I had to look this up. Wow. So that’s why I’m suddenly seeing so many women here on the beaches with long, thick, beautiful, healthy looking hair. I was beginning to wonder.
It looks great, but evidently there is a downside (Isn’t there always?):
“Hair straightening sessions are injuring clients and making stylists sick, so why are they still offered in salons across the country?
“Many salons straighten and smooth hair with what they call “keratin smoothing formulations.” These lotions are often called “Brazilian Blowouts,” based on a popular brand’s name.
“The truth is, they contain as much as seven percent formaldehyde, a toxic chemical, which the U.S. government in 2011 designated a known human carcinogen. Formaldehyde also triggers allergic reactions. Therefore, salons in some countries are banned from offering the Brazilian Blowout.”
—from THIS article.
And THIS from the Huffington Post.
HERE is a list of articles both pro and con about the safety of the Brazilian Blowout.
The salon treatments take about 2hrs or more, depending on how much natural curl you have, and cost from $300 to $450 in the States. But you can buy a kit for anywhere from $30 to $120 and do it at home.