Kidney failure from hair styling products leads to French investigation and potential ban

After several reports of acute kidney failure surfaced due to glyoxylic acid in hair styling cosmetics, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) calls on consumers and professionals to stop using the ingredient.

Personal Care Insights speaks to Kamila Rzewucka, a cosmetics expert at Obelis and member of the COSlaw Editorial Committee, about how the industry should react to the consumer toxication reports. COSlaw is run by Obelis, which offers regulatory consultancy services in the EU, UK, Switzerland and the US. 

Glyoxylic acid is widely used in products for hair straightening and curling. Since the beginning of the year, ANSES received four cases of acute kidney failures following the application of “Brazilian straightening” products containing glyoxylic acid.

The ingredient is currently not under any ban or restriction in the European Union or the UK, nor have the regions included it in any upcoming restrictions or bans. The agency aims to document a proposal for changes to European regulatory provisions to regulate the use of glyoxylic acid.

“The cosmetic industry must prepare for possible consequences… in the worst case scenario, for a complete EU ban of this substance,” says Rzewucka.

Incoming ban?

Pending the conclusions of the assessment by ANSES, the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) and the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) advise against using products containing glyoxylic acid.

Hair styling products will be assesed for harmful chemicals.“Upon an initial assessment performed by DGCCRF and the French Ministry of Health, France will likely request a new mandate to the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) for a toxicological safety assessment of the ingredient,” explains Rzewucka.

“If there would be an SCCS opinion issued confirming the nephrotoxic properties of glyoxylic acid, then this may trigger the EU-wide concentration restrictions or even inclusion of this substance on Annex II of the Reg. 1223/2009, thus a ban of the ingredient (at least for a certain group of products).”

“Our advice is to carefully follow if there is a new mandate for a toxicological assessment mandated to the SCCS for glyoxylic acid. Once the SCCS mandate for the assessment is announced, it would be advisable to follow all timelines foreseen by the EC for the procedure, including data call and a commenting period open to all interested parties, in case any of the companies would have any relevant data supporting the safe level of use of the substance.”

Experts warn signs of kidney failure appear within a few hours of exposure to the glyoxylic acid included in the product. Symptoms include abdominal or lower back pain, nausea and vomiting. All patients who reported intoxication recovered following treatment. 

Toxic products

Recently, many personal care products have been found to contain harmful chemicals and toxic metals.

Several toxic metals, including lead and arsenic, were detected in organic and inorganic tampons from various brands. This marked the first time metals were evaluated in the commonly used hygiene product.

Following the study, Toxin Free USA discovered lead in U by Kotex’s tampons. The metal has no safe level in the body and can cause “serious health problems.”Hair stylists are urged to stop using products with glyoxylic acid.

The lab test resulted in a lawsuit against the brand owner, Kimberly-Clark, for alleged deceptive marketing of its period products.

Meanwhile, a study from Mamavation discovers PFAS in condoms and lubricants. Fourteen percent of the total condoms and lubricants tested had indications of the “forever chemicals.”

An author of the study “strongly recommends” the industry identify and remove the chemicals due to condoms being exposed to the most sensitive areas of the human body for men and women. However, the researchers do not yet know the health effects of exposure to PFAS on the penis or inside the vagina.