Did You Know Formaldehyde Is Still Used in Hair Products?

Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used for all kinds of different things. In addition to being found in certain building materials, like the plywood that was used to construct your home, the compound can also be found in certain textiles and paints.

But\ the uses for the chemical extend beyond creating things, and it is also heavily used in the medical industry, including when it comes to preserving lab samples and in after-care for the deceased.

However, shoppers may be shocked to know that the stuff that is strong enough to slow decomposition in bodies can also be found in hair care products.

That's right, the compound, and other chemicals that release formaldehyde, are used in different hair care products. And while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been promising to change that, there are still plenty of products sold today that may contain the toxic ingredient. Here's what you need to know about formaldehyde.

The government agency has been working to ensure that hair care products no longer contain formaldehyde for years now. In fact, CNN says that the FDA originally set itself a deadline of October 2023. However, when the agency couldn't get its Use of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-Releasing Chemicals as an Ingredient rule instituted in time, it moved its deadline to April 2024.

Then, when the FDA missed that deadline, it was moved to November 2024, March 2025, and July 2025.

The latest deadline for the policy to be put in place was December 2025, but the agency missed that due date as well.

However, the agency says that this rule is still a top priority to them, and that they will update the public when a new deadline is reached. Currently, the ingredient can be found in hair-straightening products that are traditionally used by Black women, like hair relaxers.

This puts this population of consumers at a higher risk for the chemical's negative effects.

There's a reason that people are so eager to see formaldehyde removed from consumer products, and it has to do with the fact that the compound is considered a carcinogen.

According to the American Cancer Society, formaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats during studies. There is also an increased risk for people who are exposed to formaldehyde in the workplace, according to the organization, but the impacts of lower levels of exposure remain unclear to the experts.

Even lower levels of formaldehyde can cause negative side effects, according to the American Cancer Society, which they say include watery or burning eyes, coughing, nausea, skin irritation, and wheezing.

Others who may be more sensitive to formaldehyde could have more severe reactions, while those who are less sensitive may not react quite as strongly. Still, the American Cancer Society recommends limiting your exposure to formaldehyde, as well as the chemicals that can release it.