Whether they want to streamline their beauty regimen, add some gorgeousness before vacation, or prepare their little ones for a few weeks at sleepaway camp, many Black people will pick braided hairstyles as their go-to.
Braids can deliver a look that’s chic, versatile, and no-fuss. (Well, there’s some fuss, if you factor in the hourslong installation process.) They can be worn for weeks at a time, minimizing the need for daily hair maintenance and all the copious products, breakage, heat, and wear and tear that come with it.
Deeply rooted in Black culture (not to mention centuries of African aesthetic traditions) and frequently worn by celebrities (we see you, Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Kerry Washington, Robin Thede, and Halle Bailey) and social media influencers, the popularity of braids and faux locs isn’t waning anytime soon. In addition to being beautiful, desirable, and a time-saver, braids can be accessible. While some braided hairstyles can come with four-digit prices, many consumers can obtain a pack of synthetic braiding hair for as little as a few dollars on Amazon or at their local beauty supply store, then make an appointment with their braider of choice. If they are able to, they can even braid their hair themselves.
But could these beloved “protective styles” actually be doing more harm than good?
After experiencing a braiding debacle two years ago, Chrystal Thomas, a student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the City University of New York, set out to find an answer to this very question. Thomas says she went to a professional stylist to have braids done using what she recalls was the popular synthetic hair brand Kanekalon. Her problems started that same day, she says: “I couldn’t sleep well, my throat felt irritated, and I had trouble focusing on any type of work I was doing because of the smell. The smell wouldn’t go away even after washing my hair multiple times.”
Experiencing constant discomfort, she removed her braids a week and a half later (typically, people wear braided styles for several weeks). She then decided to research possible health issues tied to braiding hair as part of her public health coursework, and she published her findings in a commentary article about the risks of carcinogenic materials in hair products for Black women.
We contacted Kaneka about this complaint, and the company said: “Kaneka only manufactures the Kanekalon fibers that are used in various hair products, such as synthetic hair braids and wigs, and does not produce any of the final products.”
The company said that other companies take those fibers and process, dye, customize, and distribute the actual final products that consumers then purchase. The company added that it would need more information to fully investigate the complaint.
Thomas is not the only person to have this experience.
Black women are the primary users of these products, and people of African descent are the largest group of consumers of hair wigs and extensions. In 2023, the U.S. market for these products was valued at $2.79 billion and is expected to reach a value of $6.34 billion by 2029.
Thomas’ goal was to spark a conversation about how the high usage may be putting Black communities at risk. The article called into question the safety of synthetic hair, which may be made from a copolymer of modacrylic and vinyl chloride and can include other chemicals with known links to adverse health effects (more on this below).
“What is unique about braid extensions is the length of exposure users have to them,” Thomas says. “Synthetic braids are typically worn for about four to six weeks. Black women and other individuals who use synthetic hair are, therefore, exposed to those ingredients consistently during that time.”
To begin to understand how much risk synthetic braiding hair poses, CR scientists tested 10 popular synthetic braiding hair products for heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Here are the top findings:
• Carcinogens, or chemicals that may cause cancer, were detected in 100% of the samples.
• Lead was detected in nine of 10 products.
• Other VOCs, including acetone, were detected in all products.
How CR tested synthetic braiding hair
Consumer Reports has a long history of testing products for chemical contamination and evaluating their comparative safety. When synthetic braiding hair test leader James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product safety testing, and his team set out to begin this testing in 2024, he says, he had three goals—to determine whether the chemicals were present, to determine whether you could measure them/how much of each chemical was present, and to find out whether there was a way to determine the possible risk to the consumers who use these products.
This is a topic that is near and dear to Rogers. “My two daughters wear braids often, and I have helped with purchasing the hair and the braid takedown many times over the years,” he says.
His team tested two samples each of 10 of the most popular products on the market. All products were a version of black or dark brown hair. See our full methodology (PDF).
