Brazilian Blowout Exposed Report By Juliette
Brazilian Blowout Exposed Report By Juliette Table of contents. Page 1………………………… An Introduction to Brazilian Keratin Treatment Page 2………………………… An Introduction to Brazilian Keratin Treatment Page 3………………………… Keratin Hair treatment explained. What exactly is it? Page 3………………………… What exactly is it Page 5………………………… How does it work? Page 6………………………… How does it work? Page 5………………………… Who is this treatment for? Page 7………………………… How long will the treatment last for? Page 8………………………… How long will the treatment last for/ Page 10……………………….. What to expect when you go for your treatment Page 11……………………….. What to expect when you go for your treatment Page 12..……………………… Safety Page 13……………………….. Safety Page 14………………………. Formaldehyde – What is it? Page 15………………………. Formaldehyde – What is it? Page 16………………………. The effects of formaldehyde on the human body Page 17……………………….. The effects of formaldehyde on the human body Page 18………………………. So what’s considered a safe level? Page 19………………………. So what’s considered a safe level? Page 20………………………. Controversy and bad press Page 21………………………. Controversy and bad press Page 22………………………. Controversy and bad press Page 23………………………. What the pros know Page 24………………………. What the pros know Page 25………………………. What the pros know Page 27………………………. Should I be worried? Page 27………………………. Black market products Page 28………………………. OHSA Page 29………………………. OHSA Page 30………………………. OHSA Page 31……………………… I’m so confused! 2 Page 32………………………. I’m so confused! Page 34………………………. I’m so confused! Page 35………………………. I’m so confused! Page 36………………………. I’m so confused! Page 37………………………. Will it damage my hair? Page 38………………………. Will it damage my hair? Page 39………………………. Will it damage my hair? Page 40………………………. Post treatment care regime Page 41………………………. Post treatment care regime Page 42………………………. Post treatment care regime Page 43………………………. Specialist BKT after care products Page 44………………………. Specialist BKT after care products Page 45………………………. Specialist BKT after care products Page 46………………………. Specialist BKT after care products Page 47………………………. Salon treatments versus DIY Page 48………………………. Salon treatments versus DIY Page 49………………………. Salon treatments versus DIY Page 50………………………. Celebrity gossip! Page 51………………………. Conclusion Page 52………………………. Conclusion Page 53………………………. Conclusion Page 54………………………. Conclusion 3 An introduction to Brazilian Keratin hair treatment. We live in a society where looks and image are everything. Youth, beauty and style are worth more than any amount of money could possibly replace. You only need to pick up any glossy magazine or newspaper to see image after image of smooth skin, gleaming hair and perfect white teeth. We are all constantly on the lookout for ways to keep up with the conveyor belt of ‘beautiful people’ which we see on a daily basis. And your hair is probably one of the most important areas of your looks – it’s not called your ‘crowning glory’ for nothing, and of course you want your hair to look fantastic? And in your quest for that perfect look, do you actually care if you damage your tresses along the way? And how about any long term health effects from substances used in the product? Well, it may well surprise you to know that, for a great many people, the answer to that question is actually – no! Many folks are willing to sacrifice long term damage for that instant, celebrity look hairstyle. And one of the buzz words for great looking hair right now is the Brazilian Keratin treatment – also called Escova Progressiva, Progressive Straightening or Brazilian Blowout. It’s becoming more and more popular, and since such celebs as Hale Berry and Nichole Richie have become fans – well, it seems there’s no stopping everyone else from wanting to have it done as well. Actually, the name Brazilian Blowout is actually the name of one of the many Brazilian Keratin treatments. It just happens to be the most well known and the most popular, which is why people use this as a general name for the treatment. 1 The treatment has it’s origins in Brazil (the name sort of gives that part away!), where it’s a common problem for women (and men) to have frizzy, curly and over all difficult to manage hair. And over recent years the product has been developed to the treatment that is seen today. Now people from all over the world are beginning to discover the advantages of what is being hailed as a miracle cure. The only problem seems to be the huge amount of conflicting advice which is around about the treatment. You only have to type ‘Brazilian Blowout’ or ‘Keratin Treatment’ into a search engine to be blasted with adverts, happy customers, not so happy customers, blogs, stylists websites, news articles and a whole host of other information which will probably confuse you more than give you the hard facts you are looking for. So before you rush out to the nearest salon which offers the treatment, maybe it’s time to just stop, take a breath, and find out exactly what it is, and the pro’s and con’s which go along with it. Let’s take a balanced look at this from both sides – the good and the bad - because there are always two sides to every story. Before you believe every last little thing that’s reported in the press, take time to sort out the fact from the fiction, and then you’ll end up with enough knowledge to know if you want to take advantage of the now infamous keratin hair treatment that is taking the world by storm. Look beautiful – stay safe! Juliette 2 Keratin Hair Treatment explained. What exactly is it? Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment, known in the trade as BKT, claims to straighten unruly and frizzy hair for an extended period of time, without causing any damage. As its name suggests, BKT uses keratin. Keratin is the protein which is the primary ingredient of hair, skin and nails. If you are one of those people who spends a fortune on hair straightening products, frizz ease serums, hair irons or just a huge amount of time on good, old fashioned blow drying to get rid of those kinks, then this treatment is probably going to be of extreme interest to you. Imagine, no gloopy styling products, no hours with the straightening irons, hey – an extra half hour in bed in the morning! Not to mention the damage that all that constant heat causes to your hair. And not only does BKT straighten your hair, they say that it’ll improve the condition as well, leaving your tresses shiny, soft and healthy to boot. So, the advertising blurb all claims that this is not a harsh, chemical straightening treatment such as Japanese Thermal Reconditioning. It is a new, innovative and already extremely well publicised way of having a long lasting, but gentle and reversible hair treatment that will gradually wash out over time. The treatment can be used on literally any hair style of hair – from curly hair to eliminate the frizz whilst keeping beautiful curls, to wavy locks cascading down your back through to dead straight styles. 3 The Brazilian Keratin treatment should only be carried out by a trained and qualified hair professional. Salons and stylists who offer this treatment have undergone additional training to allow them to become certified. Once the treatment has been completed, there are various BKT specific shampoos and conditioners and styling products which can be purchased to help to extend the lifespan of the treatment. Another advantage of this treatment is that it can be used on hair that has already been treated in some way. So if your hair is lightened, darkened, bleached, permed or relaxed then you can still undergo BKT. 4 How does it work? The first thing you need to understand is that unlike other straightening or relaxer processes, BKT does not break down or damage the actual structure of the hair. Older techniques tend to use a very high ph level of 9 or above to soften the hair and cause it to swell. Then the molecular structure of the hair can be re-arranged to make it straight. In these types of treatments, once it has been done, then that is it – it’s irreversible. The hair is changed and the only way to get rid of it is to wait for it to grow out, and then cut the treated hair away. BKT works in a completely different way, using heat, Keratin and preservative solutions. One of these is formaldehyde and we will discuss the use of this later on in the book. The treatment uses a ph level that matches the body’s actual ph level of hair and skin, which is between 4 & 5. The product penetrates the cuticle of the hair and conditions it whilst treating it. But although it relaxes the hair enough to straighten it or get rid of the frizz, it doesn’t break down the molecular structure. When you have the treatment done, depending on the length and thickness of your hair, expect it to take between one and a half hours to four hours to complete. Your stylist will apply the product to your hair, and then seal it in with heat irons. Be prepared for a great deal of frightening steam at this point – it looks alarming, but is normal and part of the process. Once the product is on your hair, the smaller molecules of keratin actually penetrate into the cortex of the hair shaft and work from within. The larger molecules coat the hair and begin working on the exterior layer. Together, they moisturise and improve the actual quality of each 5 individual hair. This is why, post treatment, the condition of the hair is so greatly improved. 