Consumer Reports tested 10 of the most popular synthetic hair used for braiding. It revealed the presence of lead as well as chemicals linked to cancer.
Synthetic hair used for braids and other styles popular among Black women and girls contains an array of potentially harmful chemicals, according to a new study, incluidng known carcinogens and lead. Credit: Getty Images
Overview:
A durable hairstyle that doesn’t need daily styling, braids using snthetic hair are more popular than ever. The market brought in $2.7 billion last year and is only expected to grow.
The braided hairstyles many Black women and children wear are popular for their beauty and ease of maintenance. But a consumer watchdogâs laboratory analysis has found that the synthetic hair frequently used for box braids and faux locs may carry a price beyond the stylistâs fee.
A study from Consumer Reports found that each of the 10 most popular synthetic hair braiding products sold in the $2.7 billion market contained chemicals linked to cancer. Several of the test samples also tested positive for lead as well as harmful substances like acetone, which is used to strip paint.
Black women are the primary users of these products, and people of African descent are the largest group of consumers of hair wigs and extensions. The brands tested included Magic Fingers, Sassy Collection, Sensationnel, Shake-N-Go, and many others.
Commonly called âprotective styles,â braids are an attractive style option for Black women because they can be worn for weeks at a time and the wearer can have a durable hairstyle that doesnât need styling every day. One of the brands, Kaneka, became so popular that its Kanekalon product was name-checked in a song that went viral on TikTok.
Keywords: Box braids, Hair health, Scalp care, Hair styling, Hairstyling risks
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