The 10 brands that were tested include:
1. Sensationnel X-Pression 3X Pre-Stretched Braid, 58″
2. Shake-N-Go FreeTress 3X Pre-Stretched Braid 301, 34″
3. Sensationnel Lulutress Crochet Braid Passion Twist, 12″
4. Hbegant Afro Twist Pre Fluffed Wrapping Hair, 24″
5. Debut Wavy Hair Weave, 20″
6. Sensationnel Ruwa 3X Pre-Stretched Kids Braid, 12″
7. Shake-N-Go Organique Mastermix Water Curl Weave, 30″
8. Darling Flexi Rod Curls Crochet, 14″
9. Magic Fingers 3X Pre-Stretched Braiding Hair, 52″
10. Sassy Collection 100% Kanekalon Jumbo Braid
Carcinogens detected in synthetic braiding hair
Carcinogens are chemicals that may cause cancer; they’re classified in three ways, according to Eric Boring, a CR scientist with a PhD in chemistry.
Known: There is strong scientific data to link the chemical to cancer. Usually, this means multiple (more than three) sources confirming this and there is very little argument within the scientific community.
Probable (aka likely): There is significant data (at least two to three sources) confirming this, although there might be some dispute in the scientific community.
Possible: There might be only one set of data confirming this, or there is substantial dispute within the scientific community, or we might have data confirming that a similar chemical is carcinogenic.
All the synthetic braiding hair products we tested contained multiple carcinogens. Three products contained benzene, a known carcinogen that causes acute myeloid leukemia. “It is strictly regulated and discouraged to use in laboratories because of its potential to cause cancer,” Rogers says. Two products contained an animal carcinogen, and all the samples contained a probable carcinogen, methylene chloride. See our full test results (PDF) for the full list of known, probable, and possible carcinogens that were detected.
Lead in synthetic braiding hair
Heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium are found in a variety of foods. CR has previously reported that there is arsenic in rice; mercury in tuna and other fish; cadmium in several foods, including baby food made with sweet potatoes and rice; and lead and cadmium in a variety of chocolate bars. Because you can be exposed to heavy metals in so many ways, it’s important to know where they are and to minimize exposure where you can (e.g., by reducing your consumption of certain chocolate products and certain fish).
CR tested the braiding hair samples for heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, and lead. None of the products had detectable arsenic.
“Three of the products had detectable cadmium, but our exposure and risk analysis found the levels did not pose a risk,” Rogers said.
Lead, however, was detected in nine of the 10 products. “Our exposure and risk analysis found all nine products could expose a regular user of any of these products to a level of lead that could be concerning over time,” he adds.
Sensationnel X-Pression 3X Pre-Stretched Braid was the only synthetic hair sample that did not contain any levels of lead.
With prolonged exposure, lead can cause significant health issues. CR has reported that it can damage the brain and nervous system and has been linked to immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage, and hypertension.
Children sometimes also wear braids made of synthetic hair, and CR has reported that lead is particularly harmful to children and can delay and impair brain development and cause developmental problems.
Rogers and his team determined that the nine samples in which lead was detected all exceeded the level deemed safe by experts.
Our results indicate which products had comparatively higher levels and are not assessments of whether a product exceeds a legal standard. We used those levels because there are no federal limits for the amount of lead in synthetic braiding hair, and CR’s scientists believe that California’s lead MADL is the most protective available in the U.S.
When choosing how to analyze the results for risk, Rogers and his team considered the three exposure models—inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion. Each model requires a unique testing method, so establishing the pathway before the start is key.
The team chose ingestion for several reasons. First, the MADL relies on ingestion as the exposure pathway. The rest of the reasons involve handling the braiding hair itself—by either the braiders or the clients. Rogers and his team considered that people wearing braids and braiders could accidentally ingest the braiding hair, which can be “brittle and can break and be consumed accidentally with food,” Rogers says.
He adds that there is also a lot of hand-to-mouth contact. For example, “people may touch the hair and then pick up food to eat with their hands.”
Think about how commonly that happens—you move the hair over a shoulder, put it behind your ear, or pull it into a bun and then grab a snack. For braiders—who can work with one client for hours at a time—this might be common, too. If a braider or client touches the hair, they might rub their mouth or grab a quick snack after touching the hair.