6 Who is this treatment for? Some people are blessed with luxurious and shiny locks – don’t you just hate them! But for us lesser mortals, which is pretty much most of us, BKT could well be the answer to our prayers. So, who is this suitable for? The straightforward answer to this is, nearly everybody. Because of the unique properties of penetrating but not affecting the actual structure of the hair, it’s suitable for anyone over the age of twelve years who wants to straighten or de-frizz. And due to the preservatives involved in the treatment it is not advisable for women who are pregnant or breast feeding. Even if your hair is already chemically treated in one way or another, this doesn’t prevent you from having this treatment. So whether your hair is bleached, coloured, permed or thermally reconditioned, it doesn’t matter. In fact, if your hair has been chemically treated in some way, the effects of BKT will be even longer lasting, due to the already damaged and changed structure of the hairs themselves. So for once, those of you who have abused your hair for the past goodness knows how many years, might just actually be onto a winner with BKT. And it’s suitable for every type of hair types – and that really does mean all types. Be it greasy, dry, fine, flyaway, coarse, thick, afro-Caribbean to name but a few – BKT can be used to good effect. If your hair is naturally wavy, BKT will make your hair straight. If it is naturally curly, then it will enhance the appearance of the curls but get rid of the frizz. If your hair is straight and frizzy, then you will kiss goodbye to the frizz. Blow drying will take a fraction of the time that it did pre- 7 treatment, and you’ll also be able to allow your hair to dry naturally without it metamorphosising into a fluffy sheep’s fleece! Oh – and it can also safely be applied to hair extensions as well. So there’s no need to have these removed before a treatment. 8 How long will the treatment last for? As already mentioned, the more damaged your hair is, the longer the effects of BKT will last. Generally, it is accepted that the straightening effect will last for around ten to twelve weeks as long as you follow the aftercare regime to the letter. Deviating from this will tend to shorten the result period. You may also find that towards the end of this time, your hair will take on a ‘wavy’ personality, as your true hair structure and shape begins to return. BKT is a cumulative treatment, so the more you have it done, the healthier it will appear, and the longer each treatment will last. If your hair is already treated in some way, by perms, colouring or bleaching etc, then the actual structure of your hair has been damaged to a certain extent, and this will allow the BKT to penetrate these damaged molecules, which is why the treatment tends to last a bit longer. Whilst BKT cannot repair these damaged areas, it does ‘fill them in’, so creating healthier and shinier hair. If you have totally untreated, virgin hair, then BKT will still have a great effect, although the results don’t tend to be so long lasting. As with every type of hair product or treatment, how you look after your hair post treatment will have a direct input on how long the effects last for. 9 What to expect when you go for your treatment Firstly, your stylist should sit down with you and explain exactly what the treatment is, how it will work on your hair and the results that you should expect. Once everything has been made clear and you are happy, then treatment will commence. If you are having your hair coloured as well, this will be performed before the Brazilian keratin treatment. The stylist will wash and shampoo your hair with a specialist pretreatment shampoo. Which one they use will depend on the exact BKT they are using, as each has their own specialist pre and post care products. Whichever one it is, it will be specifically designed to remove all styling products from your hair and to be washed out leaving no residue. What it also does is to begin to open up the pores of the hair so that when the liquid BKT product is applied it will be able to penetrate into the hair. They will more than likely shampoo it thoroughly twice, and don’t be surprised if you resemble a bird’s nest! Your hair will be towel dried and the carefully combed or brushed through to de-tangle. Expect the stylist to take a bit of time over this, as they will need to be careful if your hair has become very tangled after washing. The hair will then be divided into sections. Then the Brazilian keratin treatment liquid will be combed through your hair from root to tip, although the stylist will be careful not to let the liquid actually touch your scalp. The BKT solution will cover each individual hair shaft with protective layers of protein. This flattens and smoothes the cuticle and you will sit for around 20 minutes or so to allow the product to seep into the hair cuticle. 10 Once this has been done, the stylist should at this point use a mask, both for you and for him or herself to prevent any inhalation of any fumes. They will blow dry your hair as straight as possible using a round or a flat brush. Then your hair will once again be divided into sections and, using an extremely hot flat iron, the stylist will further straighten your hair. This blow drying and hot ironing is what takes up the bulk of the time of the treatment. When this has been finished, your hair will be rinsed with just plain water, no shampoo, and a conditioning masque applied. Then the hair will be rinsed again with plain water and towelled dry. Smoothing serum will be applied to further seal the cuticles of the hair, and then once again the stylist will blow dry your hair straight and cut and/or style. Voila! Your treatment is complete. The stylist will advise you of anything which you must not do with your hair over the next few hours or days. Each brand of BKT differs slightly in this. With the Brazilian Blowout you don’t have to wait any time at all before you can wash your hair, but with some others you need to wait up until 5 days. Your stylist will let you know the relevant information for your treatment. Depending on the thickness, length of your hair and which BKT your stylist is using, the treatment will take from around 90 minutes to 3 or 4 hours to complete. So make sure you take plenty of reading material! 11 Safety Okay – so there’s been a recent explosion in the press about BKT, primarily to do with the use of Formaldehyde in the product, and that’s more than likely the reason you are reading this right now. The aim of this book is to provide you with the facts, and just that. No flannel, no opinion, no bull! Then, once you are armed with these facts you can decide for yourself whether or not this treatment is for you. Because the problem with reading reports in the press is that they tend to take the worst of the worst, and then blow it up out of all proportion. It’s not to say that they are not imparting relevant information, but the way they do it is intended to sell more newspapers - that’s the whole point of them. After all, a headline which says ‘Having your hair straightened can give you cancer’, is far more eye catching than something which just states the straight facts. And as for comments on the internet on blogs, message boards, ezine and ehow? Well, they are just completely unregulated and are more than likely written by someone who has absolutely no knowledge of what they are talking about. You know the type, someone who types a question into Google or Bing, briefly reads the top two results and then reckons they are an expert on the subject. So, let’s take a balanced and constructive look at all the facts. This book is not trying to steer you in either direction, as we are neither for or against the treatment. Our aim is to give an accurate and unbiased view, so that you, the end user, can then make an informed choice. After all, everyone knows how bad smoking is for your health, but that hasn’t 12 prevented the tobacco industry being one of the largest and richest in the world. For now, we’ll put all the controversy aside and just go with the bare bones of it. And what better place to start that with the substance of all that controversy – Formaldehyde. 