FDA says Brazilian Blowout's hair-straightening solution contains dangerous levels formaldehyde

If you have frizzy or uncontrollable curly hair, you may have tried the popular Brazilion Blowout. On their website, they claim their Professional Smoothing Treatments are the most innovative and effective in the world and improve the health and condition of the hair. But the Federal Drug Administration is now questioning what's in the hair straightening treatment solution.

On August 22, the FDA issued a warning to the company and sent a letter to GIB for its Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, stating its adulterated and misbranded.

The letter stated: "Brazilian Blowout is an adulterated cosmetic because it bears or contains a deleterious substance that may render it injurious to users under the conditions of use prescribed in your labeling. Specifically, based on FDA sample analysis, Brazilian Blowout contains methylene glycol, the liquid form of formaldehyde, which, under the conditions of use prescribed in the labeling, releases formaldehyde when hair treated with the product is heated with a blow dryer and then with a hot flat iron. Methylene glycol is a deleterious substance, which at the levels present in this product, may harm users."

FDA tested 50 mg samples of Brazilian Blowout and found dangerously high levels of the liquid form of formaldehyde, ranging from 8.7 percent to 10.4 percent. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires an occupational hazard alert at levels higher than 0.1 percent.

The FDA is asking Brazilian Blowout to reduce the level of formaldehyde from its products and change its misleading labels and advertising, which state that the products are formaldehyde-free.

The company has until September 12 to comply with the FDA's directives and if they don't, the products could be removed from store shelves immediately.

The FDA reported salon workers and consumers have already reported a number of injuries to the FDA, including eye disorders, nervous system disorders, respiratory tract problems, chest pain, vomiting and rash.

To see the FDA warning letter, go to: www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm270809.htm