Hair Straightening Research Articles

Hair straightener burns in children: an experimental study originating from 2 cases

Hair straightener burns in children: an experimental study originating from 2 cases

Clinicodemographic Features of Plica Neuropathica: A Cross-Sectional Prospective Study

Abstract Introduction: Plica neuropathica (PN) is an acquired hair disorder characterized by sudden onset, irreversible hair matting, which seems to be a compact hair mass with irregular twists. Aim and Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinicodemographic features of PN. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional prospective clinical research that included patients with PN. All the included patients were subjected to a detailed medical history of clinicodemographic data and clinical with trichoscopic examinations of the affected hair and scalp. Results: This study included 18 female patients with PN, with a mean age of 23.94 ± 7.9. All the patients presented with PN had acute onset and progressive course, psychological stressful factors preceding PN, negligence of hair care, no history of hair care product use, no history of hair straightening, no previous treatment preceding PN, and no history of systemic diseases. Recurrence of PN was reported in 4 (22.2%) patients. On trichoscopic evaluation, all patients were presented with normal scalp and matting of hair shaft with honey-colored concretions mimicking the “wrangled mesh of wires” appearance. Sixteen (88.9%) patients were treated with cutting hair mass. Most of the included patients reported very large and extremely large effects on the quality of life. Conclusion: This study concluded that PN is an uncommon acquired hair matting disorder prevalent in young age females. It is associated with marked impairment of the patient’s quality of life. Psychological stressful factors and negligence of hair care are the main risk factors for PN. Regular hair care measures are essential to prevent hair matting.

Right ventricle pierced by a traditional sharp hair straightener: a case report

The case presents a traumatic ventricular perforation of a girl, accidentally felt on a sharp instrument. The uniqueness of the case presented is due to the very high infrequency of injuries with this type of sharp object. The 7-year-old girl was transported to the hospital after accidentally falling on a sharp instrument. The child had no signs of heart failure. On opening the chest, it was found that the metal object was lodged in the right ventricle. Quickly proceeded to remove the object and suture the entry hole. After a short hospitalization, the child was discharged completely cured.

Borrow Barter Bridge - Hostel Necessities Web Platform

Abstract: We propose the creation of a hostel sharing platform for such necessities in response to the previously described issue of frequent access to necessities in the two aforementioned hostel environments. This platform would fulfill demands ranging from laptops and hair straighteners to belts and kettles, allowing for borrowing and lending of things with a maximum 48-hour return time. In order to begin, each user must first create an account with their personal information, agree to a user policy stating that they are liable for any borrowed stuff, and take pictures of any lent or borrowed objects during the meeting. To penalize offenders, trust points will be awarded for adhering to the policy and banned for breaking it. The number of points taken will increase with each infraction, and offenders will be subject to a justification and fine period after being reinstated. By maximizing resource use and guaranteeing timely meeting of urgent requirements, this platform seeks to promote a culture of accountability and mutual aid while protecting user interests.

Siloxane Emissions and Exposures during the Use of Hair Care Products in Buildings.

Cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (cVMS) are ubiquitous in hair care products (HCPs). cVMS emissions from HCPs are of concern, given the potential adverse impact of siloxanes on the environment and human health. To characterize cVMS emissions and exposures during the use of HCPs, realistic hair care experiments were conducted in a residential building. Siloxane-based HCPs were tested using common hair styling techniques, including straightening, curling, waving, and oiling. VOC concentrations were measured via proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry. HCP use drove rapid changes in the chemical composition of the indoor atmosphere. cVMS dominated VOC emissions from HCP use, and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) contributed the most to cVMS emissions. cVMS emission factors (EFs) during hair care routines ranged from 110-1500 mg/person and were influenced by HCP type, styling tools, operation temperatures, and hair length. The high temperature of styling tools and the high surface area of hair enhanced VOC emissions. Increasing the hair straightener temperature from room temperature to 210 °C increased cVMS EFs by 50-310%. Elevated indoor cVMS concentrations can result in substantial indoor-to-outdoor transport of cVMS via ventilation (0.4-6 tons D5/year in the U.S.); thus, hair care routines may augment the abundance of cVMS in the outdoor atmosphere.