13 Formaldehyde. What is it and what effects does it have on the human body? What is it? Formaldehyde is a very basic, naturally occurring compound which uses carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is a gas and is used to sustain life in most plants, insects and animals – and that include us. Yes, humans are animals – although probably some more than others! It has been around for hundreds of thousands of years, and from way before man walked the earth it has been a food source for very simple forms of life such as bacteria. Nearly every living thing on the earth either uses or creates formaldehyde, and our own bodies create it naturally whilst metabolising. But even though it is an extremely common and naturally occurring substance, it has a very short life, and both in the atmosphere and our bodies it is quickly broken down, therefore not getting the chance to accumulate. What humans have done with Formaldehyde is generally to create it as part of a chemical compound which is then used for many different things. It is widely used in industrial manufacturing, but the most common thing that people probably think of it for is its use as a preservative for embalming bodies. Those of us over about thirty years of age will probably remember cutting up frogs at school – do you remember the solution they came in? And how it made your eyes sting? Well, that was a formaldehyde solution. And for those of you who still haven’t hit that big three oh? Well, just be thankful that cutting up dead amphibians is no longer part of the school syllabus! 14 Pure formaldehyde is a colourless gas and is extremely reactive. And that very reason is why it is usually mixed with other substances to make it more stable. Asides from its use in embalming, it is used in many other substances and processes, such as film developing, glues, antiseptics and paints. It is also a very common ingredient of a huge variety of cosmetic products and also used as a medium in which various vaccinations are delivered into the body. Formaldehyde also found in great abundance in the earth’s atmosphere. It’s a by product of combustion and when cities are affected by smog, formaldehyde is a major component of this. 15 The effects of formaldehyde on the human body Being exposed to high levels can possibly, in the long term, cause cancer. Current research seems to be leading towards the way of thinking that it may possibly cause cancer of the nasal passages, lungs and brain, but that it doesn’t reach further into the system. However, this is still a theory and has not yet been confirmed. But it is known that smokers in particular are more at risk of cancer of the airways when exposed to high levels of formaldehyde. This is because formaldehyde is an ingredient in cigarettes, so with every cigarette, they are exposed to small amounts of the gas. It is also associated with various brain cancers. Formaldehyde is classified as a carcinogen. Tests have shown it causes cancer in animals and that it more than likely has the same effect on humans. Formaldehyde can affect you in different ways. It can affect you either by breathing it in as fumes, or by touching it in its liquid form. There is also a short term danger of inflammation of the mucous membranes, skin conditions or rashes and respiratory problems. The chemical is especially hazardous to children. Even low levels of exposure can cause a runny nose, redness and sore eyes, headaches, sneezing, coughing, a sore throat, rashes or breathing difficulties. For people who have asthma, formaldehyde can trigger an asthma attack. Repeated exposure to high levels of formaldehyde can cause asthma in a person who did not previously have the problem. It can also increase the likelihood of a person contracting bronchitis or pneumonia. The long term effect of formaldehyde on the lungs is not yet fully understood but there is a strong possibility that it can cause permanent damage. 16 Contact with formaldehyde on your skin can break down the natural oils. Repeated exposure can cause the skin to become dry, flaky, cracked or bring about dermatitis. It can also cause an allergic reaction in the form of itching, redness, hives or blisters. There have been studies which have shown that up to 1 in 20 people who are regularly exposed to formaldehyde develop some kind of allergic reaction. If a liquid solution containing formaldehyde is splashed into the eyes, it will cause an extremely painful reaction. Depending on the strength of the solution, it can cause permanent damage to the eye as it is very corrosive. Swallowing formaldehyde is extremely dangerous. It can cause burning of the mouth and digestive tract and cause vomiting of tissues and blood. Once inside the body it can cause damage to the liver and kidneys and swelling of the body tissues. In severe cases it can cause convulsions, depression of the central nervous system (that means it will slow down your body’s breathing mechanism and heart rate) and cause death. But hey, you weren’t thinking of drinking the stuff, were you? Some people are just more sensitive to formaldehyde than others. But it is possible to develop increased sensitivity over time if you carry on being exposed to the substance. The way the chemical is made actually stirs up the body’s immune system and creates this sensitivity the more you are exposed to it. So, there is no getting away from the fact that it is a toxin to the human body, and it is more than likely carcinogenic. So all in all, it’s quite nasty stuff! 17 So what’s considered a safe level? Well, this isn’t a completely straightforward question to answer. It’s a little known fact, but each and every one of us has formaldehyde naturally present in our bodies. It is an essential component of almost every living cell. Because of this, it is currently very difficult to determine exactly how much is too much, and what is a safe level. Currently, the agreed safe level of formaldehyde in personal hygiene products is 0.2%. Keep that figure in mind as you read onto how much is in BKT. 0.2% - remember that figure. But, and this is a big but, cosmetic solutions are not included under personal hygiene products and therefore do not have to declare it. So the BKT manufacturers have absolutely no legal obligation to state that formaldehyde is part of their solution. But what exactly do they mean by personal hygiene products? Well, it’s such things as deodorants, mouthwash, nail polish and the like. It is used in a huge range of cosmetic products; whenever you brush your teeth or use any toiletries you are using formaldehyde in one form or another. Childhood vaccinations such as Diphtheria, Polio and Influenza are all delivered into the body in a formaldehyde medium. Cosmetic products, and that includes hair treatments. are not currently regulated – although that may well change in the future. And I’ll bet you 18 weren’t aware that those other commonly used products contained it either. The fact is, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid being exposed to the stuff in some way. 19 Controversy and bad press On November the 10th 2010, a lawsuit was filed against the company which makes the Brazilian Blowout treatment. This is because it is said that the company has failed to warn consumers about the formaldehyde in the product. Indeed, it is labelled as formaldehyde-free. They claim that the company has had an unfair advantage over its competitors by labelling its product in this way, and that the advertising claims that it is a safe to use product are misleading. For this they are looking at fines of $2,500 for each claim and a further $2,500 for each day they continue to do this. So, that sounds pretty serious stuff, doesn’t it? But, hold on just a moment. Although $2,500 sounds a lot when you first look at it, and indeed, it is a lot of money to us as individuals, in the world of business, it is a mere drop in the ocean. And when you read that the basis of the claim is an unfair advertising advantage – then perhaps this is more of the truth of the matter. It’s all about sales figures. A cynical way of looking at it? Perhaps so? But there’s no getting away from the fact that they are not trying to ban the product. What the competition is miffed about, is Brazilian Blowout’s domination of the market of BKT. We’re not here to judge. Just pointing out the facts. Elsewhere, you only have to type Brazilian Keratin Treatment into a search engine to come up with a whole host of articles about 20 formaldehyde in the treatment. And if you read through a few of them, you’ll notice a whole