OSHA Web Page vs. Formaldehyde Danger, plus the Coco Alternative

OSHA, after citing 23 salon owners and beauty schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Ohio in 2011 for failing to protect their workers from overexposure and potential exposure to formaldehyde, has creatively resorted to a new tack to alert beauty salons to the hazards of hair products that contain excessive levels of the toxic chemical: a brand-new web page for cosmetology license holders and for those who are finishing their cosmetology CE.

Called “Hair Salons: Facts about Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products,” the web page informs owners and workers about formaldehyde in hair-smoothing products, the formaldehyde and hazard communications standards they need to comply with when using hair-smoothing products, and the updated results of OSHA investigations regarding dangerous substances in hair products.

Aside from the 23 salons and beauty schools penalized last year, OSHA also cited three manufacturers and two distributors of hair products for failing to protect their own workers from possible formaldehyde exposure and for neglecting to communicate the dangers of formaldehyde overexposure to salon workers and their clients.

Meanwhile many salon clients are already looking to healthier natural alternatives to condition their hair and keep out of harm’s way. Now it seems, not a few salon clients, cosmetology license holders, and cosmetology CE students are going loco over coco. And for good reason!

Coconut oil is a natural, deep-treatment hair conditioner that enhances hair gloss and gives it extraordinary softness no commercial product can match.

It is also medically healthy for the hair. It has antifungal and antimicrobial action that helps fight dandruff and bacterial scalp infections. In addition, coconut oil is even believed to retard hair loss by revitalizing and sloughing dead skin tissue off the scalp.

In contrast, coconut milk contains proteins which strengthen hair (helping prevent split ends) and shield the hair and scalp from harmful UV rays. Coconut milk can be used to complement coconut oil in conditioning hair.

The best coconut oil for the hair (and for the health) is pure virgin coconut oil. Look for organic, unrefined virgin coconut oil. The variety sold on the market is usually solid in its container, but it will melt in the hands once scooped it out. 

For hair conditioning purposes, hair experts recommend applying a few tablespoons of pure virgin coconut oil to dry or slightly damp hair. Wrap head in a hot, wrung-out towel, then cover this with a dry towel. Let the oil melt into the hair and scalp for half an hour or longer. The heat opens the hair cuticle layer, allowing the oil to go deep into the hair shaft. For best results, do this before a bath or a shower.

Cosmetologycampus.com, the cosmetology portal of top e-learning hub 360training.com, provides an excellent online cosmetology CE program (if you are in Wisconsin it is called the Wisconsin cosmetology CE; if you are in Texas, it is called the Texas cosmetology CE), which is required by many states for renewing a cosmetology license.