Hair Foundation Blog

As we enter the holiday season, there’s lots of parties and family gatherings to attend. One of the easiest and not too expensive ways to get ready is with holiday hair. This could be a new hair cut, a blowout or adding curls to your straight hair.

We took a look around the Web and found the following sites with helpful holiday hair ideas. After a closer look, we also saw that some of our partners’ products have been included with some of the hair styles.

Take a look at these sites for ideas:

From Allure magazine, here’s 31 holiday party hair ideas.

The website Monsters and Critics has an article on holiday hair that mentions the Hair Foundation’s partner, Bosley, new USA Bosley Professional Strength products.

InStyle suggests 10 holiday hair styles and includes a list of 2011′s Best Hair Products. This could help with some gift ideas.

Cosmopolitan put together a presentation of 10 hot party hair ideas.

Essence has festive holiday hairstyles.

Elle highlights holiday hair with celebrities.

Woman’s Day has four hassle-free holiday hair ideas that only take 10 minutes.

Huffington Post has holiday hair ideas with photos.

Real Beauty includes holiday hairstyles for different ages. It also includes a top 10 list of 2011 best beauty products.

Here’s a shopping list of our partners’ products:

Proctor and Gamble: Fekkai Sheet Hold Hairspray, Pantene Pro-V shampoo and conditioner, Pantene Nature Fusion Moisture Balance, Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Shampoo and Conditioner, Pantene Pro-V Medium-Thick Anti-Humidity Hairspray and Pantene Pro-V Normal-Thick Split End Repair Keratin Protection Créme.

Bosley: USA Bosley Professional Strength products – shampoos and conditioners

To learn more about hair care, check out this Hair Foundation blog by Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos and our videos.

In recent hair news, there’s been a lot of press about keratin hair treatments. While many customers are pleased by the results, there are some side effects that are causing a lot of discussion and proposed FDA changes.

For this two-part series, John Halal, president of the Honors Beauty College, discusses the keratin smoothing treatment, its risks and alleged unacceptable levels of formaldehyde in an article written for Milady’s online newsletter.

In this second part, Halal discusses formaldehyde and its health risks and standards.

The CIR report referred to “free” formaldehyde used as a preservative in cosmetics that are applied to the skin, not for the use of formaldehyde as a hardener in nail products. The concentration of formaldehyde needed for nail hardening is higher than 0.2%. The FDA has approved the use of up to 5 % formaldehyde in nail hardeners as long as shields are used to keep the product from touching the skin.

The typical levels of formaldehyde used in nail hardeners are well below 5%.

The current safe limits of formaldehyde in cosmetics were intended for its use as a preservative or a nail hardener. They were never intended for solutions that use heat to vaporize the formaldehyde.

Aldehydes may be listed by many different names, including: formaldehyde, Formol, formalin, methanal, morbidic acid, formic aldehyde, methyl aldehyde, oxymethylene, glutaraldehyde, (glyoxal) ethanedial  n-octyl aldehyde, aldehyde C-8, caprylaldehyde.

Chemicals that release formaldehyde are diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, 2-bromo 2-nitropropane-1 (Bronopol), DMDM hydantoin (Glydant), and quaternium-15 (Dowicil).

Some products contain formaldehyde’s cousins such as gluteraldehyde or glyoxal and are marketed as formaldehyde free, even though they react in exactly the same manner as formaldehyde. These formaldehyde substitutes expose the stylists and their customers to the exact same health risks as formaldehyde.

Although gluteraldehyde or glyoxal are weaker than formaldehyde, they may be used in higher concentrations in order to achieve the same results.

The question has been raised as to whether it is scientifically correct to include methylene glycol when measuring the formaldehyde content of a solution. Based on an understanding of both the chemistry and the toxicology involved, CROET and Oregon OSHA have concluded that it is indeed appropriate to refer to methylene glycol as formaldehyde, finding the distinction to be of no relevance in the context of worker protection.

Methylene glycol is the hydrate formed when formaldehyde is dissolved in water. One molecule of formaldehyde plus one molecule of water equals one molecule of methylene glycol. When the hair is heated and dried, the water evaporates and releases formaldehyde vapors.

