In recent years, Brazilian blowouts have become increasingly popular as a way to straighten hair temporarily. There are many benefits of having this treatment done, such as the ability to wear your hair curly or wavy without using heat styling tools and having less breakage in between treatments.
The downside? What you don’t know could hurt you! It turns out that there can be some serious health risks associated with getting Brazilian blowouts—especially for those who are pregnant or have certain medical conditions. Keep reading to find out more about what these risks are and how they may affect you!
What Is A Brazilian Blowout?
A Brazilian blowout is a technique that involves smoothing your hair using chemicals and heat. The process uses an oil-based solution to coat the hair before applying temporary straightening agents such as formaldehyde or alcohol denatured with methylene glycol (both hazardous substances) to open up each strand of hair.
This product coats each strand of hair to temporarily seal it and make it straighter—until you wash out the chemical mixture two days later! Hair can be left anywhere from 40% – 90% lighter afterward due to damage caused by the treatment.
What Are Some Health Risks Associated With A Brazilian Blowout?
There are many potential health risks associated with getting this type of treatment done, especially if you’re not informed of the risks ahead of time. Here are just a few:
- Irritation to eyes and skin
- Loss or thinning hair
- Damage to the scalp (causing dandruff, dryness, itchiness)
- Dry, frizzy hair with split ends due to heat damage
While the hair smoothing treatment is designed to give you stronger, smoother hair, the chemicals in the treatment could cause serious health problems.
Some of those chemicals being acrylates which are known carcinogens that can cause cancer if absorbed into your bloodstream, and formaldehyde which causes respiratory irritation such as coughing or difficulty breathing if inhaled.
Formaldehyde is also a neurotoxin, and it is not recommended for pregnant women or children.
To prevent these possible health risks, make sure you’re informed of the treatment before getting Brazilian Blowouts done.
Brazilian Blowout Possible Side Effects
If you want to keep your salon visit pain-free, be sure to ask about the potential side effects of a Brazilian Blowout.
Some have reported feeling nauseous or lightheaded after their treatments, and some say that they experienced chest pain, nose or throat irritation, and scalp burning.
Others claim that it has triggered asthma attacks in those with existing respiratory conditions and can cause balding among women prone to temporary hair loss.
At least one woman even claimed her doctor told her that the chemicals given off from a blowout caused eye damage, resulting in cataracts later in life if left untreated!
Brazilian Blowout: Treating Symptoms
If you are experiencing any of the above side effects, ask your hairstylist to remove the chemicals from your hair. It is also important to wash your face, neck, and hands to protect your skin.
Some have reported that it goes away shortly after finishing your blowout and others say they only experienced a milder form.
As for hair loss among women who experience temporary balding, some stylists recommend trimming long locks before getting a Brazilian Blowout treatment. This will help avoid excessive breakage resulting from aggressive brushing and combing during the drying process.
Brazilian Blowouts: The Bottom Line
Are the potential risks associated with Brazilian Blowouts worth it?
Brazilian blowout is a temporary solution to your hair problems. At best, you’ll spend a lot of money on something that won’t last long enough for people to comment about how great your hair looks.
If you’re looking for a permanent fix and not just an expensive short-term quick fix, then invest in quality products or treatments that are less damaging in general.
Kathy has been a beauty product consultant for a company for about 5 years and counting. She uses that advantage to be informant on her social media and has gain a following for it.
