Hair straightening is only safe for health when it does not contain formaldehyde in its composition, such as the progressive brush without formaldehyde, laser straightening or lifting hair, for example. These straightenings are identified by Anvisa as ethical straighteners and do not contain such a formaldehyde substance, which can cause burns, hair loss and even long-term cancer.
Thus, 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 your hair.
However, these types of treatments must be done in specialized hairdressers, as it is necessary to evaluate the type of hair and the scalp skin to know which substance is more appropriate in each case, in order to obtain not only the best result, but also avoid damaging health.
Can pregnant women do hair straightening?
Pregnant women should definitely not straighten their hair with formaldehyde, however, the other products should also not be used, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, because it is not yet known if they are totally 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:
- Do the straightening in a reliable hairdresser, using straightening products without formaldehyde; See the label of the straightening product 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 puts formaldehyde after preparing the product (this substance usually releases a very strong smell that can cause burning in the eyes and throat); be aware if you stay away from other people in the salon, if the hairdresser turns on the fan or puts a face mask on due to the strong smell of formaldehyde.
In addition, if you start feeling itchy or burning on the scalp, you should stop straightening and wash your hair immediately with water, as the product probably contains formaldehyde.
If you have done a safe straightening, know now how you can take care of your hair to guarantee the effect for longer.