The hydrated formaldehyde portion of the solution effectively becomes a reservoir of gaseous formaldehyde. Describing the solution as containing only the amount of gaseous formaldehyde or “free formaldehyde” in the solution distorts the risks and dramatically understates the amount of formaldehyde that is readily available in the solution.

On October 8, 2010, Oregon OSHA issued an advisory suggesting “continued caution by salon workers” and noting that the federal OSHA standard applies not only to gaseous formaldehyde but also to formaldehyde in solution, including methylene glycol.

Salon owners who employ hairstylists have an added liability.

Oregon OSHA is advising Oregon salons and stylists that smoothing treatments generally referred to as “Keratin-based treatments” should be treated as formaldehyde-containing products and the requirements of the OSHA Formaldehyde Standard must be followed.

The Formaldehyde Standard requires employers using products above the 0.1 percent threshold to assess actual airborne exposures, as well as to meet other requirements related to personal protective equipment and emergency eyewash, depending upon the exact hazards involved. It also includes additional requirements that are invoked when employees are exposed to airborne levels above an eight-hour average of 0.1 ppm.

The employer must institute an annual training program and must provide medical surveillance to employees reporting formaldehyde signs and symptoms. When employees are exposed to levels exceeding the action level or the Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL), the employer also must perform periodic air monitoring and institute a medical surveillance program.

When exposures exceed the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), the employer must also establish regulated areas and provide respiratory protection.

The variables that affect the level of exposure for hair stylists applying hair smoothing products include the amount of product used, the length of time for each service, the number of services, the type and degree of ventilation, the size of the room and even the configuration of the stations.

Extra caution should be used when handling and storing formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a flammable, colorless gas that is incompatible with oxidizers, alkalis, acids, phenols, and urea. Explosive reactions occur when formaldehyde comes in contact with hydrogen peroxide or haircolor developer.

CROET has received reports of hair loss from consumers who have had the treatment and more than seven or eight repeated applications may cause a non-reversible “plastification” of the hair.

If all of this scares you–it should–but there is a bright side. Consumer demand for keratin smoothing treatments continues to grow and manufacturers are scrambling to develop a safe alternative to satisfy that demand.

The textile industry continues to develop promising new technology. In 1992, Haggar first began to employ (1,2-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea) DMDHEU in wrinkle free garments. However, DMDHEU still releases some formaldehyde, so it is not entirely without health risks.

More recently, nanotechnology has been applied to the problem of wrinkles in clothing.

In 1998, the Nano-Tex company was formed by chemist David Soane to apply a “nanotechnology” process to fabrics. Rather than coating the fabric with a formaldehyde resin, tiny nano molecules are permanently attached to the fabric. The new nanotechnology is used in clothes sold under major brands such as Dockers, Eddie Bauer, The Gap, Perry Ellis and Old Navy.

It should come as no surprise that this technology would eventually be applied to keratin smoothing treatments and one cosmetic company already claims to use nano-technology in their keratin smoothing treatment.

Another newly reformulated “formaldehyde free” keratin smoothing treatment contains a thio compound similar to those used in permanent waving. Several other keratin smoothing treatments now claim to have “formaldehyde free” formulas, but since most companies aren’t willing to share proprietary information, many of the details are still rather vague.

One thing is clear: the technology for keratin smoothing treatments is still in its infancy and it’s changing fast. Stay tuned for the latest changes as they develop.

I promise to keep you informed.

I welcome your comments and questions at john1@honorsbeautycollege.com.

This article was published in the March/April issue of Hair Transplant Forum International, the newsletter by Hair Foundation’s partner, ISHRS. It is a case report of scalp necrosis and subsequent scarring alopecia caused by a hair highlighting procedure; this illustrates a serious complication of a commonly performed hair salon process.

In this article, the Hair Foundation’s doctors William Parsley, Russell Knudsen, E. Antonio Mangubat, and Paul Rose shared their experiences with similar injuries caused by hair highlighting. Their responses came from an online discussion about the case as well as a review of the pathophysiology of this injury as previously reported in medical literature.

