Lead Acetate is baned by FDA from Consumer Hair Dyes

FDA on Tuesday banned lead acetate from hair coloring products, a move prompted by petitions from consumer watchdog groups.
The agency’s final rule means lead is now banned in all cosmetic products. Hair dye was the last product in which it was still allowed. Lead acetate is already banned in the European Union and in Canada.
“In the nearly 40 years since lead acetate was initially approved as a color additive, our understanding of the hazards of lead exposure has evolved significantly,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, says in a statement. “We now know that the approved use of lead acetate in adult hair dyes no longer meets our safety standard.”
The Environmental Working Group, one of a dozen groups that petitioned the FDA for the ban, said the decision is long overdue.
“There is no safe level of lead exposure,” Melanie Benesh, a legislative attorney at EWG, says in a statement.

 

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Your first gray hair can be upsetting. So why does your hair lose its color as you age?

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Lead exposure can have serious health effects, especially for children. The EWG says it has been linked to developmental issues in children, reduced fertility, organ system toxicity, cancer, and other problems.
Most manufacturers had long ago moved to other additives for hair coloring, but a few continued to use lead. Manufacturers have 1 year from the effective date of the final rule to remove lead acetate from their products. Grecian Formula was one of the last major brands still to use lead acetate, but it, too, switched to another chemical, bismuth citrate, as a coloring agent.
“In the last several decades, we’ve seen tremendous progress in reducing exposure to lead from major sources. Given this progress and wide recognition that there is no safe level of exposure, it may seem unbelievable that common hair dyes contain the neurotoxin -- putting those who use the product and their children at risk,” says Tom Neltner, chemicals policy director at the Environmental Defense Fund, another group that petitioned the FDA to act.
The FDA did not provide a list of products that contain lead but says consumers should examine product labels. Lead, if included, would be listed as an ingredient.
The FDA says recent scientific data show there is “no longer a reasonable certainty that there is no harm from the use of lead acetate as a color additive.”

BEST DYES FOR GREY HAIR:

 

Are you starting to go gray and thinking of coloring your hair at home? If so, you have lots of options. Here's advice from Las Vegas celebrity stylist Michael Boychuck and cosmetics chemist Ni'Kita Wilson.
Michael Boychuck says:
Gray hair is especially vulnerable to the drying effects of chemicals in dye. That's why I suggest ammonia-free formulas. There is quite a selection out there, and most won't damage hair. I like the new Umberto Beverly Hills U Color and Revlon ColorSilk. Herbatint Permanent Herbal Haircolour Gel is another good option.
Another reason to avoid ammonia: color fade. Ammonia penetrates the outer cuticle layer to deposit color in the inner cortex of the hair, and often the cuticle can't recover completely. That means the color can leach out over time -- especially during a shampoo. When you wash, use a gentle, moisturizing shampoo to help limit the fading.
A leave-in conditioner is crucial. It's very important to shield your hair from the rays of the sun, styling damage, and dehydration to preserve the color. EverPure Moisture Leave-in Conditioner is a good option because it contains lightweight yet nourishing conditioners.