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Is formaldehyde really safe?
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I don't hype natural or organic cosmetics, and I accept the fact that preservatives and other chemicals must be added in order to protect us from being infected. However, I once watched a TV program, in which a dermatologist was invited to talk about some not-so-good substances in nail polish. I remembered that he mentioned formaldehyde. It can damage nails, or something like that. And, well, actually it's a program broadcast after lunch for stay-at-home moms, and the invited derm is not renowned. But the Beauty Brains said formaldehyde is okay. So who's right? If it can really damage nails, would it be too harsh on skin?
P.S. There's a comment by the Beauty Brains in a blog post saying that our "own bod[ies] produce cancer-causing formaldehyde". But in Wikipedia, it says "Formaldehyde (and its oligomers and hydrates) are rarely encountered in living organisms." Umm... -
Wikipedia is pretty good for some things but it is not always correct. In this case, it is mistaken. Formaldehyde is a key component in the synthesis of DNA
Having said that, we aren't suggesting you dip your hands in formaldehyde. It's just that the levels of formaldehyde used in cosmetics have not been demonstrated to be harmful.
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Thanks a lot, Left Brain! I'm completely convinced :)
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There are even reported cases that the formaldehyde has been used in toothpastes, shampoos and body washes, and these are legal!
As far as I know formaldehyde is permitted to be use in cosmetics as a preservative but in a very low levels which is safe and applicable only to rinse-out products. -
I have trouble with my nails if I have too many manicures. I don't know if it's something in the nail polish or in the nail polish remover, like formaldehyde, but my nails sure do suffer if I do too many, too often. I strongly suspect it's the formaldehyde.
When I don't have manicures and instead massage in NutraNail and hand cream daily, my nails are "tough as nails". ( Couldn't resist that one!) -
I got a sample of Zoya's NP remover when I ordered some polish from them. It is acetone-based but it seems much gentler than other acetone-based removers. It also works really well. Another NP remover that supposed to be gentle and effective is called Onyx and can be found at Walmart. I haven't tried it yet but it's got a good buzz on the nail boards at MUA.
I never had good look with Revlon polishes and had stopped buying them but I got free coupons for them when I bought a bunch of Revlon makeup so I tried some from their rainforest collection and loved them. They've removed the "big three" and it's actually improved the polish. Try them out if you're looking for NP without formaldehyde. I'm sure there's still old stock in some of the stores but the new polishes clearly state (assuming your eyesight is good enough to read the fine print) that they've removed the big three. -
Karen,
I have the same thing happen to me. I was taking good care of my nails, used the Zoya polish remover which is suppose to be gentle, kept them polished, but after a month of wearing polish, my nails self destructed. They were peeling off in sheets. I sure wish I knew what caused it. Is it the polish, or the remover? Now I'm keeping them very short and waiting for the damaged nail to grow out. How very disappointing! -
Anne: That's the cycle I get into, too, with the nails layering. VERY frustrating. It definitely goes away when the manicures stop but it takes awhile to get healthy new nails back to the top. I started taking Biotin supplements about five months ago so I'm hoping that will help this summer when I get my nails done more frequently. I'll post if there's a difference.....or not!
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Karen,
The polishes I was using were formaldehyde free, so that wasn't the problem. Maybe one of the Beauty Brains can tell us what is causing the damage. It sure would be nice to have healthy polished nails!
Karen,
I e-mailed Ji Baek, owner of Rescue Beauty Lounge, about my nail problems. I bought her book, rescue your nails, but it did not address peeling nails. I was amazed when she responded almost immediately. After explaining the problem to her, this is what she recommended.
Hi there,
All the vitamins and supplements you are taking excellent care.
When you file do you use long strokes?-you should file them in gentle long strokes. How long do you keep nails?
Can you keep them short with nail polish?
Here is my suggestion.
Some nails from your DNA are naturally weak therefore it peels and breaks when it's too long.
I would keep it short and try the nail polish on for five days take it off give it a rest for two days and continue. If this does not solve the problem....
Switch to different brand of nail polish remover. If that does not work...
Try with base coat and a top coat only, if your nails does not peel than its the nail polish color formula.
We need to isolate what causes it. Let me know how it goes and hope this helped.
Have a great fourth!
Ji Baek
Since it sounds like you have the same problem with your nails, I thought you might be interested.
After reading Baek's book, and corresponding with her on the internet, I would not hesitate at all about going to one of her salons. Talk about customer service! I just wish she had one in Washington. -
I used a shower gel that contains formaldehyde, is it safe to use directly on skin and on the whole body?
I am not sure about the amount but it is listed as the 14th ingredient of 26.
I'm 23 weeks pregnant, does it have anything to do with maternal use, could it be harming the baby? -
Hi Neveen,
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I feel for you very much--pregnant women have so much to think about, and women are exposed to so much information these days about pregnancy. It's mostly good information, but I've seen how it can also be kind of nerve racking (eat this, don't eat that, etc)! I wish I could answer your question. Are you here in US? Can you list the ingredients in your shower gel here? Does it say "formaldehyde" or is it some other chemical that you know to be a formaldehyde releaser? I'm hoping that with that kind of info, someone here can help us figure out about what percentage of the product is formaldehyde. In the meantime, were it me, for my own peace of mind, I'd probably just pick out a different shower gel that doesn't contain it. Try to remember too that (per the brains and others) most of what we put on our skin just can't get through. I've also been told the mom's liver is working overtime during pregnancy to detoxify anything bad and get rid of it to protect the baby.
Best, Sarah -
bumping for brains!!!!
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@Neveen - It is unlikely that you will have any problem with a shower gel that contains formaldehyde. The level in the formula is not likely to be at a significant enough level to cause any problems. Formaldehyde was used pretty regularly as a preservative up through the mid-1990's by many large manufacturers. There is no evidence that you are at risk.
However, if you are worried about it, you can easily find a body wash that does not contain the ingredient. It won't make you any safer however, it may put your mind at ease. -
Thanks left--I was hoping you'd help out with this one!
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This thread makes me wanna study chemistry, but crap, I hate orgo. lol.
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I just had a brazilian straightening done to my hair. I read somewhere that this process can contain up to 2 percent formaldehyde to drive the keratin deep into hair. I had it done on Monday and my head certanly smells interesting (washing it is not permitted for 3-4 days), but the smell is not as sharp as laboratorium grade formaldehyde. Formaldehyde or not, I believe this process is relatively safe if not repeated excessively often. Am I right?
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It's safe if it's below the 2% limit.
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