This is the conclusion of a three-part series.

Conclusion

Chemical burns of the scalp have been known to occur as a consequence of permanent wave and straightening products. Case reports have found scalp burns and ulcerations following hair highlighting procedures. These highlighting procedures involve an oxidation reaction between the active ingredients, which include hydrogen peroxide (concentrations up to 6% in the United States, 12% in Europe and other areas of the world), persulfates, and alkalizers.

The mixture apparently breaks down upon contact with hair keratin, which results in the activation and release of oxygen. The hydrogen peroxide in concentrations greater than 10% can cause blistering and burns. The persulfates, especially in alkaline conditions, facilitate hair dye absorption by making the hair porous.

They are themselves acidic.

In 2001, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel published a report on the safety of ammonium, potassium, and sodium persulfates and reviewed their toxicity. Each can cause allergic and irritant contact dermatitis.

The report found that these persulfate agents are “safe as used as oxidizing agents in hair colorants and lighteners for brief discontinuous use followed by thorough rinsing from hair and skin.”

The alkalizer used is sodium metasilicate, which is highly water soluble and has a pH of 13 in a 1% aqueous solution.

Although there were references to the possibility of either thermal or chemical burns, stemming from the ingredients and techniques used in hair highlighting procedures, in the case that was biopsied during the healing phase, there was no evidence of the type of coagulation necrosis and loose collagen bundles that are expected histologic changes seen in a thermal burn.

Instead, the collagen was normal, with the presence of granulation tissue in the ulcerated areas, and occasional foreign body type reaction, consistent with a chemical burn. In most of the reports, patients experienced discomfort within minutes of application of the solution and being placed under a hair dryer,and the scalp was initially intact but sloughed off later.

It appears that onset of pain is usually quite acute with either a thermal or chemical burn, but may be slightly delayed in some chemical burns.

In these reported cases, while many were treated with antibiotics, most did not show overt infection and the doctors concluded adequate treatment occurs with applications of white petrolatum gauze or similar dressing over the ulcerated areas, to maintain a moist environment during the granulation phase.

It can take many weeks before re-epithelialization of the ulcerated area occurs. In Dr. William Parsley’s review case, the final wound did not have a thermal burn keloid or hypertrophic scar.

It seems there may be merit and value to the public health in pooling and reporting the case experiences among our ranks to provide a larger study population of this event in order to illustrate a problem that may be avoided with greater education of this risk both to customers and hair stylists.

Given the apparent higher frequency of reported cases in younger patients and amongst patients with darker hair, the possibility of cofactors predisposing to this complication exists and may be further elucidated by sharing of information.

A further discussion of these approaches will be discussed in future posts.

In recent hair news, there’s been a lot of press about keratin hair treatments. While many customers are pleased by the results, there are some side effects that are causing a lot of discussion and proposed FDA changes.

For this two-part series, John Halal, president of the Honors Beauty College, discusses the keratin smoothing treatment, its risks and alleged unacceptable levels of formaldehyde in an article written for Milady’s online newsletter.

Keratin Smoothing Treatments

Keratin smoothing treatments, also called Brazilian keratin treatments, originated in Brazil and first appeared in the United States in 2006. Although there are differences in the application, the technology is essentially the same as the process that was first developed in the 60’s to create permanent press fabrics for the textile industry.

These treatments loosen curl and leave unruly hair smooth and frizz-free. It may seem like a dream come true for those with curly, frizzy and unmanageable hair, but the treatments are not without risk.

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and the Center for Research in Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) have concluded that there are meaningful risks from exposure to the high levels of formaldehyde that hairstylists and their customers are exposed to during the process.

Treatment Risks

Oregon OSHA and CROET have determined that the treatments (marketed under different brand names) contain unacceptable levels of formaldehyde; a known carcinogen as well as an irritant to eyes, lungs and nasal passages. Consumer and stylist complaints have ranged from difficulty breathing to skin irritation and nasal and throat problems.

The section below is from the Oregon OSHA, a Division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services and CROET at Oregon Health & Sciences University, report dated October 29, 2010.

