Hair straightening treatments are only safe for your health when they do not contain formaldehyde in their composition, such as formaldehyde-free progressive brushing, laser straightening or hair lifting, for example. These straightening treatments are identified by Anvisa as ethical straightening treatments and do not contain the substance formaldehyde, which can cause burns, hair loss and even cancer in the long term.
Therefore, all straighteners that contain other substances such as ammonium thioglycolate, thioglycolic acid, carbocysteine, guanidine hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, acetic acid or lactic acid, instead of formaldehyde, are safe and can be used to straighten hair.
However, these types of treatments must be carried out at specialized hairdressers, as it is necessary to evaluate the type of hair and scalp skin to know which substance is most suitable in each case, in order to obtain, not only, the best result, but also avoid damaging health.
Can pregnant women have their hair straightened?
Pregnant women should definitely not straighten their hair with formaldehyde, however, other products should not be used either, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, as it is not yet known whether they are completely safe for the baby.
See the safest way to straighten your hair during pregnancy.
What are the precautions before straightening?
Before straightening, it is important to take some precautions such as:
- Have your hair straightened at a trusted hairdresser who uses formaldehyde-free straightening products;
- See the straightening product label and check if it has an Anvisa approval code that starts with the number 2 and has 9 or 13 digits;
- Be careful if the hairdresser adds formaldehyde after preparing the product (this substance generally releases a very strong smell that can cause burning eyes and throat);
- Be careful if you stay away from other people in the salon, if the hairdresser turns on the fan or puts a mask on your face due to the strong smell of formaldehyde.
Furthermore, if you start to feel itchy or burning on your scalp, you should stop straightening and immediately wash your hair with water, as the product probably contains formaldehyde.
If you have safely straightened your hair, find out now how you can take care of your hair to ensure the effect lasts longer.
