#17- Why has the brand, Brazilian Blowout, come under scrutiny? And what about the other chemical toxins in the salon?

It started because a stylist found that Brazilian Blowout had marketed and sold them a product that was supposed to be formaldehyde free, and it wasn't. Many stylists chose to use Brazilian Blowout because the company specifically stated that their product was formaldehyde-free, in ALL their literature, on their websight and in their certification classes. This was found to be grossly false, along with several other claims they made. The false claims led to a huge lawsuit, which they lost. This is obviously bad because stylists used the product assuming it was non-toxic to them and their clients, and safety precautions were not taken. Their current original formula has methylene glycol, which is an aldehyde, and DOES gas off formaldehyde. Despite what they say. 

So, clients are left to figure out what this means to them. Basically, if a SP-S treatment works, it contains some chemical that is toxic on some level, to someone. Even if a product is truly "formaldehyde free", it doesn't mean it contains nothing toxic. It just means that there is some other chemical doing the work, in place of the formaldehyde. That replacement chemical could very well be worse than formaldehyde. I've tried the Brazilain Blowout brand and it works well, but decided to never switch, simply because they wouldn't say what was replacing the formaldehyde, and therefore, it would be a huge risk to blindly use their product. Of course, any company could be lying about what their ingredients are, even if they are listed on the bottle, but no other company has outright insisted that their product is completely different and safer than all other products, like the Brazilian Blowout brand has. As a client, you need to realize that all chemical services come with risks to your health. Some people will be very sensitive to certain chemicals, just like some people are very sensitive to peanuts. You never know which chemical might set you off. Certainly, many clients have endured a great deal of pain in order to be made "beautiful". Just make sure your services are done in very well ventilated area, and that you have access to a respirator if needed. The main point of this news regarding Brazilian Blowout is to reiterate the fact that companies will say anything to sell a product. It is up to the stylist to be smart and choose wisely who they deal with. The point isn't to stop all toxic services.  If that were the case, we'd have to stop doing all chemicals since all chemical services in the salon are toxic to someone.

Having said all that, my question is, will all the stylists who stop using Brazilian Blowout because of discovered toxicity, also stop using every other chemical in the salon until it has been analyzed as well? Or will they choose to trust that all the other companies are selling something "wholesome"? Since we're now questioning the Brazilian Blowout brand, what about all the other brands....when was the last time a colorist asked for a list of ingredients of the color products they use? How about questioning whats in the gasses coming off of bleach hi-lites? How many stylists leave the industry every year because they can't handle the collective fumes anymore?.....This dialogue is way bigger than some stylist in Portland Oregon claiming to have been duped by a product company. Hopefully this current focus on Brazilian Blowout, will lead to the bigger and more alarming ACTUAL issue of stylist and client safety, and maybe stylists will start demanding to know the facts about the other chemicals that have plagued our health for years. The scary thing is that plenty of "known" carcinogens fill up our chemical bottles at the salon and no one bats an eye.

More on what's been plaguing us:
Hairdressers and barbers have had higher rates of certain cancers for most of the last century. This is NO NEW NEWS and this started way before Keratin Treatments/SP-S came along. The chemicals in hair color, perms, nail products, hair styling products, electronic tools, makeup...have been implicated in everything from simple contact dermatitis to full on cancer. Hairdressers have been dealing with back pains, varicose veins, carpal tunnel, asthma, eczema, contact dermatitis, non-lethal allergic reactions, chemical sensitization, latex sensitivity, chronic lung infections, anaphylactic reactions, sinus trouble.....and yes, cancer. Below are several links for people who are surprised to find out that chemicals used in the salon contain known carcinogens:

1. http://mesothelioma.n0winn0fee​s.com/hairdressers-and-mesothe​lioma-cancer-2

2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com​/doi/10.1002/ijc.11040/abstrac​t

3. http://oem.bmj.com/content/67/​5/351.full

4. http://www.ei-resource.org/col​umns/multiple-chemical-sensiti​vity/hair-dressers-at-risk-of-​cancer:-safer-alternatives/

5. http://www.medicalnewstoday.co​m/articles/102088.php

6. http://www.asbestos.com/occupa​tions/hairdressers.php

Link to Formaldehyde: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F​ormaldehyde

Plenty of other people across the globe deal with toxic chemicals every day, in all kinds of workplaces. Until hair stylists are willing to get serious about the chemicals they use, their rates of cancer will continue to increase as new formulas hit the market that have side effects which won't be known for years. Hairdressers don't demand good ventilation, and they don't take personal precautions against exposure to fumes and chemical contact, for the most part. It's pretty absurd that hairdressers are not already wearing respirators during chemical services, and it's amazing how insufficient the ventilation is in most salons. There are industries in which employees are required to wear respirators while handling chemicals LESS toxic than those used in the everyday salon. The warning labels on color and perms read just like the ones on the SP-S. If the government has to step in to protect us from ourselves, salons will start looking more like clean rooms.

So, ultimately:
1.The government needs to crack down the the crack pot advertisers and products...
2.The stylists need to stop being so gullible and in denial of the seriousness of their workplace and their health.
3.All chemical services in the salon are potentially toxic.
4.In order to avoid ill health effects, stylists and clients have the choice to stop doing chemical services, or protect themselves from exposure.