Do you also know about keratin treatment's lousy reputation? It's because of a chemical component named formol or formaldehyde that the FDA declared unsafe in 2011. 

When people get to know about formaldehyde, they usually ask these questions:

• What is formaldehyde or formol?
• Why should a keratin treatment not contain formol or formaldehyde? 
• How do I know if the keratin treatment I'm using contains formol?
• How to save yourself from formaldehyde?

Furthermore, we believe that this (formaldehyde) is an important aspect of keratin hair treatment that everyone, including professionals (stylists) and clients (who are getting keratin treatment), should know about to avoid damage to overall physical health.

Therefore, our experts and we have created this post to give you answers to the most anticipated questions in an easy-to-understand manner.

 

1. What Is Formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a strong odor that is flammable at room temperature. Exposure to it causes adverse and severe health effects. 

1.1 How is formaldehyde included in Keratin treatment?

Formaldehyde is present in keratin treatment in liquid form. When keratin product is applied and blow dryer, especially when straightener is used on hair, the product releases gas. At this time, formaldehyde gets present in the air.  

2. Why Should a Keratin Treatment Not Contain Formol or Formaldehyde?

Experts and professionals worldwide declared formaldehyde a high toxic systemic poison. Systemic poison means material that is toxic upon exposure to specific organs or organ systems. 

2.1 Formaldehyde Harms Human Health:

According to OSHA, formaldehyde harms the organ and organ system in 2 ways and causes numerous health problems.

2.1.1 Inhalation:

Formaldehyde vapor is easily absorbed by the lungs. Upon excess exposure, one can detect formaldehyde by its distinct strong smell. 

According to FDA and OSHA, the inhalation of formaldehyde causes various health problems.

When there is high exposure and/or long exposure to formaldehyde, it leads to 

• Irritation or burning sensation in airways (nose and throat)
• Shortness of breath
• Headache 
• Dizziness
• Nausea 
• Chest pain
• Inflammation of the lungs
• Bloody nose 
• Vomiting 

If someone has a mouth-breathing habit (try to avoid it in everyday life), it can instantly cause breathing difficulties like wheezing and coughing. 

Moreover, the Agency Of Toxic Substance And Disease Registry informed that 0.1 to 0.5 mp is the reason for increasing the risk of asthma, allergies, and neurological effects.  

2.1.2 Skin or eye contact:

If formaldehyde comes in contact with skin or eyes when involved in keratin treatment hair products. It causes:

• Eye irritation, damage, and OSHA warn the danger of blindness from it.
• Skin irritation, rashes, and itching.

FORMALDEHYDE in keratin treatment CAUSE CANCER. This is the major reason keratin treatment is considered toxic. 

3. Studies About the Cancer Risks from Formaldehyde in Hair Treatments:

The American Cancer Society declared formaldehyde as cancerogenic. It means formaldehyde causes cancer or promotes the formation of cancer. 

Moreover, an ongoing study called Sister Study analyzed the medical records and lifestyle surveys of 46,709 women aged 35 to 74 and asked them about the use of chemical straighteners. According to WAMU, study researchers found that women who use chemical straighteners were at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. And formaldehyde is considered the biggest concern in this matter.

In 1980, the National Cancer Institute stated that laboratory studies showed that exposure to formaldehyde could develop nasal cancer in rats by inhalation. Later, in 2019, they updated that formaldehyde causes myeloid leukemia and rare cancers, including cancers of the paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, and nasopharynx in the workers exposed to higher levels of formaldehyde.  

According to BMC, formaldehyde is genotoxic (toxic and damaging to DNA) and cytotoxic (toxic to living cells) and also causes chromosomal changes. Increased genomic instability from genotoxic chemicals can increase the risk of cancer. 

Below are three authentic resources that also report the genomic instability by formaldehyde causing cancer:

Scielo.br: https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/KLmQ4TC7LLXg8tL9YrrmkxP/?lang=en

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp111.pdf

Journal of Cancer Prevention (JCP): https://www.jcpjournal.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.15430/JCP.2018.23.3.126

With all these statements and studies from authentic resources, we can conformly say that all stylists and clients should prevent formaldehyde keratin at all costs. 

