Warning over allergy-induced hair loss

Sophie Hui

4 out of 5 hair masks which can be supposed to assist your hair be stronger include allergens that may result in itchiness or hair loss, says the Client Council.

The watchdog examined 50 rinse-off hair masks bought in retail shops priced from HK$14 to HK$680 per jar.

A complete of 42 merchandise have been detected with perfume allergens, whereas 27 contained three or extra forms of allergens and eight had six to 9 allergens.

Eleven contained comparatively excessive ranges of perfume allergens of about 0.11 p.c to 0.52 p.c.

5 have been detected with extremely allergenic preservatives methylchloroisothiazolinone – CMIT – or methylisothiazolinone – MIT.

Amika Lifesaver Therapy masks from Israel has 31.5 components per million – 1.1 instances larger than the higher restrict within the mainland and European Union.

The EU and China don’t permit MIT or CMIT/MIT combination of greater than 15ppm in all rinse-off merchandise. Nevertheless, the related preservative was not indicated on the ingredient record. The opposite 4 merchandise with MIT or CMIT/MIT combination have been hair masks from French model Leonor Greyl, Chinese language model Pantene’s Quench, Japanese model Botanist’s botanical hair masks and Opal’s one-minute remedy.

Their quantities ranged from 5.5ppm to 14.6ppm, throughout the mainland and EU limits.

The Opal pattern was additionally detected with hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde – often known as HICC or Lyral – which is banned within the EU and the mainland as it’s a extremely potent pores and skin sensitizer.

Three different fashions, Japanese manufacturers Kose Je L’aime amino ocean deep restore algae hair masks and Tsubaki premium restore masks, in addition to Thai model Thann Shiso hair masks, have been uncovered to allergy-causing substances butylphenyl methylpropional – BMHCA – which can be banned within the EU and mainland.

Presently, HICC and BMHCA usually are not banned in Hong Kong, however the council referred to as on producers to not add them to safeguard shopper well being.

”Generally, there isn’t any examine or reference exhibiting that utilizing rinse-off hair masks will enhance the danger of hair loss for folks,” mentioned Lui Wing-cheong, vice chairman of the council’s analysis and testing committee.

”However in case you have some allergy symptoms which might trigger contact dermatitis, there may be threat for some hair issues.”

The watchdog additionally mentioned folks ought to learn the ingredient record fastidiously, in addition to know the frequency and length of use to decrease the danger of allergy.