Going to a beauty salon is something common for many people, whether to accompany someone who will take care of the look, or to take care of yourself. Many are the procedures that are performed in these establishments, such as cuts, dyes, straightening, among many others. In the salons there is care for all tastes, regardless of age and gender.
THE Chemistry it is the science that studies substances, mixtures and their transformations in general. Therefore, inside a beauty salon, we can talk about Chemistry easily, as there are many procedures that require the use of different substances and mixtures. See some examples of materials used in the salons and the chemical composition of each of them:
Product used |
Main chemical composition |
Shampoo |
Toluene (methylbenzene) and xylene (dimethylbenzene) |
Nail polish remover |
Acetone (methyl ethyl ketone) |
Enamel |
Formaldehyde (formaldehyde) |
Hair straightening product |
Formaldehyde (formaldehyde) and Sodium hydroxide |
Bleach |
cationic surfactants |
Conditioner |
Polyvinylpyrrolidone |
Hair dye |
Alkylphenol ethoxylate |
Many people around the world are in the habit of dyeing their hair
As seen in the table, Chemistry is very present in beauty salons, as most procedures performed depend on one or more chemical substances. However, there is a question: does the use of all this Chemistry in the salon pose risks to people who Do you work daily in these establishments and those who go there to take care of their appearance in general?
Yea! The use of all these substances can cause several harms. The truth is, salon workers and customers are exposed to several risks when most of the products in the table shown above are used. There are several problems that can be caused by the substances present in them. Below is a list of these issues:
toluene and xylene: liver, eye, kidney, skin, and central nervous system damage;
formaldehyde: causes eye irritation, respiratory problems (asthma) and may be carcinogenic;
Alkylphenol ethoxylate: causes hormonal dysfunctions;
Acetone: it is toxic, narcotic and can irritate the lungs;
Formaldehyde (formaldehyde) and sodium hydroxide: this mixture can cause hair loss and burns;
Cationic surfactants: cause skin irritations;
Polyvinylpyrrolidone: it is carcinogenic and toxic to marine life.
Observation: All these data are present on the website of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).
Enamel is widely used in the salon and can cause many ailments
The search for beautification is valid and important, but due to all these risks, it is very important to seek trained professionals and aware of the performance of the procedures and also the purchase of products that are composed of the chemical substances described above.
We could not close this text without mentioning the fact that, in most of the procedures performed in the salon, the area worked (hair) is washed, which causes all these substances are also dumped into nature.In addition to harming health, the environment can also be harmed by these substances.
By Me. Diogo Lopes Dias