If a person as a client goes to a salon for a single keratin treatment may not feel any disaster effects of formaldehyde, but a stylist/hairdresser regularly working to do keratin treatment can have larger health impacts. 

Therefore, we are explaining the inconvenience caused in beauty salons by formaldehyde other than severe health risks.

4. Inconvenience Caused in The Beauty Salon When the Formaldehyde Keratin Treatment Is Performed: 

4.1 Increase the risk of explosion:

ILO (International Labor Organization) stated formaldehyde gas is extremely flammable. When it mixes with air, it becomes explosive. 

Moreover, formaldehyde contact with strong acids, bases, and oxidants also cause the explosion. 

So, hairdressers/stylists should not experiment using formaldehyde keratin and others out of the kit together to avoid irreversible damage to hair. 

Also, try avoiding using hair sprays during a keratin treatment to avoid mishaps in the environment and on the hair.

4.2 Creates a suffocating environment:

Formaldehyde gas is a bit heavier than air. So, it stays in a place's environment for longer. If there are stylists are performing numerous keratin treatments in one place, eventually, it will create a suffocating environment. 

Some stylists and clients may be more sensitive to formaldehyde than others. Therefore, it can cause high side effects immediately on a few people. 

4.3 What to do if formaldehyde inconveniences you?

If salon workers, stylists, or a client experience inconvenience from formaldehyde, they all must go in the fresh air. Furthermore, if someone feels more bothered by formaldehyde, they must rest in a half-upright position or seek medical help. 

5. How Do I Know If the Keratin Treatment I'm Using Contains Formol?

5.1 Check the Label:

When awareness was raised about formaldehyde's presence in a keratin treatment, various brands came up with "formaldehyde-free" keratin treatments. OSHA informed that these also have labeling issues. 

Here you will get all the names to save yourself from formaldehyde hair treatment.

When a keratin treatment is formaldehyde-free or zero-formaldehyde, other than formaldehyde, it must not contain these ingredients that FDA classed as hazardous and carcinogenic:

• Methylene Glycol.
• Formalin.

Below are the other names for formaldehyde. These also must not be present in a keratin treatment.

• Aldehyde.
• Acetic Acid.
• Bonded Aldehyde.
• Formic Aldehyde.
• Methanediol.
• Methanal.
• Methyl Aldehyde.
• Methylene Oxide.
• Morbicid Acid.

Also, there are some preservatives that react to create formaldehyde gas. Look at their names below. 

• Benzylhemiformal.
• Quaternium-15.
• Diazolidinyl Urea.
• Imidazolidinyl Urea.

5.2 Investigate the Product with Experts:

First, check the label to ensure the product does not contain formaldehyde, then perform this step. If there are some ingredients that make the presence of formaldehyde ambiguous then investigate that product with experts like doctors. 

Moreover, if you are at the salon, the FDA suggests the client ask the salon for Safety Data Sheets for their product. 

5.3 View Expiry Date: 

Viewing the expiry date, especially on discounted keratin products, is crucial because Safe Cosmetic stated that expiry products could release formaldehyde. 

6. How to Save Yourself from Formaldehyde?

 

6.1 Say "No" To Keratin Treatment When:

If a woman is expecting, she must say no to keratin treatment with Formaldehyde. The reason is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that exposure to Formaldehyde could affect fertility or even lead to miscarriage when a woman is expecting.

6.2 Use Formaldehyde Alternative:

Fortunately, there are some natural ingredients that can help you get the similar benefits, without the harmful effects. So, we suggest you choose eco-friendly products that contain natural ingredients. 

Ingredients and the products containing them are below.

Argan Oil:  

• Top One by Vitta Gold

Coconut Oil:

• Coconut Liss by Vitta Gold

Shea Butter:

• 7 Oils by Vitta Gold

Sunflower Oil:

• Nanoplex Solar by Vitta Gold

7. Why Vitta Gold Products?

Vitta Gold products are formaldehyde-free and do not contain any harmful chemicals, so these are eco-friendly and 100% healthy.

Because our products contain zero-formaldehyde, it does not cause even minor inconveniences like burning eyes, sore throat, and scalp scratching. 

So, why wait? 

A perfectly harmless way to get nourished, frizz-free, shiny, and healthy hair is here for you. Purchasing from the Vitta Gold Collection is the best bet for you.