The US Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), issued warnings about the Brazilian Blowout product line last September. In fact, they threatened the company with removal from the marketplace if they failed to comply with FDA demands by September 12, 2011.
The FDA found liquid formaldehyde levels ranging from 8.7% to 10.4% in Brazilian Blowout products. Since the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that an occupational hazard alert be given when the levels are higher than 0.1%, obviously, the levels found in the Brazillian Blowout products were "dangerously high levels"
The FDA also stated that the products were "adulterated" and .
"misbranded", and "containing misleading labels and advertising
that falsely claim the products are formaldehyde-free."
Of course the company's CEO, Mike Brady maintains that the products
are safe, can still be used, and that they meet OSHA standards. But
according to the FDA's statement, they disagree. They state that the
Brazilian Blowout products are not safe and that they do not use anything other than formaldehyde, as their labeling suggests.
According to the FDA, "Formaldehyde, commonly found in a number of 'Brazilian style' keratin-based hair straighteners, is extremely dangerous and a known carcinogen." They go on to say that salon workers and consumers have reported a number of injuries [to the FDA] due to their use of the products. The problems included eye and nervous system disorders, respiratory tract problems, chest pain, vomiting, and skin rash.
While Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, and Germany have banned Brazilian Blowout and other similar products, it can still be found on US shelves. In spite of the fact that in early 2011, the National Academy of Sciences released a report on formaldehyde, confirming that "formaldehyde causes cancer in humans" [which had already been determined and reported by the Environmental Protection Agency], you can still find Brazilian Blowout products in salons across the USA.
Why is that? This has been all over the news, other countries have ban its use, and our own FDA has issued warnings to comply or be pulled from our market. In January of this year, a lawsuit settlement was reached in California. The manufacturers of Brazilian Blowout and Acai Professional Smoothing Solution "must cease deceptive advertising products and put caution stickers on their products, advising the consumer that the product releases formaldehyde gas."
While the legalese may be helpful in some small way, without enforcement of the threats to remove the products violating US laws, and endangering US citizens, I am afraid this company will simply pay its fines and settlement, and continue banking money from sales that are risking the lives of unsuspecting people across the USA.
The laws that are meant to protect us are not enough. The regulatory system is flawed. The FDA does not have the ability to adequately enforce the laws in a timely manner, or even follow through on its own threats. So this company that has a long standing history of deceiving the public, as it poisons consumers continues to lie and laugh all the way to the bank. The FDA needs to follow through and do as they threatened, hit them where it counts, in their money belt. Remove the products. Meanwhile, we need to warn everyone to stay away from these products. DO NOT even sit in a salon that is using this product. It forms a gas, a gas you don't want to get a whiff of! If you are a salon worker, refuse to work unless your boss removes this line from the shelf. If you are an owner, step up and remove this product line! Send it back to the company with a letter telling them you won't risk your life on their lies! *Remember that the references are listed on the reference tab at the top of this page, and are under the post date.
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