And finally, there’s putting braids directly in the mouth: “This is not something you see adults doing, but small children who may wear braids tend to put things in their mouth, including hair.”
VOCs in Synthetic Braiding Hair
Ask any hair-braiding client when they know the braiding session is nearly done, and you’ll most likely get the same answer: When the stylist brings out the kettle of hot water, a flat iron, or even a lighter. The braider dips the braids into the boiling water to bond the synthetic hair to prevent it from unraveling. (The braider might also seal the ends using a hot flat iron or a lighter.) While satisfying for both the braider and the client, it’s also dangerous. When the synthetic hair is heated, VOCs are released into the air.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, VOCs are often human-made chemicals—used to make paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants—that are emitted as gases. The American Lung Association reports that breathing VOCs can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, cause nausea, and damage the central nervous system, as well as cause cancer in some instances. CR’s tests showed that VOCs were emitted when the braiding hair was heated to boiling (212° F) in the lab.
The VOC detected at the highest levels for the majority of the hair products was acetone, a respiratory irritant commonly used to dissolve other substances and to produce a wide variety of products.
CR tested for 65 VOCs, and the results revealed that each product contained concerning contaminants: “Every sample tested had detectable levels of at least six VOCs. The highest number detected in any of the samples was 14,” Rogers said.
“The higher the total number of VOCs in a product, the higher the likelihood of a negative impact on the health of the user,” Rogers said. “In addition, the presence of one or more suspected or known carcinogens in a product could put the user at a higher risk of exposure to the more toxic VOCs,” such as the carcinogens listed in the chart located in this article. (Click HERE to link to the chart)
Company responses
CR contacted all the brands for comment about the test results. Only two, Sensationnel and Magic Fingers, responded.
Hair Zone/Sensationnel told Consumer Reports the company was “extremely surprised by the information recently presented to us by Consumer Reports” and strongly disagreed with our methodology and “with the claims Consumer Reports makes about the potential risk to consumers that could arise from the safe and common use of our products.”
They said, “We unequivocally stand by the safety of Sensationnel products, and our company urges consumers to continue to confidently use Sensationnel products.”
The company also said, “At Hair Zone/Sensationnel, we pride ourselves on producing the finest quality hair products on the market. As a family-run business with a 35-year history, we value the trust and loyalty of our customers around the world and take the safety of our products seriously. We are constantly evaluating our materials and processes with customer safety in mind.”
Magic Fingers also challenged the test results and methodology, and said that, “Magic Fingers is proud of the safe and top-quality hair products we provide to our customers. Our customers know they can count on us for braids and extensions that meet their highest expectations for fashion and performance.”
The company said that CR’s methods “do not fairly match the real-world way that our customers use our Magic Finger products. We strongly stand by the safety of our products and the quality materials used to make them.”
Neither company responded to questions about whether or not they test their products for lead, VOCs, or other contaminants before they go to market.
Rashes while wearing braids
One of the most immediate and evident of the adverse effects of synthetic braiding hair presents itself on the skin.
“Symptoms include redness, swelling, and rashes on the scalp, neck, or face,” Rogers said, adding that it “occurs when the immune system reacts to allergens present in synthetic hair. It can be associated with any dyes or coloring used in the product.”
This is a complaint commonly heard from braid wearers, especially right after installation. Dermatologist Chesahna Kindred, MD, says she has had patients who were concerned that they were allergic to their synthetic hair braids.
“It would look like contact dermatitis, which is when the scalp is inflamed, it’s red, the patient complained about an itching or burning sensation, and we would have to treat it with a cortisone,” she said.
“This is often attributed to the chemical coatings on the fibers (pesticides, plastics, acrylic, etc.), including those with alkaline bases,” Rogers said.
Susan Peterkin, a cosmetologist who works with Kindred, offers this advice: “If you leave the braider and your head is hurting, you need to take them out right away. I try to teach my clients that itching, burning, and any tenderness is not normal.”
