he Food and Drug Administration is moving to ban formaldehyde in hair straightening products amid growing concerns over cancer risks, particularly for Black women who are disproportionately affected by hazardous chemicals in hair relaxers. The proposed ban, expected to be introduced in April, follows years of advocacy and research highlighting the dangers of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen linked to cancers of the respiratory tract and leukemia.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Tamarra James-Todd has emphasized the presence of harmful chemicals in products marketed to African Americans, including phthalates and parabens, which are associated with reproductive cancers. The FDA’s delayed response to these risks has been criticized by experts like Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group.
California and Maryland have already taken steps to ban formaldehyde from personal care products starting next year. The FDA’s proposal is seen as a significant public health measure but is also regarded as insufficient by many scientists and advocates who argue that it fails to address the full spectrum of dangerous ingredients in hair relaxers.
The issue has also caught the attention of legislators, with Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) urging the FDA to investigate the link between hair straighteners and hormone-driven cancers. The Personal Care Products Council, representing manufacturers, supports the ban, acknowledging the risks of formaldehyde when heated.
This regulatory action aims to reduce health disparities and protect consumers, particularly women of color who have historically been underrepresented in safety considerations for personal care products.
See: “FDA’s Plan to Ban Hair Relaxer Chemical Called Too Little, Too Late” by Ronnie Cohen on the KFF Health News website (February 8, 2024)