load of confusion about this perceived 0.2% safe level that makes it even more controversial. Some people, including hair care professionals themselves, just don’t seem to be able to get their head around the difference of 0.2% and 2%. There’s really is a heck of a difference between the two – as 2% is ten times more that 0.2%. And to make it even more confusing, this is the level that applies to personal hygiene products. And we already know that BKT isn’t included in this category. Plus, the fakes and illegal copies of BKT being sold on the black market are phenomenal. If you choose to buy your treatment from unregulated places such as from the back of some strangers car or on ebay, then who knows what on earth is going to be in the stuff. It appears that some of these fake treatments have been tested to have levels of up to 10% formaldehyde. It also appears that some unscrupulous people are shipping the treatment to the US, getting them past customs, and then adding formaldehyde content. It is then sold on as a bone-fide product. The truth of the matter is that whilst this is an un-regulated product, then rumours and controversy will abound. Whilst there is no getting away from the fact that BKT does contain formaldehyde, until some kind of regulation is put in place, then it will continue in the same way. And as for the current law suits? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. So, now we’ve more than likely scared you half to death, lets take a look at the safely guidelines which are given to the hair care professionals. 21 Because if these products really do contain levels of formaldehyde at the percentage some of these news reports claim, then surely a stylist who uses the product on a regular basis is going to be at far more of a health risk that someone has the treatment done once every three months? 22 What the Pro’s know! So, after all that has been in the press, and all the ‘it’s safe!’ – ‘it’s not safe!’ conflicting reviews, let’s take a look at the guidelines which are provided for the stylists who perform the straightening treatment. If it really is a hazardous product to use, surely the stylists themselves would be screaming from the rooftops about the danger to their health. After all, no job is worth risking your health for, is it? And with the popularity of BKT showing no signs of slowing, then their exposure to these alleged poisonous fumes is just going to get greater and greater. So, what are they told about using the treatment? Well, the general instructions given out by all the various different BKT treatments are pretty similar. They all state that stylists should use gloves at all times when applying the treatment, and that it should be carried out in a well ventilated area. Oh, and not to let the liquid formaula go onto the scalp of the customer. That’s it, short and sweet, nothing but that. But, given all the bad press, many salons are taking it upon themselves to take matters into their own hands. It is now quite common for both the stylist and the customer to don a type of gas mask to prevent any accidental inhalation of the fumes or vapour. Many salons have installed ionizers or air purifiers. Some point out that they are air conditioned, although whether air conditioning would actually help to remove any fumes is another question, but it will at least ensure that the air is forever moving inside the salon. Others rely on good old fashioned fans. 23 But unless there is actually a new air flow into the room, all fans will do is circulate the air and any fumes around. But surprisingly, another method which was never intended for the hairdressing business has been brought into play, and the manufacturers of the product must be rubbing their hands with glee. Specially designed chemical source filters which are used within the medical industry have now been designed and sold to the hairdressing industry specifically targeted at those who use BKT treatment. These are machines which will remove formaldehyde and any other noxious fumes or related chemicals from around the customer and stylist. These specialist filtration systems look rather like a giant vacuum cleaner which is attached to a large, mobile cylinder. A long hose extends upwards from this, and curves down over the head of the person having the treatment. It has a wide hood which hovers over the customers head and literally sucks in the steam and any fumes which occur during the straightening process. This is all then filtered through the system, the ‘bad’ parts being trapped inside and the good air coming out the other side. As you can imagine, these are not cheap. But with BKT treatments costing anywhere from $250 upwards, then you can understand why salons are keen to invest into anything which may give them the edge over their competitors. Some salons which have purchased these mobile machines use them in conjunction with an over head exhaust system which ensures that the air in the area is constantly being renewed. 24 So, that’s it. All rather vague though, isn’t it. And it seems that asides from the most basic of safety features, stylists and salons are pretty much left to their own devices. Of course, Brazilian Blowout certified stylists take the utmost care in the application of the product, and you really shouldn’t consider having this treatment done by anyone who is not qualified. Only they have the training to know how to use the exact amount of product which is correct for you personally and the correct level of heat to use on your hair. So, as a customer, should you be worried? Well, we can’t give you a definitive answer to that question. However, as much as Brazilian Blowout may have claimed that their product is formaldehyde free, it seems that this is not really the case, and as you will see as you read on, they have now changed their advertising of the product. You can argue that they are below the levels necessary for them to currently have to state that it is in the product, but it still doesn’t take away the bare bones of the matter, that the product does in fact contain formaldehyde. 25 Should I be worried? We’re not trying to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but before undertaking any kind of BKT treatment, we strongly recommend that you do a little bit of research into the establishment or stylist who you intend to use for the treatment. With all the controversy surrounding Brazilian Blowout, and all the other similar treatments, any decent salon or stylist will be more than happy to talk to you in depth about exactly what the product is and what you can expect. They should be able to answer all your questions, and you should ensure that you get satisfactory answers before you sign yourself up for the treatment. And don’t be embarrassed to ask to have a look at the actual bottle of product they are going to use on you. At present the companies are changing their solutions and packaging at a frighteningly fast rate to keep up with all the media scares, but it’s more than likely that salons or stylists who have purchased the product may still have older versions in their stocks which need to be used up. Good salons and stylists will make it their business to be totally up to date with all recent developments and keen to reassure their clients that they, and themselves, are at the lowest risk of formaldehyde exposure possible. If they are not happy to openly talk about the problem, pretend that it doesn’t exist or brush you off as a neurotic worrier, then proceed with extreme caution. 26 Black market products If you type ‘Buy Brazilian Keratin’ into any internet search engine, you will be inundated with results, probably most of them on internet auction sites. Most of these will swear on their dear old grandma’s life that they are the best possible product available on the market, and are being sold by a professional hair care stylist. And so they may well be – but can you actually know this for sure? Many of them will state that they are formaldehyde free, others will say they contain the product. So, should you buy them? Well, as this is a non biased article then we are not going to tell you that you shouldn’t. It should be suffice to say that you are buying a completely un-regulated product which may or may not be authentic. For all you know it could contain anything at all, and you are buying it from some stranger who can say anything they like about themselves as you have no way of proving it. If they want to describe themselves as a hair care professional, how on earth are you going to know if they are telling the truth or not? They could well have spent about 3 milliseconds tying up a quick description that makes the product sound wonderful and authentic, and pinched a genuine image from somewhere on the internet. This won’t be everyone, true. But they may as well be because you have absolutely no way of knowing if it’s a genuine product or not. Oh, yeah! And, um, are you qualified to carry out this treatment? The ball’s in your court! 