The full report is available online at: http://www.orosha.org/pdf/Final_Hair_Smoothing_Report.pdf

A stylist at a Portland area hair salon contacted staff at the Center for Research in Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) at the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) as a result of difficulty breathing, nose bleeds and eye irritation when using a popular hair smoothing product.

In evaluating the issue, CROET noted that the material safety data sheet (MSDS) accompanying the product listed no hazardous ingredients or impurities. The MSDS also indicated no respiratory hazards or related precautions.

CROET asked for Oregon OSHA’s assistance in collecting a sample and determining the content of the product. The Oregon OSHA laboratory analyzed the sample using five different test methods. Each of the five separate analyses concluded that formaldehyde was present well above regulated levels, with the quantitative methods producing respective results ranging from 6.3 to 10.6 percent. In analyzing samples of a newer “formaldehyde free” version of the product, Oregon OSHA’s laboratory found it contained roughly 8.5 percent formaldehyde.

Effects of Formaldehyde

The irritant effects of formaldehyde are well documented, with reports of eye, nose and throat irritation, loss of sense of smell, increased upper respiratory disease, dry and sore throats, respiratory tract irritation, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath and wheezing.

Adverse effects of formaldehyde on the central nervous system include headaches, depression, mood changes, insomnia, irritability and attention deficit. Impaired dexterity, memory and equilibrium have been reported from long-term exposure.

Special consideration regarding the exposure of pregnant women is warranted since formaldehyde has been shown to damage DNA.

The heat, up to 450 degrees fahrenheit, from a hairdryer and flat iron causes the aldehyde in the product to form oxymethylene crosslinks and side chains with the amino acids in the hair. These keratinous bonds are responsible for the majority of the softening and smoothing and are stable for three to four months, at which time the hair will revert back to its original configuration.

Although the aldehyde does not break disulfide bonds, the extreme heat does break disulfide bonds and accounts for some of the straightening and smoothing.

Unfortunately, the extreme heat also releases aldehyde vapors that present a health hazard to anyone in the room. Even in a well ventilated room, the release of aldehyde vapors could easily exceed the maximum concentration allowed by OSHA of 0.75 parts per million (ppm) over an eight hour period, especially with multiple services.

The American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) notes that “there is a substantial portion of the population, comprising up to 20%, for whom airborne formaldehyde at concentrations on the order of 0.25 to 0.5 ppm is troublesome” and that “it is plausible that a similar proportion (10% to 20%) who are more responsive, may react acutely to formaldehyde at concentrations as low as 0.25 ppm.”

ACGIH further states that in consideration of these reports, “individuals who may already be sensitized or otherwise unusually responsive to formaldehyde may not be adequately protected from adverse health effects caused by formaldehyde exposures at or below the recommended Threshold Limit Values (TLV) ceiling of 0.3 ppm.”

Although formaldehyde has been safely used as a preservative in cosmetics for decades, in 1984, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel reported that cosmetics containing formaldehyde in excess of 0.2% are not safe.

Part II will discussed the expert panel’s findings and current options for this popular treatment

In a recent Real Beauty article, the Hair Foundation’s partner, P&G had its products mentioned in 33 Ways to Salvage Bad Hair.

The following products were included in the article:

• Dealing with dandruff? Try Head&Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo

• Want to help your thinning hair? Check out Pantene’s Pro-V Medium-Thick Hair Solutions Intensive Restoration Treatment

• Help your color from fading, try Clairol’s Week 2 Color Refresher

The article’s tips also includes how to battle hat hair, rain-soaked hair and flat hair.

On May 10, Unilever announced that it had completed its acquisition of the hair care company Alberto Culver Co. With this new company, Unilever is now the world’s largest maker of hair conditioner, the second-largest shampoo seller and the third-largest maker of hair styling products. Alberto Culver makes the personal care products under the TRESemme, Nexxus, St. Ives and Noxzema names and is a supporter of the Hair Foundation.

Alberto Culver donated in-kind products of TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo to the HF’s partners, Childhood Leukemia Foundation and ISHRS, to include in CLF gift baskets given to patients and their families during their recovery from cancer treatments.