It’s not necessarily only the braiding hair that can cause tenderness of the scalp. Some of that could be attributed to the tightness of the braids at the root. Some braiders can go too tight, making it painful for the client, who may request slightly looser braids. Tight braids—and other hairstyles that pull the hair tightly, such as buns and ponytails, even without the use of added hair—can cause hair loss from traction alopecia, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Some fortunate braid clients may experience no itching or discomfort when using synthetic braiding hair. CR spoke with braiders and clients at a Brooklyn, N.Y., salon in January, and one of the clients said braids don’t bother her at all.
But it’s not just the scalp that’s at risk, says Tiffany Mayo, MD, an associate professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s department of dermatology and director of the school’s clinical research unit. She says that the skin on the neck can be more sensitive than the skin on the face and that she has seen patients who’ve experienced breakouts on their neck linked to synthetic hair but didn’t have the same symptoms on their scalp.
“Patients are very attached to and sensitive about their hair, so to say ‘absolutely stop this’ is not the best recommendation,” Mayo said. “There’s a lot of negotiating that has to happen when it comes to hair.”
Mayo’s approach is to first ask patients to remove the braids, if possible. Then, she treats the affected areas with a topical steroid. (“I treat the actual rash, but counsel that the rash is not going to completely resolve until the exposure has been removed.”)
Even after the braids are removed, it’s not always clear whether the irritant was the particular brand of synthetic hair that was used, a product sprayed onto the braids, dyes used to color the braids, or the synthetic fibers used to make the braids. Mayo says reading Thomas’ article also made her wonder about how prevalent hand dermatitis is in braiders themselves as a result of constant occupational exposure.
“There’s no doubt about it that this actually needs a very intensive evaluation because the use is so widespread amongst a specific population,” she said.
Other potential health risks
Rashes and redness aside, potential health risks associated with synthetic hair could take years to present themselves.
“We know that they look like endocrine disruptors—they look like things that can mess with our body’s normal hormonal system,” said Tamarra James-Todd, associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lab director of the school’s Environmental Reproductive Justice Lab.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says that certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), even in low amounts, can negatively affect immunity, metabolism, puberty in humans, and reproduction in mice. James-Todd says that Black women have been found to have much higher concentrations of many of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals. (She and her colleagues previously published a review on this subject, and the Silent Spring Institute has used social media to help Black women reduce their exposure to EDCs as part of the Power Study.)
“These [chemicals] don’t operate in isolation; they’re operating together,” James-Todd said. “They’re sitting on your scalp, and with something sitting on your scalp, it can be dermally absorbed. It doesn’t just require heat—it’s sitting around your head, so it can be inhaled. Somebody touches their hair and they eat something, it’s hand-to-mouth, so it can enter the body that way as well.”
With so many potential health risks to consider, the choice to get a head full of Fulani braids or cascading goddess locs can start to feel like one big headache. And, thus far, we’ve only been discussing the potentially harmful ingredients that we know about.
Why finding ‘safer’ hair is challenging
Bhavna Shamasunder, an associate professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, says incomplete ingredient labeling is a challenge that further complicates matters.
“It is possible some chemicals might not appear on the label,” she added.
Shamasunder heads the school’s Urban & Environmental Policy and Public Health departments and is a principal investigator in a pilot study called Taking Stock, which explores the health impacts of beauty products on Black and Latina women in California.
She says that the underpinning problem is that the market for such beauty products is largely unregulated, “thus, the issues raised—including exposures to VOCs upon heating synthetic hair . . . and even the ingredients that go into manufacture—are not required to be disclosed.”
Shamasunder is right. CR contacted the Food and Drug Administration and shared our test results. A spokesperson said, in part, that “the FDA cannot comment on the testing results” and that “other federal agencies also may have jurisdiction over hair extension and wig products sold in the United States.”
They did not suggest which agencies might have jurisdiction.
The FDA does regulate cosmetic products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which states, in part:
“The term ‘cosmetic’ means (1) articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance, and (2) articles intended for use as a component of any such articles; except that such term shall not include soap.”
