TANISHA: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'’M TANISHA SULLIVAN, YOUR HOST.

TONIGHT, BEYOND STRAIGHT -- THE IMPACT OF CHEMICAL HAIR PRODUCTS ON BLACK WOMEN'’S HEALTH.

BLACK WOMEN WEAR THEIR CROWNS, PROUDLY.

THEY'’RE DIVERSE IN SHAPE, STYLE, AND TEXTURE.

BLACK WOMEN LOVE THEIR HAIR, BUT THE USE OF SOME HAIR PRODUCTS IS REPORTEDLY HARMING THEM.

AROUND THE COUNTRY, BLACK WOMEN HAVE BROUGHT LAWSUITS AGAINST HAIR COMPANIES OVER THE USE OF CERTAIN CHEMICALS IN HAIR RELAXERS AND HAIR STRAIGHTENERS, CLAIMING THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF UTERINE CANCER.

A BAN ON THOSE CHEMICALS IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DUE TO THE LATEST RESEARCH.

TONIGHT'’S PROGRAM WILL DISCUSS HOW THESE PRODUCTS IMPACT BLACK WOMEN'’S HEALTH.

JOINING US, DR. DEBORAH SCOTT, CO-DIRECTOR OF THE HAIR LOSS CLINIC, BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'’S HOSPITAL, SHARITA PAYTON, OWNER OF THE LOFT HAIR STUDIO, DR. YVETTE COZIER, AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND A LEAD INVESTIGATOR ON THE BLACK WOMEN'’S HEALTH STUDY AT THE SLOANE EPIDEMIOLOGY CENTER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, AND RENÉE LANDERS IS A PROFESSOR OF LAW AND FACULTY DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH AND BIOMEDICAL LAW CONCENTRATION AND THE MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN LAW: LIFE SCIENCES PROGRAM AT SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL IN BOSTON.

WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU.

TANISHA: THIS IS GOING TO BE A FANTASTIC CONVERSATION, AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO IT ALL WEEK.

THIS STUDY, THE BLACK WOMEN'’S HEALTH STUDY, IS A LONG-TERM STUDY STARTED AROUND 1997 -- 1995.

IT IS CERTAINLY A LONG-TERM STUDY.

IT HAS EXPLORED MANY ASPECTS OF BLACK WOMEN'’S HEALTH TONIGHT.

TONIGHT, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT CHEMICAL STRAIGHTENING PRODUCTS AND WHAT THIS STUDY HAS HELPED REVEAL ABOUT THEM.

COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT?

>> SURE.

THE STUDY BEGAN IN 1995.

OUR FIRST FOLLOW-UP WAS IN 1997 BECAUSE WE FOLLOW-UP EVERY TW YEARS -- EVERY TWO YEARS.

WE ASKED WHEN THEY FIRST INITIATED RELAXERS, HOW FREQUENTLY THEY APPLIED IT AND IF THEY USE LIE OR NONLIFE -- LYE OR NON-LYE RELAXERS.

WE FOLLOWED WOMEN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANY HEALTH OUTCOMES, CANCER BEING ONE THAT WE STUDIED.

IT WAS FROM THIS WE WERE ABLE TO DO MANY ANALYSES.

WE HAVE ALSO DONE OTHER ANALYSES LOOKING AT CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN RELATION TO UTERINE THYROID'’S, -- RELATION TO THYROID'’S, -- UTERINE FIBROIDS.

WE FOUND AN INCREASE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN OF UTERINE CANCER WITH VERY FREQUENT USE OF CHEMICAL RELAXERS AND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE FOUND SIMILAR, BUT THEY HAD VERY SMALL SAMPLES IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF BLACK WOMEN WITH CASES OF UTERINE CANCER, SO OUR STUDY BEING LARGER AND A BIT MORE POWERFUL, WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW THIS AS WELL.

>> ABOUT HOW MANY WOMEN DID YOU HAVE PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY?

