3 Dangerous Compounds In Your Natural Hair Care Products
When managed right, hair is full, radiant, soft and full of volume. It adds to your overall appearance and helps you to make a statement whenever you step into a room.
So when you see an attractive girl or guy, their hair, if they have any, might be the foundation of their good looks.
The amount of hair care that’s required depends on your ethnicity.
Caucasians and Asians have an easier time caring for their hair than Africans do because of its properties. Their hair grows almost perpendicular to the scalp. This results in hair that is straight, and straight hair isn’t hard to manage.
While some people who identify as Caucasians and Asians have curly hair, it’s still easier to manage.
On the other hand, someone of African descent usually has a complex hair care routine. This is due to hair growing almost parallel to the scalp.
The African hair exhibits coiling, curling and kinking at uncontrollable rates, so to keep the hairstyle you want requires help from several hair care products.
As beneficial as hair care products are, there are chemicals inside that pose a health risk. Three are discussed below.
- Paraben
Parabens are commonly used in many personal care products. The chemical acts as a barrier. It prevents bacteria and fungi from growing in your shampoos, lotions, etc.
Studies show that high levels of paraben have been found in breast cancer tissue, but there hasn’t been any conclusive evidence to indicate that parabens are a precursor to the disease.
However, it’s better to be safe than sorry. No one knows what’s happening on a cellular level. And history shows that scientists show up when the casualties are high.
You can avoid parabens by searching for them on product labels. They usually come in the form of propylparaben, benzylparaben, methylparaben, or butylparaben.
2. Phthalate
This chemical is used as a softener in personal products. Studies indicate that it has adverse effects on hormones.
The results of one of these studies revealed that 3- to 6-year-old boys of women who had high levels of phthalates while pregnant were less likely to engage in normal behavior.
Little boys are known to romp and play with trucks, but these children didn’t have a desire for either.
Avoidance is the best way to eliminate risk, but unlike parabens, phthalate levels aren’t required to be put on product labels. Products that say ‘no phthalate’ or ‘phthalate free’ are recommended.
3. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde acts as a preservative in your hair products.
Studies done on rats indicated that formaldehyde exposure was linked to cancer. As such, the chemical has been placed on the EPAs list of ‘probable carcinogenic’ compounds.
Experts say that the FDA has regulated the amount of formaldehyde used in personal products to mitigate the risks, but to eliminate the risk entirely, avoidance is necessary.
Avoiding these chemicals is no easy task. The best course of action would be to buy products from brands that explicitly say they don’t use these chemicals.
Fortunately, many of them exist and they can be found online.
