A new proposal from the Food and Drug Administration would ban the use of formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in hair straightening and smoothing products. These products are often referred to as relaxers, a usually-chemical treatment used to straighten curly and especially kinky hair. Several Black-owned hair salons in Columbia still offer relaxers as a service.
The FDA attributes the ban to short and long-term health effects such as sensitization reactions, breathing problems and an increased risk of certain cancers.
