Styling your hair could make your morning routine as polluting as standing in traffic
How your hair styling routine could be damaging your lungs
- Research suggests that heat-based hair styling, including straightening and curling, when used with hair products, emits chemicals into the air.
- A typical 10- to 20-minute heat-based hair routine can expose individuals to billions of nanoparticles, equivalent to the pollution from standing in motorway traffic.
- These inhaled nanoparticles are directly deposited into the lungs and can lead to serious health issues such as respiratory stress, lung inflammation, and cognitive decline.
- The chemical D5 siloxane, a common ingredient in many hair care products, is a significant concern as it contributes to the formation of airborne nanoparticles when heated above 150C.
- Experts advise avoiding the combination of hair products with heat or, if unavoidable, ensuring the space is well-ventilated, for instance by using bathroom exhaust fans.