Use of Hair Straightening Chemicals and Uterine Cancer

Hair care products have been on the rise in recent years. The utilization of straightening chemicals, dyes, conditioners, and serums is noticed in men and women alike. Around 50% of women are reported to use various permanent hair chemicals in the United States and Europe alone. The composition of these products includes formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, oxidized para-phenylenediamine, and 4-aminobiphenyl, all of which cause damage and desecration of hair follicles and roots and have a potential role as carcinogens suggesting a strong relation between the usage of these chemicals and possible cancer. Studies have disclosed alarming associations with breast, ovarian, and uterine tumors with the latter being the most common. Moreover, research revealed greater than 65950 new cases with approximately 12550 deaths in the United States due to uterine cancer in 20221. Thus, it is pertinent to highlight the impelling connection between the frequent application of hair straightening chemicals and malignancy involving the uterus.

“I Remember My First Relaxer”: Black Women Voicing Psychologically Engrained Practices of Chemical Hair Straightening

Chemical hair straightening is a statistical norm for Black girls and women, but due to the toxic combinations of chemicals in these products, many Black girls suffer from hair damage, breakage, and loss during a critical stage of identity development. The existing psychological interpretation of hair straightening centralizes self-hatred without accounting for the complex psycho-social impetus as told through the stories of Black women. Using the Guided Hair Autobiography, researchers elicited and analyzed the narratives of 38 Black women who underwent chemical hair straightening during their youth. Achieving “manageable” hair, community belongingness, and maternal choice were the identified reasons for chemically straightening hair. Both physical harm and psychological conflict were consequences of this beauty practice. These narrative insights offer clinicians a critical context for the role of early memories in body image and family dynamics. This study highlights the role of chemical hair straightening embedded into the identities of Black women, complicates the internalized narratives of racialized embodied aesthetics, and invites deeper examination of toxic beauty practices in Black female relationships and identity development.

Exploring the Potential Association Between Hair Straighteners and Uterine Cancer: An Urgent Call for Extensive Research

Cancer, a formidable and concerning word, has a profound impact on individuals. In China, it stands as the leading cause of death, while the United States witnesses a daunting annual count of 1.6 million new cancer cases, resulting in a substantial toll of 600,000 lives lost to this disease. Against the backdrop of a society immersed in self-care products and technological advancements, imagine the reaction if a beloved product faced allegations of being closely linked to one of the most dangerous types of cancer affecting women: uterine cancer. Startlingly, in 2019 alone, a significant population of 822,388 women in the US was living with uterine cancer. This places uterine cancer as the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the seventh leading cause of death among women [1]. These figures underscore the importance of delving deeper into the potential connections between specific products and women's health, warranting further scrutiny and research.

Child identity‐based activism in Brazil: Wearing Afro‐style hair to contest discrimination, racism and oppression

AbstractIn Brazil, Afro‐descendant children continue to be stigmatised and excluded due to race‐based discriminatory practices and attitudes inherited from colonial times. In order to challenge racism, Brazilian child activists (aged 13–17) instigated a movement encouraging children to wear Afro‐style hair as a symbol of contestation and liberation and to reject hair straightening as a form of domination. Based on empirical qualitative research conducted in the Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro, Recife and Fortaleza, this article discusses the intersection between children's participation and activism, and the use of Afro‐style hair as a tool of identity activism to restore the right to non‐discrimination on any grounds.

Use of Chemical Hair Straighteners and Fecundability in a North American Preconception Cohort.

