FDA proposes ban on certain hair products that have been tied to cancer

FDA officials could ban the products as soon as next spring

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon ban hair-straightening products that have been associated with major health issues.

The products contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing chemicals and have been linked to “short-term” adverse health effects, like breathing problems, and “long-term” adverse health effects, such as certain cancers, according to a rule proposed by the agency.

Studies have linked these products, sometimes called hair relaxers or pressing products, with hormone-sensitive cancers, such as ovarian, breast and uterine cancer.

A 2022 report published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that people who had used hair products with hazardous chemicals were more likely to be diagnosed with uterine cancer, and that risk increased with frequency of use.

Among women who use “hair straightening or relaxing chemicals regularly”, breast cancer risk is increased 31 per cent, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Those who use chemical hair straighteners frequently – defined as at least four times a year – are twice as likely as their counterparts to develop ovarian cancer, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

The products in question may be especially harmful for women of colour. According to a memo from Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, about half of hair products marketed to Black women contain hazardous chemicals – compared to only seven per cent of those marketed to white women.

It’s also worth noting that Black people are more likely to use hair relaxers, per the ASCO, which cites research stating that 88 per cent of Black women have used chemical straighteners compared to just five per cent of white women.

“As Black women are the most frequent users of these products, these findings are more relevant and impactful for them,” Alexandra White, PhD, MSPH, leader of the environment and cancer epidemiology group at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said in a statement from ASCO.

The target date for the FDA’s proposed ban is April of next year, according to The New York Times.

If the rule is issued, the FDA will allow the public to comment on the rule; after that, the agency will determine whether “further action is needed”, a spokesperson told CNN.

The public comment period can help the agency decide whether the issued rule should be amended or finalized.

According to the ASCO, the FDA regulates products sold in the US but does not test them for safety. If you’re concerned about using products linked to health issues like cancer—particularly if you’re high-risk for certain cancers due to family history or other factors—you should speak with your healthcare provider about how certain hair products might affect your health, per the ASCO.