lives of salon workers and consumers most affected by these products. Weaving Voices for Health and Justice continues its “Beautiful Hair with the Scare” campaign to educate more women about chemical risks while pressuring federal authorities for action.
See: “FDA Called Out For Repeated Refusal To Ban Harmful Chemicals In Hair Relaxers” (January 14, 2026)Â
