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"Keratin hair treatments, known for making kinky locks straight, sleek, and frizz-free, are a pricey but very popular process in many beauty salons. Concerns have been raised, however, that the formulas may contain formaldehyde, a carcinogen. This issue is of particular interest not just to salon customers but also to hair stylists who have applied these treatments and complained of nosebleeds and eye irritation. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) decided to conduct its own analysis. Our Test GHRI tested four salon brands \u2014 Brazilian Blowout, Marcia Teixeira, Keratin Complex by Coppola, and Global Keratin Light Wave\u2014at an outside lab for the presence of formaldehyde. We found the toxic chemical in all four products, at levels exceeding the Cosmetic Ingredient Review&amp;#039;s 0.2 percent recommended threshold. A Heated Controversy After Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted a study in September 2010 and found formaldehyde in nine salon keratin treatments, one manufacturer claimed that its product is formaldehyde-free and that high levels of the chemical are attributable to the presence of methylene glycol, which forms when formaldehyde is combined with water. Concerned scientists counter that, regardless, when a keratin treatment is applied to hair and heated, any formaldehyde present may still be released into the air, where it could be inhaled or absorbed through the eyes.  More information on GHRI&amp;#039;s keratin investigation:      The FDA is currently investigating keratin hair treatments and what may be done to protect stylists and clients. Several states, including Oregon, Connecticut, and Washington, have issued alerts about the potential risks of these treatments. Canada&amp;#039;s health department has given a similar advisory.  Our Recommendation To be safe, avoid keratin treatments. An alternative if you seek sleek hair: Use a flat iron, like the Remington Style Therapy Frizz Therapy ($50), which did well on GHRI tests. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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