>> WE BEGAN WITH 59,000 IN 1995.

WE ASKED THE QUESTION STARTING IN 1997 THROUGH 2019, SO 22 YEARS OF FOLLOW-UP THAT WE HAD AND 44,000 WOMEN WERE PART OF THIS PARTICULAR ANALYSIS.

TANISHA: WOW.

SO WHAT WE ARE HEARING NOW IS AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH, THERE IS SOME CONCERN ABOUT IF THERE MAY BE A CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE USE OF THESE CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENING PRODUCTS AND UTERINE CANCER.

JUST SO WE CAN GET THIS OUT THE WAY, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO ACTUALLY DRAW THAT TYPE OF CONCLUSION?

>> NO, WE DON'’T.

WHAT WE CAN SAY IS THAT THERE IS AN ASSOCIATION.

WE HAVE OBSERVED AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LONG-TERM REPORTED USE OF CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENERS AND UTERINE CANCER.

HOWEVER, MANY MORE STUDIES WILL BE NEEDED.

WE WOULD NEED STUDIES THAT LOOK AT PARTICULAR INGREDIENTS THAT ARE CONTAINED IN CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENERS FORMULATIONS TO BE ABLE TO CONFER ANY KIND OF CAUSAL ASSOCIATION.

RIGHT NOW IT IS IN ASSOCIATION AND WE ARE NOT CLEAR WITH EXACTLY WHAT.

TANISHA: WONDERFUL.

DR. SCOTT, BEYOND HAIR STRAIGHTENING.

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HEALTH CONCERNS THAT ARE RAISED BY THE UTILIZATION OF CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENING PRODUCTS?

>> CERTAINLY.

AS WE DISCUSSED, THE STUDIES DO SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A RISK, AND INCREASED, AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN UTERINE FIBROIDS AND UTERINE CANCERS, AND THE USE OF CHEMICAL RELAXERS.

THERE IS ALSO FORMALDEHYDE, USED IN THE KERATIN TREATMENTS WHICH HAS OTHER HEALTH RISKS, AND KERATIN TREATMENTS ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR AMONG BLACK WOMEN AS WE SORT OF MOVE AWAY FROM THE LYE-BASED RELAXERS.

THE RELEASE OF FROM ALDEHYDE DURING THE PROCESS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH -- WELL, LET ME REPHRASE IT.

INCREASED LEVELS OF FORMALDEHYDE AND FORMALDEHYDE EXPOSURE OVER TIME HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A CERTAIN TYPE OF LEUKEMIA AND CERTAIN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS.

THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS A CONCERN.

ALSO, THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES OF HAIR LOSS, WHAT WE CALL ALOPECIA, THAT IS ACTUALLY BECOMING ENDEMIC IN BLACK WOMEN.

IT IS CALLED CENTRAL CENTRIFUGAL CENTER OFFICIAL ALOPECIA.

IT IS A TYPE OF HAIR LOSS THAT RESULTS IN PERMANENT SCARRING HAIR LOSS.

AGAIN, IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DON'’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSES IT.

IT IS PROBABLY MULTIFACTORIAL GENETICS, ENVIRONMENT, OTHER THINGS, BUT IT IS SEEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN BLACK WOMEN AND WE ARE THE POPULATION THAT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY USES LYE -BASED RELAXERS.

THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE.

WE ARE NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT WE THINK THAT THERE IS A POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION.

TANISHA: SO WHAT I'’M HEARING IS THAT WE NEED MORE RESEARCH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND DEEP, MEANINGFUL RESEARCH.

ONE LESS THING -- IT IS NOT ONLY THE CONSUMER, NOT ONLY THE END USER, IT IS THEY HAIR STYLIST.

THE STYLIST, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY EXPOSED TO THESE CHEMICALS, PARTICULARLY THE AIRBORNE ONES LIKE FORMALDEHYDE THAT OCCUR WITH HEATING, AND THEY ARE EXPOSED TO IT MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, AND I ARE AT SIGNIFICANT RISK AS WELL.