Chemical hair straighteners ("relaxers") are used by millions of North Americans, particularly women of color. Hair relaxers may contain endocrine-disrupting compounds, which can harm fertility. We evaluated the association between hair relaxer use and fecundability among 11,274 participants from Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), a North American preconception cohort study. During 2014-2022, participants completed a baseline questionnaire in which they reported their history of relaxer use and completed follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks for 12 months or until pregnancy, whichever came first. We used multivariable-adjusted proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Relative to never use, fecundability was lower among current (FR= 0.81, 95% CI: 0.64, 1.03) and former (FR= 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81, 0.98) users of hair relaxers. FRs for first use of hair relaxers at ages <10, 10-19, and ≥20 years were 0.73 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.96), 0.93 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.04), and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.98), respectively. Fecundability was lowest among those with longer durations of use (≥10 years vs. never: FR= 0.71, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.91) and more frequent use (≥5 times/year vs. never: FR= 0.82, 95% CI: 0.60, 1.11), but associations were nonmonotonic. In this preconception cohort study, use of chemical hair straighteners was associated with slightly reduced fecundability.

Promotion of glyoxylic acid penetration into human hair by glycolic acid.

Glyoxylic acid (GA) is widely used as a straight perming agent for hair care products, however, advanced GA penetration-enhancing agents are desired due to the peculiar odour and hair colour fading caused by the continuous use of GA products. Hence, it is important to develop a penetration-enhancing agent that helps minimize the GA concentration. We have found that the combined use of GA and glycolic acid (GCA) has a strong hair straightening effect. Straightening hair test was carried out to the evaluation of the effect of additives. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was performed to quantify the GA penetration amount into human hair. Attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and FT-IR microscope were implemented to estimate the localization of GA in the hair. Straightening hair tests indicated that the hair straightening effect by GA was enhanced by the presence of GCA. LC/MS results showed that the addition of GCA enhanced the amount of GA that penetrated human hair by about four times. ATR FT-IR and FT-IR microscope measurements indicated that GA was localized more in the innermost region of hair (medulla) than the cortex and cuticle. The GA accumulated in the medulla disappeared after a hair straightener treatment at 180°C due to the chemical reaction. The GA penetration-enhancing effect of GCA is worth investigating to reduce the GA concentration in products for more comfortable use.

Hair straighteners

Hair straighteners

Acute Kidney Injury and Hair-Straightening Products: A Case Series

Keratin-based hair straightening treatment is a popular hair styling method. The majority of these products in Israel contain glycolic acid derivatives, which are considered safe when used topically. Systemic absorption of these products is possible and anecdotal reports have described kidney toxicity associated with their use. We report a series of cases of severe AKI following use of hair-straightening treatment occurring in Israel over the past several years. Case series. We retrospectively identified 26 patients from 14 medical centers in Israel who developed severe AKI and reported prior treatment with hair-straightening products between 2019 and 2022. The 26 patients described had a median age of 28.5 years (range, 14-58) and developed severe AKI following hair-straightening procedure. The most common symptoms at presentation were nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Scalp rash was noted in 10 (38%) patients. Two patients developed a recurrent episode of AKI following a repeat hair-straightening treatment. Seven patients underwent kidney biopsies that demonstrated intra-tubular calcium oxalate deposition in six and microcalcification in tubular cells in one. In all biopsies, signs of acute tubular injury were present, and an interstitial infiltrate was noted in four cases. Three patients required temporary dialysis. Retrospective uncontrolled study, small number of kidney biopsies. This study describes cases of acute kidney injury with prior exposure to hair straightening treatments. Acute oxalate nephropathy was the dominant finding on kidney biopsies, which may be related to absorption of glycolic acid derivatives and their metabolism to oxalate. This case series suggests a potential under-recognized cause of AKI in the young healthy population. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and to assess the extent of this phenomenon as well as its pathogenesis.

