The California attorney general’s office has filed a lawsuit against the maker of an increasingly popular salon treatment designed to smooth frizzy hair, claiming it contains potentially unsafe levels of a chemical suspected to cause cancer, California Watch reports.
The lawsuit filed in Alameda Superior Court says that Brazilian Blowout, based in North Hollywood, Calif., did not disclose that its hair technique, also known as Brazilian Blowout, uses a solution containing high levels of formaldehyde. The lawsuit claims that the company sought an unfair business advantage by claiming its product was formaldehyde-free, and that it violated Proposition 65, which requires manufacturers to warn consumers about potential carcinogens in their products.
The state seeks fines of $2,500 for each violation of unfair business laws and up to $2,500 for each day that the company did not disclose that the product contained formaldehyde.
Last month, the occupational health agency in Oregon tested the solution used in the treatment and found significant levels of formaldehyde. While formaldehyde is a common ingredient in consumer products and building materials, when airborne it can cause short-term effects such as eye and throat irritation, and is believed to raise the risk of cancer when inhaled.
The agency had decided to test the solution in response to complaints of nose bleeds, breathing problems and eye irritation, The New York Times reports.
The Oregon findings have also spurred two class-action lawsuits filed in California.
Canadian health authorities had already issued warnings about the salon treatment, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said it is working to determine whether Brazilian Blowout is safe.
A spokesperson for Brazilian Blowout did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit, but last week told The New York Times that the Oregon tests showed formaldehyde levels in the treatment are “safely below” legal limits.
In response to the warnings, some salons have shunned Brazilian Blowout, while others think the claims are overblown. Some are hesitant to stop offering the costly services, which can run between $250 and $700.
“It’s one of the most popular services we’ve had in years,” salon owner John Barrett told The Times. “People think it’s an absolute godsend.”
I used the product one year ago and got very ill will like more info on this
Formaldehyde is a Gas,not a liquid. Formalin is a generic name for a substance that contains 59% methylene glycol and 0.0466% formaldehyde, mixed in water with a small amount of methanol to prevent the Methylene Glycol(which is a liquid) from converting into a solid polymer.When Formalin containing hair smoothing products are heated, they can release low levels of formaldehyde gas. Safe and proper user largely depend on the salon ventilation, as well, cosmetologists products control and application procedures.
This is a very concerning case. There are better products available that are more natural, organic, and safer such as KeraGreen that work as good, if not better, than Brazilian Blowout.