TANISHA: SO MUCH TO UNPACK HERE.

I WANT TO TAKE US TO A CLIP.

IN THE ABC COMEDY "BLACK-ISH," DIANE'’S VISIT TO THE HAIR SALON IS A JOURNEY SHE COULD DO WITHOUT.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> MISS YAYA?

IT'’S KIND OF TINGLING.

>> YOU ARE SO TENDER HEADED.

>> IT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING.

I THINK MY HAIR IS ON FIRE.

>> YOU ARE CRAZY, DIANE.

[SCREAMING] THERE'’S STILL HAIR.

I STILL HAVE HAIR.

>> NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

[SCREAMING] >> WHAT'’S WRONG?

>> I'’M NEVER PUTTING THAT STUFF IN MY HAIR AGAIN.

I AM DONE WITH RELAXERS.

>> ARE YOU HAVING A HAIR FREAK OUT?

HERE WE GO AGAIN.

Y'’ALL LADIES REALLY NEED TO START HAVING YOUR HAIR EPIP HINAYS AT HOME.

>> I HAVE HAD A DIANE -- IT'’S TINGLING -- AND I HAVE ALSO HAD A MISS YAYA -- HOW LONG CAN YOU HOLD ON?

I THINK MANY BLACK WOMEN CAN RELATE TO THAT.

THE INCREASED AWARENESS ABOUT THE CARING FOR OUR HAIR AS BLACK WOMEN HAS LED TO I THINK MORE CONVERSATIONS IN HAIR SALONS ABOUT WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE AND CERTAINLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE STUDIES THAT WE ARE HEARING RELATIVE TO THESE CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENERS.

CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS YOU ARE HEARING FROM WOMEN WHO SIT IN YOUR CHAIR?

>> I THINK IT IS DEFINITELY A CONCERN.

MOST WOMEN WHO COME INTO OUR SALON -- WELL, ALL OF THEM, ACTUALLY, ARE NATURAL.

OUR SALON IS A NATURAL HAIR SALON SO WE DON'’T SERVICE CLIENTS WHO HAVE RELAXERS.

HOWEVER, I HAVE DONE RELAXERS PROBABLY FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS ON SOME CLIENTS.

I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH IT, BUT THERE IS A CONCERN.

THERE ARE CLIENTS COMING IN THAT HAVE TRANSITION FROM RELAXER TO NATURAL, AND THEY ARE FEELING RELIEF, AND I KNOW THAT IS JUST AN ASSOCIATION, BUT I THINK THE INFORMATION THAT IS OUT THERE, IT SEEMS AS IF THERE IS MORE THAN JUST ASSOCIATION, SO THEY ARE NERVOUS ABOUT IT, AND SOME OF THE CLIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN RELAXING FOR 20-PLUS YEARS, SOME OF THEM HAVE EXPERIENCED HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER, AND SO NOW THEY ARE QUESTIONING IF THERE IS A CO-RELATION, AND I EVEN HAVE SOME CLIENTS WHO HAVE FILED SUITS BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN FORTHCOMING.

>> DO YOU FEEL AS IF THIS INFORMATION WE ARE RECEIVING THROUGH THESE STUDIES HAS BEEN EMPOWERING FOR WOMEN?

>> YES, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE KIND OF -- PROBABLY FIVE TO 10 YEARS AGO WE HAVE SHIFTED OUR MINDSETS, RIGHT?

WE ARE LEARNING THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, RIGHT?

YOU CAN ROCK YOUR NATURAL HAIR.

PEOPLE ARE FEELING MORE CONFIDENT, SO I THINK THAT THERE WAS ALREADY A SHIFT, AND I THINK NOW THAT THIS INFORMATION IS COMING OUT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE MORE APT TO TAKE THE HEALTHIER VERSION, WHICH WOULD BE NOT DOING RELAXERS.

