Recent Blog Articles
Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud’s phenomenon?
Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps
Finding balance: 3 simple exercises to steady your steps
Boosting your child’s immune system
Study: No effect on cognitive functioning from treatments for advanced prostate cancer
Surprising findings about metabolism and age
Thinking about COVID booster shots? Here’s what to know
POTS: Diagnosing and treating this dizzying syndrome
Did we really gain weight during the pandemic?
Dropping anchor on big emotions
Staying Healthy
Ask the doctor: Is hair straightening safe?
Q. I had my hair straightened six months ago. Is there any danger in getting these treatments twice a year? I hear they may contain formalin or formaldehyde.
A. Like permanent wave solutions, hair straightening products are designed to break and reform the chemical bonds in keratin, the key structural protein in hair and nails. Permanent wave solutions make the hair more curly; hair straighteners, as the name implies, make it very straight.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
