Anvisa cancels registration of 1,200 hair ointments – 12/30/2023 – Balance and Health

Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) canceled the registrations of more than 1,200 ointments used to style, braid or fix hair.

The decision and the complete list of products targeted by the measure were published in the Official Gazette of the Union on Friday (29). On its official website, the agency has a list of ointments that are authorized in Brazil (see here).

According to the regulatory agency, the published resolution was already planned and “is not directly related to the most recent eye irritation events, which are under investigation.”

As shown by Sheet, More than a hundred people were admitted to the ophthalmological emergency at Hospital Municipal Souza Aguiar, in the center of Rio de Janeiro, from Monday (25) to Tuesday (26) with eye burns, after using hair styling ointment.

According to a note from Anvisa, the Rio de Janeiro case is being analyzed with the help of Rio de Janeiro health bodies. “The aim is to take the necessary measures to protect public health and respond quickly to identified risks.”

Modeling ointments are used for hairstyles, from wedding models to braids and so-called “baby hair”. These are products widely used on frizzy and curly hair to add definition, but they can be applied to any type of hair.

Anvisa states that the products targeted by the measure do not meet the current rules established in September, following the occurrence of cases of burns caused by ointments.

Among the current rules, it is prohibited to have the name ointment on the label or to have products with a concentration of ethoxylated alcohols equal to or greater than 20% among the formula members.

Two Anvisa resolutions, one from September and the other from November, had already canceled the registration of another 1,700 ointments.

The agency also created a page to receive information about “cases of undesirable effects caused by hair braiding/styling products”.

In recent months, says Anvisa, the use of these ointments has resulted in cases of “temporary blindness (temporary loss of vision), severe burning in the eyes, intense tearing, itching, redness, eye swelling and headache.”