THEY ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR OTHER OPTIONS FOR SURE.

>> WONDERFUL.

YOUR SALON AND SALONS LIKE THOSE PROVIDE THOSE TYPES OF OPTIONS?

>> WE PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE.

I FEEL LIKE THAT IS WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND I DON'’T FEEL LIKE WE TALK ABOUT THAT ENOUGH.

WE LET OUR CLIENTS KNOW WHAT WE ARE USING, WHY WE ARE USING IT, WHAT IS IN THE PRODUCTS, THE INGREDIENTS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF USING THOSE HEALTHIER INGREDIENTS SO WE CAN HAVE HEALTHIER HAIR.

THAT IS ALWAYS MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR MY CLIENTS TO HAVE HEALTHIER HAIR.

>> PROFESSOR LANDERS, SHE MENTIONED SOME OF HER CLIENTS HAVE EVEN TAKEN TO LITIGATION.

WE ARE SEEING THOUSANDS OF THESE CASES POP UP ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE RELATIVE TO THIS WORK?

>> SURE.

ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN THE NIH STUDY CAME OUT THAT SHOWED AGAIN THIS ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FORMALDEHYDE-BASED PRODUCTS AND UTERINE CANCERS AND SOME OTHER CANCERS, THE TORT LAWYERS, THE PLAINTIFF'’S TORT LAWYERS WHO SAW THEIR OPPORTUNITY, AND NOW THE CASES ARE BEING CONSOLIDATED IN FEDERAL COURT IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS IN CHICAGO.

THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, LAST MONTH, OCTOBER 2023, MORE THAN 6000 CASES HAD BEEN FILED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE ISSUE I SEE WITH THE CASES IS THIS ONE OF PROVING CAUSATION.

IN A TORT CLAIM LIKE THIS, THE PLAINTIFF HAS TO SHOW THAT THE PRODUCT THAT THEY USED FROM THE MANUFACTURER ACTUALLY CAUSED THE HARM, SO THE ASSOCIATION IS NOT REALLY PROBABLY GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT AS MORE STUDIES COME OUT, THE INFORMATION MIGHT CHANGE.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT FOR THE CONSUMER, PROVING THE CLAIM IS PROBABLY MORE DIFFICULT THAN, SAY, SOMEONE WHO WORKED IN A SALON OR IS A SALON OWNER BECAUSE, AS YOU WERE JUST SAYING, THE CUSTOMER OFTEN DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PRODUCT IS THAT IS BEING PUT ON THEIR HAIR.

THERE IS KIND OF A LACK OF INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED WITH THE CUSTOMER AND CERTAINLY DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE CONTENTS OF THE PRODUCT ARE, SO PROVING WHAT PRODUCT WAS USED AND FOR HOW LONG AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS MIGHT BE VERY DIFFICULT.

SECOND, THE OTHER POINT WITH THE SALON OWNERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE SALON, THEY MIGHT HAVE BUSINESS RECORDS TO SUBSTANTIATE WHICH PRODUCTS WERE USED, WITH THE LEVEL OF EXPOSURE WAS, HOW MANY APPLICATIONS THEY WERE INVOLVED IN USING AND THEREFORE DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR EXPOSURE WAS SIGNIFICANT FROM A PARTICULAR MANUFACTURER'’S PRODUCT.

I THINK THE QUESTIONS OF PROOF HERE ARE REALLY QUITE SUBSTANTIAL AND WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF IT, BUT MORE RESEARCH WOULD CERTAINLY INFORM WHAT THE OUTCOME SHOULD BE FOR THESE SUITS.

FINALLY, I WOULD SAY FOR THE MANUFACTURERS -- SO RIGHT NOW, THEY SEEM TO BE SAYING THEIR PRODUCTS ARE SAFE.

WHICH IS THE TYPICAL PLAYBOOK FOR THE MANUFACTURER.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOBACCO COMPANIES AND THE MANUFACTURER OF ROUNDUP, THE WEEDKILLER.