27 Oregon Science and Health University – OSHA When is formaldehyde not formaldehyde? No, it’s not a trick question, as to confuse matters even further, if a cosmetic product contains formaldehyde at a ratio of less than 0.2%, then as long as it is not aerosolized (i.e. suspended in a solution and dispensed from an aerosol can), it can legally be branded as formaldehyde free. And remember that BKT is still not regarded as a cosmetic product. Perhaps this is where all the confusion is stemming from? Maybe, maybe not. At the beginning of October 2010, the OSHA issued a hazard warning which superseded all previous ones regarding BKT. They had completed extensive tests of these straightening products, including Brazilian Blowout. This warning stated that there was possibility that stylists who worked with the product had the danger of inhaling formaldehyde either as a gas or steam vapours, and also that they may absorb it through the skin whilst applying the liquid. It was stated that exposure could occur during the whole treatment process and that the risk increased during the heat stages of flat ironing and blow drying. 28 On October 29 2010 they issued a second alert to re-iterate this. They had by then monitored the airborne exposure levels of more than 100 different products at over 50 separate salons, and the results of each confirmed their initial research. Michael Wood, Oregon OSHA administrator is quoted as saying “Although it’s not clear whether the regulatory level of airborne exposure would be exceeded based on our results, it’s clear that the levels are high enough to cause concern. And it is certainly clear that the amount of formaldehyde in many of these products is high enough to trigger the requirements of OSHA’s formaldehyde rules.” Whilst monitoring the air during the usage of Brazilian Blowout over an 8 hour period, workers were exposed to a variety of levels ranging from 0.006 parts per million (ppm), to 0.331 ppm. The permissible exposure level is 0.75ppm over the 8 hour period. They also found short term levels ranging from 0.108ppm to 1.88ppm. The limit is 2.0ppm. Okay – so let’s put that in plain English, shall we? Basically, it means that they have measured the quantity of fumes and gasses which occur during a Brazilian Blowout treatment, and they come in at levels well below what is considered dangerous. However, they still are at a level that has caused some concern so be prepared for more testing and continued updates on this issue. 29 Thankfully, at last the BKT manufacturers are starting to take all this negative press extremely seriously, and Brazilian Blowout have issued a formal statement on their website which repeats the OSHA’s findings that the formaldehyde levels are well inside the levels of what they consider to be safe. This is how the situation with Brazilian Blowout currently stands, and you can make of that what you will. 30 I’m so confused! Yes – you and millions of others. What it boils down to, is that as cosmetic manufacturers are not obliged by law in the US to list ingredients, it seems that there has been some pretty, err how shall we put it? - Creative advertising surrounding the Brazilian Keratin Treatment. After all, Brazilian Blowout swore blind that their product was formaldehyde free, but now they are saying actually yes, it does contain formaldehyde. It’s no wonder people don’t know who or what to believe any more. So, we are going to try and make this a little more simple. Here are some of the products that claim to be free of formaldehyde. • KeraGreen – This claims to be formaldehyde free and to be nontoxic. • Zene Progress/Escova Progress – they state on their website that ‘Escova Progress contains no harmful substances such as Formaldehyde. In fact, it’s been passed by the Brazilian Ministry of Health as safe for use.’ • Zerran Reform – although this is a slightly different straightening formula which doesn’t use Keratin. They state that there are absolutely no chemicals used, and that is a permanent straightening treatment which does not wash out. Once done, it is there until the 31 hair grows out. It can only be performed on healthy hair, not hair which has been damaged and claims that high heat opens up the hair, allowing the 100% vegan product to penetrate the hair and therefore straighten it. You can have the Zerran Reform treatment performed by a stylist, but they also sell it on its own with an instructional DVD to be used in the home. Brilliant! So they are safe to use then, right? We wish it really was that simple. But to add yet another ingredient into this mix of confusion, there are also a great many similar products to formaldehyde – they are members of the aldehyde family or close chemical cousins. Thanks a lot! Just when I thought I was starting to understand this, you bring a whole bundle of other incestuous chemicals into the equation! Yeah, okay and we’re sorry. But you want to know all the facts, don’t you? That’s why you’re reading this in the first place. And if that wasn’t enough to have to get your head around then you need to understand a little bit more about formaldehyde. Now, when we talk about it being a component of BKT, that isn’t strictly true. Formaldehyde is the chemical in gaseous form, and BKT treatments are in liquid form. So, what is actually found in the product is a liquid chemical which when heated, releases the gas formaldehyde. So what they actually contain is a product called formalin. This is made by dry formaldehyde gas reacting with water and becoming a liquid. 32 It is also known as Methylene Glycol. Now, when this liquid chemical is heated, such as when it is flat ironed or blow dried, it reverts back into its original form of water and gas, and therefore formaldehyde is released. Now, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) do not regulate or restrict the amount of formalin in cosmetics, only personal hygiene products. This means that all the hoo haa about ‘legal amounts’ in the product are not actually true, because there is no legal amount. But regulation is in place via the OHSA and this is to do with the amount of exposure to formaldehyde in the workplace. Now, because of all this bad press over formaldehyde, there has been a slew of various Brazilian keratin hair straightening products which are shouting out that they are formaldehyde free. But put simply, without a chemical preservative these treatments just wouldn’t work. It is the preservative that preserves the hair in the straight state (that’s why it’s called a preservative!). So what they have actually done is to get compounds other than formalin to convert into formaldehyde with heat, which is actually a fairly simple chemical process. So, some of these other formaldehyde like ingredients or formaldehyde releasers are as follows: • Glyoxylic Acid • Ivalon • Formal • Fomic Aldehyde (Ah, see – you’d have noticed that one now, wouldn’t you!) • Morbicia 33 • Formalin (but you know this one now) • BFV • Lysomorm • Methylene Oxide • Fyde Paraform • Oxomethane • Superlysoform Yes, we know. If you’d wanted a science lesson you’d have gone back to school! But the more of the facts you have in your possession, then the better placed you will be when you make a choice whether or not to have this treatment done. What it boils down to is this. Keratin, on its own, cannot straighten hair. That is the truth, no matter what anyone who is trying to sell you a treatment may implore you to believe, it just cannot. What keratin actually does is to relax the structure of the hair and then a preservative – be it formaldehyde or some other, sets the hair into this position for a while. If a BKT product does not contain a preservative of some kind, it cannot work. Remember, both the companies who manufacture these products and the salons and stylists who perform them all want the same thing. They want you to spend your money on their product or service. And because cosmetics are pretty much unregulated, they have been free to do and say whatsoever they wish to sell their products. All currently marketed Brazilian type keratin treatments on the market come under one of the following: 34 • They contain formalin • Then contain a substitute formula which when heated acts in a similar manner to formalin and releases formaldehyde • They use only keratin and high heat, in which case they don’t last very long at all. So, as there is no regulation on the products, it really is up to you to find out which ones are which, because the results vary