The danger of hair extensions

In the most comprehensive analysis to date, a new study from the Silent Spring Institute (United States) has identified dozens of dangerous chemicals in hair extensionsincluding products made with human hair, providing the strongest evidence yet of possible health risks associated with this largely unregulated category of beauty products which disproportionately affects black women.

Published in the magazine Environment & Health of the American Chemical Societythe study comes amid a growing concern about the health effects of hair extensions. “While previous reports have found some chemicals concerns in hair extensions, we still don’t know much about their overall chemical composition. “We wanted to better understand the magnitude of the problem,” says Dr. Elissia Franklin, lead author and researcher at the Silent Spring Institute. This industry has long ignored the health of black women, who They shouldn’t have to choose between cultural expression, comfort, and their health.

hair extensions They can be made of synthetic fibers and materials of biological originincluding human hair, and are often treated with chemicals to make them fire resistant, waterproof or antimicrobial. “However, companies rarely disclose the chemicals used to achieve these properties, leaving consumers uninformed about the health risks of long-term use,” Franklin says. The fibers sit directly on the scalp and neckand when heated and combed, they can release chemicals into the air that wearers could breathe.

For the study, Franklin bought 43 popular hair extension products online and at local beauty supply stores. Classified the products by fiber type: synthetic (mainly plastic polymers) or of biological origin (including human, banana or silk fiber) and classified them according to their characteristics. Nineteen of the synthetic samples claimed to be flame retardant, three were water resistant, nine were heat resistant, and three included eco-friendly features such as “PVC-free” or “non-toxic.”

The researchers used a technique called non-targeted analysis to analyze the samples for a wide range of chemicals, including compounds that are not typically analyzed in products. Using two-dimensional gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry, the team detected more than 900 chemical companiescapturing both known and unknown substances. Subsequently, machine learning software was used to compare these signatures with a chemical library, finally identifying 169 chemical substances of nine main structural classes.

The analysis revealed dozens of dangerous substances linked to cancerhormonal alterations, development problems and effects on the immune system. Among them were flame retardants, phthalates, pesticides, styrene, tetrachloroethane and organotin compounds.

Thus, among the main findings, it stands out that all the samples, except two, contained dangerous chemicals, and both were labeled as “non-toxic” or “toxic-free.” Besides, 48 chemicals appeared on the main danger listsincluding 12 listed under California Proposition 65 for causing cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. Additionally, four flame retardants were found in synthetic and biologically derived samples and 17 chemicals linked to breast cancer in 36 samples, including compounds known to disrupt hormones in ways that increase risk.

Furthermore, almost 10 percent of the samples contained toxic organotin compounds, some at concentrations that exceeded the levels considered healthy established in the European Union, where these chemicals are regulated. “We were especially surprised to find organotins,” says Franklin. “These are commonly used as heat stabilizers in PVC and have been linked to skin irritation, a common complaint among hair extension users.” Organotins have also been linked to cancer and hormonal disruption.

It is projected that Global hair extensions market to exceed $14 billion by 2028and that the United States leads global imports, “these findings make clear that stronger oversight is urgently needed to protect consumers and drive companies to invest in making safer products,” says Franklin.

In particular, many products contained chemicals including in Proposition 65suggesting that hair extensions should be more strictly regulated and carry warnings for consumers.

Funding for this project was provided by a Beauty Justice grant from the Environmental Defense Fund and charitable donations to the Silent Spring Institute, including the Institute’s Safer Chemicals Program.