on PinterestNew research has found that many hair extensions may contain chemicals that are linked to cancer.
on PinterestNew research has found that many hair extensions may contain chemicals that are linked to cancer. Delmaine Donson/Getty Images
- A new study has found that many types of hair extensions contain chemicals linked to cancer.
- A chemical banned from boat paint because it’s too toxic for fish is allowed in products worn by millions of Black women.
- The beauty industry has no federal safety standards, no testing requirements, despite mounting evidence of harm.
- All but two of the 43 hair extension products tested contained harmful chemicals linked to cancer, fibroids, hormone disruption, and metabolic disease.
A first-of-its-kind study found high levels of dangerous known chemicals and mystery chemicals in widely used hair extensions. Of the over 900 chemicals detected, researchers could identify only 169.
Many are linked to early puberty in girls, cancer, and conditions like uterine fibroids.
The Silent Spring Institute study, published on February 11 in Environment & Health, analyzed the chemical composition of 43 hair extension products and found nearly all products tested contained at least one cancer-causing chemical.
About 10% had plastic stabilizers called organotins at levels higher than what European regulators consider safe.
This is especially concerning for Black women and children, who make up the overwhelming majority of hair extension users — more than 70% of Black women report wearing extensions at least once a year compared to less than 10% of other groups — and typically keep them in for weeks at a time.
Here’s what you need to know.
Chemicals found in hair extensions
Researchers went shopping at beauty supply stores in Houston and online for a variety of synthetic, plant-fiber-based, and human-hair extensions.
They tested hair used for eyelash extensions, bundles of loose hair that are installed directly on the head or used in wigs and braiding hair for styles like box braids and cornrows.
Elissia Franklin, PhD, lead author and research scientist at Silent Spring Institute, told Healthline that they chose a method that would “let the data tell us what’s in the sample” instead of looking for something specific.
That method resulted in a key finding of the study.
“When the fiber was not disclosed, those had some of the most hazardous chemicals in them,” Franklin said.
Products that don’t disclose what type of synthetic fiber they’re made from were the most dangerous. All but one sample without fiber disclosure contained significantly more hazardous chemicals than the products that disclosed their materials.
Researchers couldn’t identify more than 80% of the chemicals they detected because those substances aren’t in scientific databases, leaving users exposed to unknown toxins.
Chemicals in hair extensions linked to five harmful categories:
- Skin and scalp irritants — cause immediate burning, itching, rashes, and allergic reactions
- Hormone disruptors — interfere with your body’s natural hormones, causing weight gain, diabetes, early puberty, and metabolic problems
- Carcinogens — cause or increase cancer risk
- Reproductive toxins — harm fertility, fetal development, or can cause fibroids
- Neurotoxins and developmental hazards — damage the brain and nervous system, especially harmful to children
Some of the most concerning chemicals include:
- Organotins— plastic stabilizers that cause skin reactions and hormone disruption
- Acrylonitrile — used in fibers like Kanekalon, harmful to
Learn more about hair transplant at Rubenhair clinic.
Get a Free Consultation
Consult with our specialists about FUE procedure, PRP therapy or hair transplant.