dramatically. And, get this. A stylist who swears that their product is formaldehyde free may honestly believe this. They are more than likely not lying to you because they have been told by the manufacturer or sales person that the product does not contain the chemical. So they are not telling you a deliberate untruth, it’s just that they are passing on the lie that has been told to them. Many of these alleged ‘formaldehyde free’ treatments may use other chemicals such as Diazolidinyl Urea or DMDM Hydantoin which do also release formaldehyde under high temperatures, but the amount is negligible. However, these will not provide the same straightening effects as those with higher levels, although they will temporarily decrease the frizz. So, who does admit that their product contains formaldehyde? Well, as we have seen, the most popular of them all, Brazilian Blowout has now admitted that their product does. 35 A few others also list it as an ingredient – Royal Keratin Brazilian Treatment, Keratin Express and Keratin Complex. There may well be others as well, but these are some of the most well known of the treatments. But the point of the matter is, Brazilian Keratin Straightening Treatment can only work if there is a preservative chemical somewhere in there. Straight up, end of. 36 Will it damage my hair? Right, hopefully by now you understand the whole ‘it does contain formaldehyde/it doesn’t contain formaldehyde’ argument. You’ll have got that there is a possible health risk involved in being exposed to the chemical, but also that there is a load of mis-information flying around about the product. So let’s move on from this and look at what the product will actually do to your hair. Not only will it make it straight – because we know it does that (usually, but we’ll cover that in a bit), but will it actually cause damage to your hair over the long term? It appears that there are a huge proportion of people who are completely thrilled with their BKT. But, (yeah there’s always a but), there’s a not insubstantial minority who have experienced problems. These have ranged from fairly mild, such as it just didn’t work, to rather more serious cases of hair loss or thinning. There have been reports of hair loss of up to 60% after treatment, and other people reporting hair falling out in patches. Because BKT is a cumulative treatment, in some cases this has happened after the 2nd, 3rd or 4th treatment. A lot of this loss is hair falling out from the roots, and others are hair breakages close to the roots. It seems that because of the use of chemicals, be they of a strong or weak solution, it can cause weakening to the hair. 37 This seems to happen more often if the hairs themselves are fine, rather than to those who have think hair. But the good news is that with most of these reported problems, the hair loss does not seem to be permanent. Although if you are one of the unlucky ones to whom it has happened, then whilst waiting up to a year for your hair to re-grow might feel pretty permanent. Another problem which has been noted is the difference between treated hair and re-growth. For those who have curly hair, then it seems there can be some problems as the treated hair stays dead straight, but the regrowth is curly. And there have also been reports of where it just plainly didn’t work at all, and the hair remained as frizzy or even more frizzy after treatment. But remember, as with all types of chemical hair treatments, there will always be some occasions where something goes wrong. It is easy to find horror stories about bleaching, hi-lights, perms and other types of treatments as well, so it’s important to keep a balanced perspective. And there’s quite a few reports of people saying that it just didn’t work. That it looked wonderful and straight after the treatment, but wake up the next day and poof! Frizz mania! Or reports of it only lasting a few days or so. But these are possibly products which don’t use formaldehyde but due to all the current confusion maybe these people didn’t know exactly what they were having done. However, any decent stylist will offer a free follow up treatment if it really hasn’t taken – make sure this is not done until at least 10 days after the original to give your hair a chance to settle down. 38 If you have BKT done by a reputable stylist, then if you have any problems at all, you can go back to them. But if you choose to buy an unregulated product and perform the treatment at home? Well, you don’t really have any come back at all. You pays your money, you takes your choice! And that’s also enough of the ‘f’ word for now. I’m sure you’ve got the point! 39 Post treatment care regime Right then, you’ve decided to take the plunge and you hair is now super glossy, soft and frizz free. And after spending all that money, you’re going to want to keep it looking beautiful for the longest amount of time possible. So, what should you be doing to ensure that you don’t do anything to speed up the inevitable return to the frizz? Well, the Brazilian Blowout BKT treatment says that you can wash and style straight afterwards, but many of the others have some pretty stringent post treatment rules. Firstly, don’t wash your hair, allow it to get wet, tie back or kink your hair in any way for 4 full days. This means that you don’t push your hair back behind your ears, place your sun glasses on the top of your head, wear a hat, use any grips, slides, combs or do anything that will kind your hair. If your hair gets wet or kinked by accident, flat iron it as soon as possible. And that also means no super strenuous work outs down the gym for a few days (have a rest!), or anything else which gets you all hot and sweaty! Ooh err. So it that’ll prove difficult, maybe it’s time to pack the other half off for a few days with his mates. Or her mates, as who says it’s only girls who want to have BKT! Remember that BKT is a treatment that will gradually diminish with washing, so if you can, reduce the amount of times you wash your hair per week to extend the life of the treatment. If your hair isn’t dirty and you just want to refresh it, then just rinse with warm water and condition, but don’t use any shampoo. 40 And you will need to be careful with the type of shampoos and conditioners you use. It’s imperative that you don’t use any that contain sodium chloride or sulphates. Sodium chloride is the chemical name for salt. What salt does is to open up the cuticle of the hair and let out all that lovely keratin and preservatives which are holding the frizz at bay, therefore literally washing away the treatment. You’ll probably be well advised to use a really decent moisturising shampoo and conditioner, and you may need to alternate with different ones week by week. But you will find that whichever BKT you choose, they will all have a whole bundle of post care hair products that they will be desperate to sell you. They’ll cost, but at least you will know that they will be formulated especially for brazilian keratin treated hair. For example, Brazilian Blowout have a deep conditioning masque which can be used every couple of weeks. This is combed through your hair and left on for around 20 minutes before rinsing out. All the BKT treatments will have a daily smoothing serum which will contain the same active ingredients that are in the actual treatment, therefore they will enhance and extend the results. This can be used when either blow drying or if you are leaving your hair to dry naturally then it will create a slightly wavy look. However, if your hair is very fine you may want to skip using this as you might find this makes your hair flat. Swimming, be it in a chlorinated pool or in the sea will shorten the amount of time the treatment will last, as will exposure to the sun. If you do swim, it’s preferable to saturate your hair with tap water, comb conditioner through and then to cover your head with a swimming hat. 41 The whole idea is to create a barrier between the water and your hair. After all, after spending all that money to get your locks looking so beautiful, surely you can suffer covering your head with one of those attractive latex caps! And once you finish your swim, rinse your hair straight away, then shampoo and condition as soon as possible. If you want to have your hair coloured, it’s best to have this done just before you have the brazilian keratin treatment. But if you need to have it done afterwards, make sure you wait at least 2-3 weeks before you have this done. If you are happy with your BKT and plan to have it done again, remember that the treatment is cumulative, so it gets stronger and better each time you have it done. So don’t let the treatment completely leave your hair before you get it re-done. Once your frizz starts to