Health Canada is warning consumers about a popular new hair smoothing treatment known to be available at salons across Canada.
Health Canada says the Brazilian Blowout Solution manufactured by Brazilian Blowout of California has been found to contain unacceptable levels of formaldehyde.
Health Canada has received complaints of burning eyes, nose, and throat, breathing difficulties, and one report of hair loss associated with use of the product.
Health Canada's testing found that the solution contains 12 per cent formaldehyde, which is only permitted in cosmetics at less than 0.2 per cent when used as a preservative. Formaldehyde is a known irritant, sensitizer, and is linked to cancer in humans when inhaled chronically over a long period of time.
Susanne Harvey claims the treatment has serious side effects such as hair loss.
"Probably the loss of about 20 - 25 per cent so far in about two weeks," said the Alberta woman.
Harvey filed a report with Health Canada before the government body issued its warning to consumers. And while most people haven't had problems, Harvey she's been in touch with many who have.
"I created a blog looking for women and I found them and they started e-mailing me. I have never experienced hair loss before I went in to have this process done my hair was fine," she said.
Stylists have been advised to stop using the product. CTV News contacted several salons in the city and all say they have stopped using the product.
"After researching they were the one company that said they were formaldehyde- free, so it is a little bit of a shock because I can only take someone's word for something," said Jonn Gluwchynski with the Cutting Room Salon.
But while this salon has stopped using the product, Gluwchynski says he is getting mixed messages.
He tells CTV even after Health Canada issued the warning, the local distributor of the product, Modern Beauty, told him an unnamed number of various labs have analyzed the product and the results have been inconsistent.
Other Edmonton salons CTV contacted say they are hearing a similar claim from Brazilian Blowout of California.
But Health Canada is standing behind its testing.
CTV contacted Brazilian Blowout and Modern Beauty but were not provided with a comment from either company.
In addition to the solution, some hairstylists believe there are a number of other variables to consider in terms of the mentioned side effects, including whether the stylist used the product correctly or if the individual did something to their hair before or after the process.
It's also been noted that other similar "Brazilian" smoothing treatment products, made by the same company are not known to be affected.
For more information on the health advisory consumers can contact 1-866-662-0666.
With files from Sonia Sunger