THIS IS THE TYPICAL PLAYBOOK.

THAT IS THEIR FIRST DEFENSE.

BUT THEY MIGHT END UP SETTLING SOME OF THESE CASES JUST TO MAKE THE LITIGATION GO AWAY.

FINALLY, FROM THE MANUFACTURER'’S POINT OF VIEW, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THEY WOULD TAKE THE PRODUCT OFF THE MARKET TO AVOID THIS LITIGATION RISK, THIS LIABILITY RISK, WHICH THEN, YOU KNOW, RAISES THE QUESTION ABOUT THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, SHOULD PEOPLE DO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS THAT MIGHT BE SAFER?

WE HAVE SEEN THAT WITH THE OBJECTIONS TO ANIMAL TESTING AND ALL OF THESE HARMFUL PRODUCTS IN COSMETICS THAT THERE MIGHT BE A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP SAY HER PRODUCTS.

YOU PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I DO.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY THREADS I WANT TO PULL ON, BUT I DO WANT TO GO TO THE FDA.

WE KNOW THAT CONGRESSWOMAN PRESLEY IS AMONG THOSE LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAS CALLED ON THE FDA TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE PRODUCTS.

SO THE FDA IS SET TO EVALUATE IF THEY MAKE BAND -- IF THEY MAY BAN SOME OF THESE CHEMICALS.

THE WORK OF THE FDA IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE MIGHT SEE IN LITIGATION.

>> RIGHT.

LITIGATION ADDRESSES HARM AFTER IT HAS OCCURRED.

THAT'’S THE TORT SYSTEM.

BUT THE FDA'’S ROLE IS TO TRY TO PREVENT THE HARM FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THAT'’S WHY UNDER CERTAIN STATUTES, THE FDA HAS THE AUTHORITY TO BAN PRODUCTS THAT HAVE PROVEN TO BE HARMFUL.

THE FDA HAS ISSUED A NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING ANNOUNCING ITS INTENTION TO CONSIDER BANNING FORMALDEHYDE AND FORMALDEHYDE-BASED PRODUCTS OR FROM OTHER--- OR FORMALDEHYDE-BASED SUBSTANCES FROM USE IN HAIR STRAIGHTENING PRODUCTS.

THE TOTAL CONTENT OF THE RULE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED YET AND AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THAT RULE, WHEN THAT IS RELEASED, THEN THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MANUFACTURERS, SCIENTISTS, PUBLIC HEALTH PEOPLE TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED BAN OF THE FORMALDEHYDE PRODUCT, AND THE FDA IS REQUIRED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSAL TO BAN THE PRODUCT.

WE ARE JUST AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THAT PROCESS, SO IF THE FDA WERE TO AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT PROCESS DECIDE TO ISSUE THE RULE TO BAN THE PRODUCT, A COUPLE OF THINGS WOULD HAPPEN ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY.

IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE RULE SAYS.

THEY MIGHT HAVE A PHASE-OUT PERIOD, BUT THEY ALSO MIGHT JUST BAN IT IMMEDIATELY UPON ADOPTION OF THE REGULATION.

TWO THINGS COULD HAPPEN.

ONE IS THAT THE PRODUCT MIGHT BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY FROM THE MARKET, WHICH WILL THEN LEAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO NOW IF WE WANT TO HAVE STRAIGHTER HAIR?

SECOND, MANUFACTURERS MIGHT SUE TO CHALLENGE THAT DECISION TO REMOVE THE PRODUCT.

WE KNOW WE ARE AT THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF ALL OF THIS.

IT IS IT'’S HARD TO SEE HOW THIS WILL COME OUT.

VERY EARLY STAGES, AND A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO WEIGH IN, WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS FORMALDEHYDE.

AND WHAT IS ITS IMPACT?

HOW HAS IT BEEN USED IN OTHER INSTANCES?