return, get yourself back to the hairdresser for a repeat performance. This will also ensure that your re-growth looks the same as the rest of your hair. The stricter you are with yourself and the treatment of your beautiful Brazilian hair, the longer the treatment will last. 42 Specialist BKT hair products You will find plenty of other cleansing and styling products specifically designed for hair which has undergone Brazilian keratin treatment. Brazilian Blowout produce a range under the name of Acai. These include the following: • Shine and shield spray. This boasts a super nutrient complex designed to protect, strengthen and seal the hair cuticle, giving radiant shine along with UVA and UVB protection • Acai restorative sculpt and define polish. Again, containing the super nutrient complex which fortifies and protects the hair. It adds texture but not weight and defines with a flexible hold to create that ‘2nd day after blow dry’ texture. • Acai anti frizz shampoo. Sulphate free, this cleanses the hair with a system specifically created to extend the life of your BKT hair. It works to maintain the balance of proteins and ultra necessary moisture for frizz free hair. • Acai anti frizz conditioner. Works in the same way as the shampoo, but also coats the hair with proteins which seal and smooth the cuticle. This locks in the moisture whilst keeping any humidity out. It also protects the hair colour and keeps away that frizz. • Acai smoothing serum. This detangles the hair, conditions and seals the cuticle against humidity. Once again, it locks in that necessary moisture to give the smooth, frizz free look. 43 • Acai deep conditioning masque. This is an intensely creamy, protein rich weekly drench to help keep that frizz free, ultra shiny look. Brazilian Keratin Blow Dry offers the following after care products. • Seibella chocolate and keratin shampoo. This is a salt free shampoo, nutritionally enriched with keratin and cocoa butter to deliver optimal nourishment to each individual hair from root to tip. • Siebella choclate and keratin mask. Again, using a blend of keratin and cocoa butter, this 5 minute treatment penetrates deep into the hair shaft to restore silkiness, shine and softness. • Siebella chocolate and keratin thermo-activated finisher. This is a leave in product which you apply section by section to your hair, avoiding the roots so that it doesn’t touch your scalp. After massaging into the hair and de-tangling with a wide tooth comb, you then blow dry and flat iron your hair to heat activate this rich, nourishing cream. It leaves your hair silky soft, hydrated and easy to manage. Global Keratin also provides a range of BKT after care products. They sell the following: • Moisturising shampoo. This cleanses, hydrates and makes the hair more manageable. 44 • Moisturising conditioner. Moisturises and nourishes the hair. • Balancing shampoo. This is designed to gently cleanse whilst balancing the ph levels of the hair. • Balancing conditioner. You’ve guessed it! To be used with the above. • Leave in cream. Whilst moisturising, this protects your hair from any harmful environmental effects, such as humidity. It is also intended to be used as a styling cream. • Leave in spray. The aim of this is to de-tangle and also to penetrate the cuticle of the hair. It conditions and makes the hair soft and more manageable. • Serum. This is designed to instantly reduce frizz by coating the hair, leaving it soft, shiny and nourished. You’ll find these along with a multitude of other, pretty similar products available to purchase. We can’t say if any of them are better than others, it’s a question of try them out and see which works best for you. If course, each BKT manufacturer will try to dazzle you with a load of techno blurb to convince you to spend more of your hard earned cash on their products. And these specialised after care treatments don’t come cheap. For example, Brazilian Blowout’s Acai shine and shield spray will set you back a weighty $42 dollars. We’re not saying that it isn’t worth it, but were not saying that it is, either. Just call us Switzerland! Neutral. Sitting on the fence. But it does seem that the one essential piece of after care information is to use hair products which are free from salts and sulphates. 45 The canny amongst you will probably compare the listed ingredients of the expensive, specially produced after care products available against other, non BKT specific products at far lower prices. Are they better? Or worse? Who knows. But if you have the time and inclination it might be worth a look. Whatever after care and styling product you choose to use, none of them are ever going to extend the treatment forever. And as the treatment is cumulative, it should last longer after each further application anyway. But one thing is for sure, after spending time and money on your beautifully frizz free hair, its got to be worth putting a little effort into keeping it that way for as long as you possibly can. 46 Salon treatments versus DIY It’s fairly obvious that once a treatment such as BKT started showing signs of popularity that a whole bundle of home treatment kits would start to appear. And these are getting more plentiful by the day. Some of these are claiming to give exactly the same results as the expensive salon treatments with promises of up to 4 months of super silky, straight or non frizzy hair. The prices range enormously, from the ridiculously cheap through to paying almost as much as you would if you had a professional carry out the treatment. Some even advertise particles of 24 carat gold in the solution, although it’s questionable as to whether that would actually have any effect on the straightening qualities of the product. It seems that some of these treatments are being upfront and telling the customer that they contain small amounts of formaldehyde or similar. But some don’t. And there’s a whole host of them out there singing from the roof tops that they are totally different from all the rest and that there product doesn’t contain any nasty, toxic substances and definitely no formaldehyde. But, as you now know, these products do not work without some kind of preservatives. And just because they are produced for the home market, doesn’t mean that they don’t have a preservative in them, because if they don’t, then they won’t last any longer than one shampoo. If they are claiming any longevity, then they do contain a preservative which will be a formaldehyde releaser. 47 One thing that is slightly worrying about these home treatments is that the application and safety instructions can, in some cases, leave rather a lot to be desired. Of course, they may well not contain such high levels of formaldehyde (or similar) as the salon treatments, but there is still the need to take the relevant precautions; such as ensuring a well ventilated application area and wearing gloves and a mask, exactly the same as is done in salons. And realistically, how many of us actually have adequate treatment areas in our homes where the air flow really is substantial enough? Add to that the fact that most people will perform the treatment in the bathroom which is usually an enclosed area. Even if you leave the door open and a window, unless you have something to circulate the air around and out of the room then the fumes are just going to stay put, ready for you to inhale. Putting a fan in the room will just move these fumes around, not get rid of them. And seeing as though a lot of these DIY kits tell you to flat iron each 2-3 inch section of your hair up to 7 times, it’s not exactly going to be a quick process. There are plenty of videos on YouTube were you can watch people performing DIY Brazilian keratin treatments. Most have taken no safety precautions whatsoever. No gloves, no mask and performing the treatment in a poky little room with the door closed. We even watch on girl who started coughing and suffering from weeping eyes. All she did was laugh and say that she had forgotten to put her goggles on. Sensible? We’ll leave that up to you to decide. 48 But overall, regarding BKT home kits, are they any good? Well, if you think about home colouring, bleaching and other DIY kits, how often does it all go horribly wrong and you end up with a visit to a professional stylist anyway? It’s a pretty common scenario and one which hair stylists see day after day. And in the end, you end up not only spending more money than you would have if you’d just gone to a professional in the first place, but you end up having double the treatment on your hair and a load of upset and stress into the bargain. Of course, as always, the decision is yours. 