In searching the FDA Hair Products page, there is no indication that braiding hair has ever been reported as being unsafe, nor have there been any recalls. It appears that this regulatory agency does not presently have specific information on braiding hair products and adverse or harmful reactions.
“It’s appalling that toxic chemicals are in these products with so little scrutiny from those who are supposed to protect people, like the FDA,” says Oriene Shin, manager of safety advocacy for Consumer Reports. “Consumers should never have to risk their health when choosing personal care products, and yet, harmful ingredients in products marketed to Black women continue to go unaddressed. This inaction has failed Black women for too long, and policymakers should take the steps necessary to address these gaps and hold companies accountable when they put consumers at risk.”
Shamasunder summarized the conundrum: “Unfortunately, without systematic chemical policy reform, where safe ingredients are required in product manufacture, the burden is on scientists, advocates, and consumers in an often slow and onerous product-by-product approach.”
CR also contacted the Personal Care Products Council, a national trade association that represents hundreds of global cosmetics and personal care products companies, to find out whether there are any industry standards for manufacturing or ingredients.
Their spokesperson said, “PCPC does not represent the synthetic braiding industry, so we cannot provide commentary.”
So how are consumers supposed to know how to safely maneuver their way down the synthetic hair aisles? Should they just avoid using synthetic braiding hair altogether?
Janice Smith, CR’s senior content impact and outreach associate, expressed concerns about the safety and potential benefits of other products made with synthetic hair.
“I just wondered about braided wigs that are now becoming popular as folks don’t like sitting for hours to get their hair braided,” she said.
Those wigs, along with ponytails, can be removed daily if the wearer prefers that. All important questions.
“The simple answer is that it’s not simple,” said Christina Chapman, a radiation oncologist and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine who researches and writes about racial and gender equity in healthcare.
Acrylonitrile, an ingredient used to manufacture at least one synthetic braiding hair, for instance, can be harmful to the eyes, skin, lungs, and nervous system, and may cause cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both the EPA and the Department of Toxic Substances Control have classified it as a probable human carcinogen.
The DTSC and the EPA list vinyl chloride, another ingredient used to make at least one synthetic hair product, as carcinogenic. According to the National Cancer Institute, vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia.
Despite all the products having harmful chemicals present, CR braiding hair test leader Rogers says these test results prove that companies can do a better job of creating safer products.
“Some products had lower concentrations of VOCs, and at least one tested negative for heavy metals, including lead—a known carcinogen. This demonstrates that healthier products are possible, including products made without lead and with fewer VOCs,” he said.
The effects of racism need to be studied
Chapman argues that a major limiting factor in studies about the carcinogenic effects of Black women’s beauty products is that the studies don’t consider what she says is a major contributor to some cancers—stress from experiencing systemic anti-Black racism.
A 2022 study found that chronically stressful conditions, such as racism, have a direct impact on the cellular mechanisms that drive lethal, invasive forms of breast cancer.
“Let’s say there are carcinogenic materials in hair straighteners or in synthetic hair,” Chapman said. “Even if you completely remove those, that doesn’t solve the problem of anti-Black racism. Even if you develop hair products or hair straighteners that aren’t detrimental with respect to the chemicals in them, the fact is, you still have a system of anti-Black racism.”
“The scientific community,” she continued, “needs to perform higher-quality studies that measure racism more directly so that we can determine whether it’s really the chemicals in the hair or whether it’s the racism itself.”
What you can do
Rogers recommends that before buying and using a new pack of synthetic braiding hair, shoppers should:
Check for recalls. MedWatch is a good starting point (while our recent search didn’t reveal any recalls, they would be posted here). Consumers should also consult the manufacturers’ websites to see if there is additional information on the product.
Read product labels carefully. There could be important information on ingredients that could cause allergic or other adverse reactions.
Report adverse effects. If there are any adverse reactions when using braiding hair, consumers should report the issue(s) to their healthcare provider and to the FDA (via MedWatch).
James-Todd, the lab director of Harvard’s Environmental Reproductive Justice Lab, says her approach is to err on the side of caution.
