Behind the promise of a stunning appearance, lie potential risks to hair health and, in extreme cases, to our well-being. The ‘New England Journal of Medicine’ highlighted the dangers linked to the indiscriminate use of some hair products. One case above all. That of a young woman just 26 years old who suffered from asudden renal failure after using one hair cream apparently harmless. Episode that underlines the importance of being informed about the ingredients and possible side effects of the products we apply on our hair.
INSIGHTS
Suffering from a rare tumor, he gets married in hospital and dies 4 days later. Alberto Zanchetta was 31 years old
What happened
According to what was reported by the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’, the woman, resident in Tunisia, had resorted to a technique known as chemical ironing at the same beauty salon in June 2020, April 2021 and July 2022. After each session, she was diagnosed with acute kidney injury, a disorder characterized by a sudden loss of kidney function.
Glyoxylic acid
Doctors who treated the patient revealed that she had been using a hair cream that contained 10% of glyoxylic acid. A chemical is commonly used to temporarily alter the structure of hair, allowing it to transform frizzy hair into straight hair. According to their findings, glyoxylic acid, when broken down within the body, generated “elongated” crystals that formed stones and prevented organs from functioning properly.
The correlation
Is glyoxylic acid the cause of kidney failure? To investigate further, an experiment was carried out with ten mice, divided into two groups. The results showed that mice treated with glyoxylic acid had “elongated” crystals in their urine, compared to the control group that received a placebo. These findings have raised concerns in the medical community, especially after previous studies had linked these chemicals to increased sensitivity to sunlight. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not banned these products, the question arises whether they could cause kidney damage and other adverse effects. Finally, Dr. Meital Keidar, the nephrologist who conducted the study, expressed concern about this, stressing that women should not face such risks for a simple cosmetic treatment. “Every woman I’ve ever treated would say she wouldn’t wish this trauma on anyone,” Meital said.
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