49 Celebrity gossip! A whole bunch of stars have been in the news as being fans of Brazilian keratin treatment. Nicole Richie is a huge fan, and doesn’t her hair look just fab. She says that because she has curly hair, it can be difficult to deal with, but ever since she found out about BKT, she’s never going back. Since first having the treatment back in March 2009, she now refers to any time prior to that as her ‘pre-Brazilian days.’ Other celebs who have had the treatment include Lindsay Lohan, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Ashley Tisdale and Jennifer Aniston. Hold on, Jennifer Aniston! And all this time we’ve believed that her beautiful hair was just down to her using l’Oreal shampoo – because she’s worth it. Talk about having your illusions shattered……….. 50 Conclusion So, to sum up everything we’ve talked about. We know that BKT is an extremely popular hair treatment that has hundreds of thousands of happy customers. There is absolutely no question as to whether it works, as it most definitely does. And if all goes well with the treatment, then it’s something that the customer will go back and have done again and again. Ignoring the safety issues for a moment, yes, there does seem to be a not insubstantial minority of cases where damage is caused to the hair. This seems to cause minor discomfort to the scalp and possible hair breakage and thinning, although this doesn’t appear to be permanent damage, although you will have to wait for new hair to naturally grow back. However, remember that for every one person who actually makes her voice heard that there was a problem, then there are probably a good few thousand others who are perfectly happy and contented with their BKT. After all, we can find horror stories over perms and colouring as well, not to mention other, harsh chemical treatments such as Japanese straightening. Regarding the safety issues. Well, the BKT manufacturers are sitting up and taking notice of all the negative press. They are going to have to do something to answer all of these questionable marketing practices. Because that’s really all they are, marketing. They are not doing anything illegal, however much the press would like to tell us that they are. Until the FDA decides to regulate cosmetic products then they can carry on labelling as they like, although the formaldehyde free bit is fairly likely to be changed at some point in the future. 51 Even though it has taken some time, at least the larger manufacturers are starting to take some responsibility and tell their customers exactly what is in the products. OSHA will continue with their testing, but this will really only make a difference if it proves that the formaldehyde (or similar) fumes in the workplace increase over the level of safety, and it would seem that at the moment they do not. Whether any levels will get changed as a result of this testing remains to be seen. But as formaldehyde is such a commonly used product, it seems fairly unlikely that any new legislation will be brought in. Education about the product from the manufactures to the stylists needs to be brought into line. It’s all very well them knowing how to apply the product, but they really need to understand a little more about the treatment they are giving in order to be able to give you, the customer, the correct information. And the stylists themselves need to push the manufacturers into giving them this information and training. The responsibility lies with everybody. And once the formaldehyde issue is out in the open, then those who genuinely have an allergy or reaction can take the necessary precautions, rather than finding out during the treatment. And not that it will ever change, but the media really need to stop printing mis-information and confusing the public. But it is strange that the more they print terrible things about the product, the more popular it becomes. Perhaps it really is true that no publicity is bad publicity. 52 After all, most people only really take in a few words, and with the words frizz free, semi permanent, silky smooth, keratin and Brazilian being banded about, the danger part ends up being a long way down the list. After all, how many non-existent health scares have we had over the past few years that have come to nothing. SARS, Bird flu, Swine flu, the list goes on and on. Everyone is suffering from media scare overload and many people take what they read in the papers with a huge pinch of salt. God help us when they really do report something serious……………….. It just goes to show, that the more they have shouted out about the dangers of BKT, the more people have flocked in their thousands to have the treatment done. One serious area of worry is the amount of black market products that are easily available. If you only take one thing away from this book, please realise that you are literally taking your life in your hands if you purchase one of these. Not only are you risking your hair, but you are risking your health as well, both short term and in the future. Please don’t fund the people who have absolutely no thought for the safety of the people who buy their fake products, it just isn’t worth it. Will the exposure to formaldehyde have any long term effects? Well, that can’t be known for sure. Maybe in 10 or 15 years time there will be an explosion in airway or brain cancers. Hopefully not, and realistically, at this point with the knowledge we have, this probably won’t be the case. But it is a reasonably new product to be used so only time will tell. But don’t forget that it has been used for many years in Brazil and other Central and South American countries. 53 Rumours will continue to abound about the product until the manufacturers come clean about the ingredients in their products. It’s clear that they are going to have to do this, and they may even be forced to at some point in the future. But what we hope this book will have achieved is to give you a non biased and balanced over view of the product. You should now have a clear idea of exactly what BKT is, how it works, and understand exactly what all the formaldehyde furore is all about. Whether or not you decide to have BKT done is obviously totally your choice. There is no doubting that there are thousands of satisfied customers, but only you can decide if it will be right for you. But hopefully, now you are in possession of the facts and not the fiction, you can make an informed decision. Whatever your choice, we’re sure you’ll look stunning. reading. Juliette 54 Thanks for disclaimer Please read the following carefully: Disclaimer Please note the information contained within this document are for educational purposes only. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, up to date and reliable complete informa0on no warran0es of any kind are expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author’s are not engaging in rendering legal, financial or professional advice. By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances are we responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, that are incurred as a result of use of the information contained within this document, including ‐ but not limited to errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. Please note the information contained within this document is not intended to be used “As Is.” They are not a substitute for business , financial or legal advice. They do not in anyway imply the salon or spa owner will be successful in following any instructional material and all opinions shared always depend on the individual’s circumstances, business experience, and adaptation of the specifics within this manual. It is recommended the participant DOES NOT use any of these documents before first consulting with a business consultant, a coach or mentor, and/or a industry professional to ensure that it addresses the needs of your particular business and the individual situation(s). The Publisher has strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this report, notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of the Internet. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, the Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slights of specific persons, peoples, or organizations are unintentional. In practical advice books, like anything else in life, there are no guarantees of results made. Readers are cautioned to reply on their own judgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly. The purchase and use of this document and any forms, Audio’s and/or spreadsheets attached and/or affiliated with this publication are also subject to additional “Disclaimers and Terms of Use” found above and also including and not limited to all those found on the site of www.brazilianblowoutexposed.com. 55 56
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