New Statement on Professional Hair Smoothers

John Bailey, chief scientist, Personal Care Products Council, released commentary on the recent Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel’s preliminary findings on the safety of two ingredients used in professional hair smoothing products.

On March 4, the CIR Expert Panel reached a tentative conclusion on the safety of formaldehyde and methylene glycol as they are used in cosmetics and in “professional use only” hair straightening and smoothing products.


“The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) joined FDA and consumer groups several months ago in requesting that CIR review the safety of formaldehyde/methylene glycol as they are used in professional hair straightening and smoothing products, and we support these tentative findings of the CIR Expert Panel.Until the review is completed and regulatory authorities have had the opportunity to assess it and come to their own conclusions, we urge consumers to exercise caution in using these products.


“Safe and proper use depends largely on the ventilation in the salon and the application procedure.For this reason, we strongly advise consumers and beauticians not to use professional hair straightening products in the home. Consumers who do visit a salon to receive hair-smoothing treatments by a trained salon worker should be certain that the salon is properly ventilated and that the products and application process meet the safety guidelines set by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is responsible for regulating workplace safety.OSHA has established limits for safe levels of inhalation exposure to formaldehyde gas.

“We urge FDA to work expeditiously with OSHA and appropriate state and local organizations to objectively determine if salon hair smoothing products emit levels of formaldehyde gas that are unsafe for consumers or salon workers under their intended conditions of use and taking into consideration salon ventilation practices. We recommend FDA take prompt and appropriate action to make sure these products have been fully tested and substantiated for safety under their conditions of use,” he concluded.