HAIR CORTISOL FEASIBILITY AND DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES IN A SAMPLE OF OLDER ADULTS FROM PUERTO RICO

Abstract Hair cortisol is increasingly being used as a biomarker of chronic HPA-axis activation. Studies using older adults often exclude a substantial portion of participants due to insufficient hair or non-detectable cortisol levels, but do not provide details on correlates of these factors. We examined feasibility of hair measurement and cortisol detectability in an ongoing study of older adults in Puerto Rico. Among the first 537 participants in the current follow-up of the Puerto Rican Elder Health Conditions (PREHCO) study (now age 78-106 years old), approximately 11% of participants refused to give a hair sample and 20% did not have enough hair to sample. Women (13%) were significantly more likely than men (4%) to refuse hair collection. However, men (47.7%) were significantly more likely than women (4.8%) to not have enough hair. Of participants with enough hair to take a sample (n=372), 23% had non-detectable levels of cortisol. Black participants were the most likely to have non-detectable hair cortisol (43%), followed by multiracial mestizo (32%). The two most common racial categories in our sample, multiracial trigueño (23%), and white (17%) were the least likely to have non-detectable cortisol. In terms of hair products (including frequency of hair washing and use of conditioner, dye, or perm), only the use of chemical hair straighteners was associated with higher likelihood of non-detectable cortisol (38%). Findings underscore the importance of measuring hair products when examining hair cortisol in older adults and suggest that older black participants may be disproportionately excluded due to non-detectable cortisol levels.

Development of a novel ex vivo model for chemical ocular toxicity assessment and its applicability for hair straightening products.

This study developed an air-liquid interface (ALI) corneal model using explants bovine eyes for ocular toxicity assessment of ten chemicals and seven hair straightening mixtures. It was successfully maintained physiologically viable and normal for six days. Both eye damage (GHS cat. 1) and irritating (GHS cat. 2) chemicals induced corneal injury in our model. However, cat. 2 irritants triggered moderate damage when compared to cat. 1 agents, which induced a marked cytotoxicity profile. The mixtures were also able to trigger viability reduction associated with histopathological changes in the corneal tissues, especially when the exposure was via aerosol particles. Thus, the chemical exposure microenvironment simulation seemed to provide more reliable toxicological data. Moreover, mixture-induced corneal damage correlated with increased ROS levels, suggesting a close correlation between tissue death and oxidative stress. Besides mixtures showing the potential to induce moderate/mild ocular toxicity, we could verify that the corneal tissue damage showed reversibility due to the recovery from the injury after exposure to some of the mixtures. Hence, our ex vivo corneal model seems to be a simple and cost-effective approach for future studies related to further investigating the reversibility of damage in the cornea triggered by chemicals and their mixtures.

Clinical-environment characteristics among Brazilian women diagnosed with benign breast disease

Introduction: Although benign breast disease (BBD) is one of the main breast cancer risk factors, its natural history is still unclear. The breast development, maturation, and differentiation suffer hormones and growth factors influence that may modulate BBD development. Thus, clinical-environment risk factors could influence BBD histological type. Aim: To evaluate the distribution of selected environmental, clinical, sociodemographic, and reproductive factors in cohorts of Brazilian women diagnosed with benign breast disease, according to histopathology group. Methodology: Cross-sectional study conducted with women with BBD diagnose referred to two hospitals in Rio de Janeiro (IFF/Fiocruz and HFL/Ministry of Health) from 2013 and 2018. A standardized questionnaire was applied by trained interviewers. Crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% respective confidence interval were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. Results: From 353 women included, 62.9% had non-proliferative diseases, 27.8% had proliferative diseases without atypia, and 9.3% had proliferative diseases with atypia or lobular carcinoma in situ. About 30% were either current or former smokers, and reported alcohol consumption. Women exposed to hair dyes and hair straightening products (81.8%) were statistically higher in the proliferative lesion with atypia/lobular carcinoma in situ compared with non-proliferative and proliferative without atypia lesions. Compared to women with non-proliferative diseases, those with proliferative diseases with atypia or lobular carcinoma in situ were more likely to be older at diagnosis (OR =1.05;95%CI:1.01-1.09); to have 3+ histological types in biopsied lesion (OR=26.74;95%CI: 9.79-73.01); and to have regular menstrual cycles (OR=2.98; 95%CI: 1.03-8.66). Conclusion: Findings suggest that age at diagnosis, increased histological types found in biopsied tissue, and having presented regular menstrual cycles throughout the reproductive period may be associated with benign lesions with a high risk of breast cancer. Keywords: breast diseases; epidemiology; breast neoplasms.

