Brazil's Anvisa Tightens Hair‑Straightening Product Rules

Brazil's health agency Anvisa has intensified oversight of hair‑straightening cosmetics, banning the use of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and glioxilic acid. The agency requires all straightening products to be registered and to contain only approved actives, including thioglycolic acid and its salts, sodium/potassium/lithium/calcium hydroxides, sulfites, bisulfites, pyrogallol and thio‑lactic acid. Health risks cited include the carcinogenic nature of formaldehyde and severe kidney damage linked to heated glioxilic acid. A high‑profile case in April 2025 saw a consultant from Ceará hospitalized after using a product containing glioxilic acid, reigniting public concern. Regulatory updates include Instruction No. 22 (April 2023) prohibiting glioxilic acid, RDC No. 906 (September 2024) setting technical registration standards, and the July 2025 GGMON safety report detailing the allowable ingredients. France’s health authority ANSES has recommended the EU limit or ban Brazilian‑style straighteners with glioxilic acid, showing the issue’s cross‑border relevance. The product Fiber Uberliss from Avlon Brazil is cited as an example of a product that complies with the new registration requirements.