COULD YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT IS FORMALDEHYDE?

>> I'’M NOT A CHEMIST, SO I DON'’T WANT TO OVERSTATE WHAT I KNOW, BUT IT IS A PRODUCT THAT WORKS OFTEN AS A PRESERVATIVE.

IT HAS BEEN SPECULATED THAT IT IS IN SOME OF THESE HAIR-STRAIGHTENING PRODUCTS.

AGAIN, THE MANUFACTURERS, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FDA CURRENTLY OVERSEES THIS PARTICULAR INDUSTRY, THERE IS A LOT OF PROPRIETARY FORMULATIONS, AND AT LEAST ON THE LISTS THAT ARE PRODUCED OF INGREDIENTS, IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT FORMALDEHYDE IS PRESENT IN ALL OF THEM AND IT'’S ALSO NOT CLEAR IT IS THE ONLY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE THAT IS PRESENT.

TO HIS IT'’S GREAT THAT THE FDA IS STEPPING IN TO HAVE SOME ACTION.

HOWEVER, IT IS JUST NOT CLEAR THAT THEY ARE GOING AFTER THE ONE ITEM THAT IS PERHAPS RELATED TO WHAT WE ARE SEEING.

WE HAVE NO IDEA.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN THERE AS WELL.

THERE'’S PHTHALATES, PARABENS, THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH FRAGRANCE THAT ARE ON -- THAT ARE IN THESE FORMULATIONS.

A LOT OF THAT IS PROTECTED AS PROPRIETARY, SO WE DON'’T KNOW THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS.

IF FORMALDEHYDE IS PRESENT, IS IT INTERACTING WITH OTHER CHEMICALS THAT ARE IN THE MIX.

>> AND I HEARING YOU SAY THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT CURRENTLY REGULATED?

>> NOT TIGHTLY REGULATED, SO THERE'’S A LOT OF LEEWAY FOR THE MANUFACTURERS AS FAR AS WHAT THEY PUT INTO THESE FORMULATIONS , ALL OF THE EXTRA THINGS THEY PUT IN TWO HAIR STRAIGHTENERS, IF THEY ARE LYE-BASED OR NOT.

AS A RESULT, WE JUST DO NOT KNOW THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS, SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES TO CAUSATION IS WE HAVE NO IDEA WHICH OR WHAT SERIES OF CHEMICALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ASSOCIATIONS THAT WE ARE OBSERVING.

UNTIL WE CAN DO THAT, IT MAY NOT BE AS FRUITFUL TO COME OUT WITH A FULL BAN.

I CERTAINLY WANT SAFETY, BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO BAN, LET US MAKE SURE WE BAN THE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE BANNED.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS IMPORTANT FOR US AT THIS TIME IS I'’M ALWAYS HOPEFUL, RIGHT?

I DON'’T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT IF THEY HAVE USED THESE CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENERS THAT IT'’S ALL OVER.

FROM A HOPEFUL STANDPOINT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS, DR. SCOTT, THAT WE CAN BE DOING AS A COMMUNITY TO HELP SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CHEMICAL HAIR STRAIGHTENERS AND OTHER TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT WE MAY USE ON OUR HAIR AND ON OUR SKIN?

>> THAT'’S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT AS CONSUMERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE PUTTING IN OUR MOUTHS, ON OUR SKIN, ON OUR HAIR, SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THE LABELS, AND THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT SOMETIMES.

A LOT OF INFORMATION IS DIFFICULT TO SORT THROUGH, BUT I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE HAVING YOUR HAIR STRAIGHTENED TO ASK YOUR STYLIST TO SHARE THE LABEL WITH YOU.

THEY HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, AND IT'’S NOT LIKE THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY HIDING IT.

IT IS JUST PROBABLY NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED THEM TO SHARE IT.

SHARING IT AND LOOKING, AND YOU CAN FIND THESE THINGS EASILY ONLINE.