"My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls": Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, "Black" Hair, and the Revenge of Postcolonial Education

This essay offers a cross-historical, politically responsive reading of one line from Titus Andronicus: "My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls" (2.3. 34). No critic, to my knowledge, has ever noticed this description as anything more than an obvious representation of its speaker's, Aaron's, racial difference; film, for its part, has either cut it from the script or kept it as an unperformed and therefore oddly inconsequential line. Specifically, what has not been explored or explained is the performative magic of a Black man straightening his kinky "black" hair in a Roman forest on an early modern stage. Addressing and drawing on the under-appreciated interdisciplinary value of a Black Studies critical consciousness, this essay argues that Aaron's hair straightening represents Shakespeare's racialization of Ovid's Metamorphoses in an effort to develop for England a liberating, pro-creative alternative to the Roman literary tradition. In this regard, Titus is an anti-colonial play, and Aaron its anti-colonial hero. And it is through the application of Ovidian magic to his hair—like the application of a poetic hot comb or hair relaxer—that Shakespeare imagines a post-colonial future for England.

Hair care and epidemiological-clinical profile of traction alopecia among women in hair salons in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Hair is valued by all individuals especially women. The perception of beauty is specific to everyone. In order to fulfil their ideal beauty, women use various methods to modify their hair's appearance. Afro hair is particularly fragile, so using these methods can be particularly deleterious for black women's hair. Describe hair care practices of women living in Yaoundé, determine the prevalence of traction alopecia (TA) and describe its clinical profile. We carried out a cross-sectional study in hairdressing saloon in Yaoundé. A questionnaire was administered and scalp exams were performed to determine Marginal TA severity score. We included 223 women with a mean age of 24.9±7years. The prevalence of TA was 34.5%. Mild and moderate stages were most represented. As far as haircare is concerned, extensions were regularly used by 95.1% of participants. Wigs were regularly worn by 58.7% of participants. Chemical hair straightening was done by 87.9% of women and was performed twice to thrice a year by 43.9%. Almost 76% of women used hair straightener and hair dryer. Hair washing was done monthly by 43.8% of participants and the main cosmetic used was shampoo (75.3%). Traction alopecia is a very common disease in women living in Yaoundé. Extensions, wigs and shampooing are their main hair care practices.

Not always “straight ahead” – A surprising cause of acute kidney injury

A 16-year-old girl presented with a complaint of vomiting and abdominal pain, which appreared immediately following hair straightening treatment. Her medical history was remarkable for untreated cutaneous psoriasis. She denied any use of over-the-counter medications, herbal products or illicit drugs.

And It'll Come Back Real Baby Fine: Black Women's Experiences With Hair Loss and Regrowth After Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Treatment.

In this study, I use a modified grounded theory, intersectional approach to understand the wellness-illness experience for black women experiencing breast cancer. I use interviews from 38 breast cancer survivors from Nashville, Durham-Chapel Hill, and Atlanta conducted between 2014 and 2015 to explore variations in perceptions of hair loss and regrowth. Universally, hair loss from chemotherapy treatments is a stressful experience, which cause women to question their health and femininity. Hair loss is a crisis in which women feel less beautiful and more sick. Interesting patterns steeped in race and beauty emerged from women's narratives as they experienced hair regrowth. Black women's stories of hair loss associated with chemotherapy are influenced by values associated racialized ideologies about beauty. Good, baby fine, soft and thick, loosely curled, straight, wavy, and beautiful are just some of the words many women chose to describe their chemically altered hair. The dialogue around hair regrowth and texture is problematic given Eurocentric standards of feminine beauty, notions that coincide the long ties between chemicals and hair straightening in the black community.