Ministry: Illegal hair-straightening additives could endanger health

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
People who go to salons for hair straightening could be endangered by formaldehyde that may have been added illegally to authorized preparations, the Health Ministry warned on Monday. Customers should make sure that hair-straightening products at the establishment have received ministry approval and that nothing has been added to the container. Formaldehyde is a dangerous preservative and not suited to hair straightening, the ministry added, sending a warning to both customers and to hair salon workers.