THERE ARE A LIST OF COMPOUNDS LIKE FORMALDEHYDE AND THEN WHAT WE CALL FORMALDEHYDE RELEASERS WHICH ARE CHEMICALS THAT RELEASED FORMALDEHYDE, SO IT DOES NOT SAY FORMALDEHYDE, BUT THESE ARE CHEMICALS THAT RELEASE FORMALDEHYDE, AND THEN THERE ARE FORMALDEHYDE SUBSTITUTES.

SOMETHING CALLED METHYLENE GLYCOL THAT BASICALLY TURNS INTO FORMALDEHYDE WITH HEAT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN TO SORT OF LOOK FOR THESE INGREDIENTS BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE ON THE LABELS, AND AVOID THEM.

JUST TO BE MINDFUL, IF YOU ARE USING SOMETHING AND IT IS IRRITATING YOU, IF YOU ARE HAVING A CERTAIN SORT OF PRODUCT PUT ON AND IT IS IRRITATING YOUR LUNGS OR SKIN, IT IS PROBABLY NOT GOOD FOR YOU.

>> PROBABLY NOT GOOD FOR YOU.

AS YOU ARE SEEING CLIENTS, IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE TOP LINE, WHAT ARE YOU COMMUNICATING WITH THEM ABOUT, KNOWING WHAT IS IN THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY ARE USING?

>> I FEEL LIKE NOW THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT IS FREE AND AVAILABLE, SO YOU CAN DEFINITELY DO YOUR RESEARCH ONLINE, BUT I ALWAYS SAY, GOING BACK TO WHAT DR. SCOTT SAID, IF YOU ARE HAVING SOME IRRITATION OR EXPERIENCING ANYTHING THAT MAY SEEM OFF, A LOT OF TIMES CLIENTS ARE ALLERGIC TO CERTAIN INGREDIENTS AND NOT AWARE OF IT, SO WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT THEY SEE A DERMATOLOGIST BECAUSE I COSMETOLOGIST DOES NOT NECESSARILY A DERMATOLOGIST.

WE FOCUS ON THE HAIR, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE SCALP, WHICH IS SKIN.

HIS IT'’S IMPORTANT YOU STAY IN TUNE TO YOUR BODY AND HOW YOUR BODY IS REACTING TO SOME OF THESE INGREDIENTS AND READ THE LABELS 100%.

YEARS AGO STYLISTS DID NOT ALWAYS SHARE WHAT THEY WERE USING.

NOW WE GIVE A LIST.

THESE ARE THE PRODUCTS WE USE.

YOU CAN HAVE FULL ACCESS TO RESEARCH, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS, SO YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE USING THAT PRODUCT OR IF IT WORKS FOR YOU OR NOT.

I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A COMMENT I'’LL, JUST MAKING SURE MY CLIENTS HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.

>> ANOTHER WAY TO GET INFORMATION IS THE NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE AND A LIST OF MORE THAN 150 PRODUCTS THAT MIGHT CONTAIN -- YOU KNOW, WITH BRAND NAMES AND EVERYTHING -- THAT MIGHT CONTAIN FORMALDEHYDE OR FORM ALDEHYDE-RELEASING CHEMICALS.

ONE COULD LOOK AT THAT LIST AND ASK THEIR COSMETOLOGIST ABOUT IF THE PRODUCT IS USEFUL FOR THEM OR WHAT THE RISKS MIGHT BE.

THE OTHER THING IS FROM THE FDA'’S POINT OF VIEW, ANOTHER REGULATORY OPPORTUNITY MIGHT BE TO -- YOU KNOW HOW WE HAVE CHANGED THE FOOD LABELS SO YOU KNOW A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT?

MAYBE THAT IS ANOTHER REGULATORY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FDA.

>> THERE'’S A LOT WE CAN DO ON THE REGULATORY FRONT.

WE WILL PICK THIS UP, BUT THAT IS THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND THE END OF OUR SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

NOW STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.