Dangerous Chemicals Were Detected in 100% of the Braiding Hair We Tested

Leigh-Ann Jackson
Consumer Reports

Whether they want to streamline their beauty regimen, add some gorgeousness before vacation, or prepare their little ones for a few weeks at sleepaway camp, many Black people will pick braided hairstyles as their go-to.

Braids can deliver a look that’s chic, versatile, and no-fuss. (Well, there’s some fuss, if you factor in the hourslong installation process.) They can be worn for weeks at a time, minimizing the need for daily hair maintenance and all the copious products, breakage, heat, and wear and tear that come with it.

Deeply rooted in Black culture (not to mention centuries of African aesthetic traditions) and frequently worn by celebrities (we see you, Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Kerry Washington, Robin Thede, and Halle Bailey) and social media influencers, the popularity of braids and faux locs isn’t waning anytime soon. In addition to being beautiful, desirable, and a time-saver, braids can be accessible. While some braided hairstyles can come with four-digit prices, many consumers can obtain a pack of synthetic braiding hair for as little as a few dollars on Amazon or at their local beauty supply store, then make an appointment with their braider of choice. If they are able to, they can even braid their hair themselves.

But could these beloved “protective styles” actually be doing more harm than good?

After experiencing a braiding debacle two years ago, Chrystal Thomas, a student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the City University of New York, set out to find an answer to this very question. Thomas says she went to a professional stylist to have braids done using what she recalls was the popular synthetic hair brand Kanekalon. Her problems started that same day, she says: “I couldn’t sleep well, my throat felt irritated, and I had trouble focusing on any type of work I was doing because of the smell. The smell wouldn’t go away even after washing my hair multiple times.”

Experiencing constant discomfort, she removed her braids a week and a half later (typically, people wear braided styles for several weeks). She then decided to research possible health issues tied to braiding hair as part of her public health coursework, and she published her findings in a commentary article about the risks of carcinogenic materials in hair products for Black women.

We contacted Kaneka about this complaint, and the company said: “Kaneka only manufactures the Kanekalon fibers that are used in various hair products, such as synthetic hair braids and wigs, and does not produce any of the final products.” The company went on to say that other companies take those fibers and process, dye, customize, and distribute the actual final products that consumers then purchase. The company added that it would need more information to fully investigate the complaint.

Thomas is not the only person to have this experience.

Black women are the primary users of these products, and people of African descent are the largest group of consumers of hair wigs and extensions. In 2023, the U.S. market for these products was valued at $2.79 billion and is expected to reach a value of $6.34 billion by 2029.

(Note: Long article)


https://www.consumerreports.org/health/wigs-hair-extensions/dangerous-chemicals-detected-in-braiding-hair-cr-tested-a4850978424/