“People say, ‘Well, there’s chemicals everywhere; I don’t care.’ But there are some things that are safer than other things,” she said. “People need to be a little more cognizant about what they may be exposing themselves and their kids to.”
Social media mavens on TikTok and YouTube swear by the trick of pre-rinsing with apple cider vinegar before installing synthetic braiding hair in order to “wash away” ingredients that may cause itching. Although it’s a commonly shared remedy, Silent Spring Institute scientist Elissia Franklin, PhD, who is leading a study on synthetic and natural hair, says there is currently no scientific evidence that rinsing is effective at reducing exposure to harmful chemicals.
Cheryl Burgess, MD, of the Center for Dermatology in Washington, D.C., clarifies that soaking the synthetic hair in apple cider vinegar may make it silkier and less hard and bristly. However, she says, “Rinsing is not a cure-all. You still can be irritated by the polyvinyl, the nylon, or whatever is being used.”
If you do choose to go the prerinsing route, Burgess also advises using caution: “You could potentially release harmful chemicals,” she said. “That’s why you’re not supposed to do it at 100% concentration. It should be a dilution of 2:1 water.”
Franklin recommends choosing to buy hair products with claims of using only nontoxic ingredients, but, she warns, “because the products do not need to be tested for these claims before they are put on the market, companies can make those claims without regulation.”
“For the most part,” she said, “relative to other products, those might be the better option for folks interested in being more conscientious consumers.”
An internet search for “nontoxic synthetic braiding hair” generates a list of brands that claim to be anti-itch, antibacterial, organic, and even biodegradable. “Plant-based” is also a recurring buzzword, as with such brands as Lillian Augusta Beauty, Nourie, and Róun Beauty. Rebundle, a line of braiding hair that lists banana fiber as its main ingredient, states that its products contain no polyvinyl chloride or phthalates. (A group of chemical compounds often used as plasticizers, phthalates have been identified as endocrine disruptors.) EZbraid also states that its brand is free of phthalates. (CR did not test these brands but is considering future tests of products labeled as nontoxic.)
Even with companies that make “nontoxic” claims, many of the manufacturer sites omit ingredients lists. As the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), says: “There are no legal standards for personal care products that are labeled ‘clean,’ ‘pure,’ ‘natural,’ or ‘organic.’”
So braid lovers attempting to do their due diligence can still find themselves tied up in knots.
“It’s unfair for the consumer to have to be the one to have to figure out,” said Kindred, the dermatologist. “That onus should fall on us, the medical professionals and the stylists.”
But she has found a ray of positivity amid all of these seemingly bleak beauty prospects. She says the expansion of a cosmetic chemistry science program at Spelman College in Atlanta is a program that gives her hope for the future.
“We’ll have a whole cadre of Black women that will be equipped to take this on,” Kindred said.
Likewise, James-Todd is optimistic about the rollout of a Department of Health and Human Services competition that awards innovators who are aiming to reduce EDC exposure risks for Black women. Phase 1 winners, according to a 2023 HHS press release, included Black Women for Wellness, which provides healthy hair information to Black communities in Los Angeles; Hackensack University Medical Center, which is creating an educational training program focused on racial/ethnic disparities related to salon products for hair professionals working in New Jersey’s salons; and Emily Hilz, a researcher in Austin, Texas, who is developing an app to help consumers reduce exposure to EDCs. Franklin also led a team that was a winner in phases 1 and 2; she is working on phase 3 now.
“Hopefully, as we become not only more aware, but the workforce becomes more diverse, we’ll be able to know more in order to advise better,” James-Todd said.
In the meantime, she recommends reducing the use of synthetic braiding hair to short-term rather than constant wear.
Thomas, the Albert Einstein student who turned her personal experience with these products into compelling professional research, echoes that sentiment: “While there has not yet been research to define the actual extent of risk of synthetic braids, one thing stylists and healthcare providers can do now is advise against immediately reinstalling a new set of braids after four to six weeks, to lessen overall exposure.”
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