Hair ointments: see the risks of using illegal products

When the holidays arrive, many people invest in their appearance. New clothes, accessories, cosmetics and other beauty items. So far, nothing new, if it weren’t for the growing concern about the use of ointments to style or fix the hair. Throughout 2023, there were several reports of eye injuries caused by products of this type. The most recent case, in Rio de Janeiro, was registered shortly after Christmas. On the 26th, the Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital had 163 emergency visits: 81 of them because of the ointment.

Therefore, there is a fear that these numbers will be similar or higher on the 31st, during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Anvisa issued an alert on Tuesday (26) about health problems that can be caused by the incorrect application of cosmetics or the use of products without a qualification seal. The Brazilian Society of Ophthalmology (SBO) is also aware of the increase in incidents that harm eye health.

“These irregular ointments contain chemical substances that, when they come into contact with the eyes, cause damage to the cornea, that first transparent membrane at the front of the eye. This usually happens when the person uses the ointment on a rainy day, takes a shower or goes into the pool. Problems range from eye irritation, conjunctivitis, to temporary loss of vision,”

explains the director of SBO, Rodrigo Pegado.

The main symptoms reported by patients are itchy eyes, redness, irritation, burning and swelling. In the most serious cases, vision becomes blurred, until it reaches the point where it is impossible to see anything. The main advice from experts is: do not use any type of ointment of unknown origin. Check if it is registered with site from Anvisa. Even if it is regular, it is important to know how to handle it and, in most cases, the ideal is for it to be applied by a professional.

If the product gets into your eyes, you need to act quickly to avoid major problems.

“The guidance from the Brazilian Society of Ophthalmology is that when these chemical substances come into contact with the eyes, they should immediately wash them thoroughly with water, preferably filtered. And seek out a specialist as quickly as possible to find out the extent of the problem. Vision loss can be permanent if the person does not have access to an ophthalmologist and adequate treatment”,

says Rodrigo Pegado.

Medical care consists of identifying the type and severity of the injury, analyzing the patient’s health history and what type of product was applied to the hair. From there, notify Anvisa about the incident and the name of the cosmetic used. Treatment of the injured area involves the use of specific medications, such as eye drops, and can last up to 15 days.

New ointments canceled

An Anvisa resolution released this week canceled 1,266 ointments for fixing or styling hair. The measure is part of the actions to guarantee safe products and is effective immediately: they can no longer be sold. Before that, 1,741 ointments had already been canceled. According to the agency, this resolution is not directly related to recent eye irritation events and is part of ongoing evaluation actions.

For a hair ointment to be regularized, it must meet some conditions, such as having the physical form declared “ointment”, including the term “ointment” in the name or labeling, in any language, and having a formulation with 20% or more of ethoxylated alcohols, including Ceteareth-20. The manufacture or sale of canceled and unauthorized products is considered a health infraction and is subject to penalties, in accordance with Law 6,437/1977.

Historic

In January of this year, cases of contamination due to the use of hair ointments multiplied. The following month, the institution banned the sale and circulation of all products of this type in the national territory. At the end of March, the agency once again allowed the sale of ointments, with restrictions on brands that did not pose risks to consumers.

Regarding the most recent case in Rio de Janeiro, Anvisa issued the following note:

“The Agency is working together with local health bodies in the state of Rio de Janeiro to understand the nature and extent of the problem. The objective is to adopt all appropriate measures to protect public health and respond quickly to identified risks.

In this context, Anvisa reinforces that only products present on the List of Authorized Ointments can be manufactured and sold, under the terms of art. 9th of the Collegiate Board Resolution (RDC) 814/2023. Failure to comply with the standard constitutes a health infraction, subject to the penalties of Law 6,437/1977. RE 3,566/2023 prohibits all products that are not on the List of Authorized Ointments”.

*With information from Agência Brasil

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