Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair-Product-Purchasing Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Affiliated with a University in the Northeast

Payne, Cathryn E.; Rockson, Amber; Ashrafi, Adiba; McDonald, Jasmine A.; Bethea, Traci N.; Barrett, Emily S.; Llanos, Adana A. M.

doi:10.3390/ijerph20237129

IJERPH

2023

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237129

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Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair-Product-Purchasing Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Affiliated with a University in the Northeast

Cathryn E. Payne,

Amber Rockson,

Adiba Ashrafi

et al.

Abstract: (1) Background: Widespread personal care product (PCP) use can expose individuals to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) associated with adverse health outcomes. This study investigated the association between harm perceptions and hair-product-purchasing behaviors in adults enrolled in a cross-sectional study. (2) Methods: Respondents rated their agreement with five PCP-related harm statements using a five-point Likert scale. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the associat… Show more

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2024

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Cited by 3 publications

References 35 publications

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Asking Why Is Necessary to Address Health Disparities: A Critical Approach for Solution-Oriented Environmental Epidemiological Research

James-Todd,

Tomsho,

Gaston

et al. 2024

Environ Health Perspect

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Background: In environmental epidemiology, we use an array of tools from various, related disciplines to answer key questions about environmental exposures in relation to health outcomes. Typically, we ask questions related to what, who, where, when, and how. We value these questions because they contribute to novel scientific discovery and our understanding of disease etiology linked to environmental exposures. In addition, these questions help us better understand who might be at highest risk of exposure and subsequent risk of disease. Although necessary for the goals of environmental epidemiology, these questions are insufficient for addressing environmental health disparities. Specifically, these questions may be able to help us describe exposure–health outcome associations but are limited in their ability to move beyond identification to intervening on observed disparities to achieve environmental health equity. Objectives: We sought to emphasize the need to value and routinely add the key question of “Why?” in environmental epidemiological studies. In asking this additional critical question, we can identify and incorporate the structural determinants and drivers of environmental exposure disparities and determine whether these factors are linked to existing and historically recalcitrant health disparities. Further, we can design effective studies that build on existing frameworks to address the fundamental causes of environmental health disparities. Discussion: This commentary underscores the need to routinely incorporate “why” questions in the practice of environmental epidemiology. By asking and addressing “Why?” we can employ better, more solution-oriented study designs, improve data collection, and enhance our ability to collaborate with diverse study populations through trust-building and community-engaged research. Incorporating these approaches will move environmental epidemiology forward from mostly documenting to actively addressing environmental health disparities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14513

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Asking Why Is Necessary to Address Health Disparities: A Critical Approach for Solution-Oriented Environmental Epidemiological Research

James-Todd,

Tomsho,

Gaston

et al. 2024

Environ Health Perspect

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Bleached Hair as Standard Template to Insight the Performance of Commercial Hair Repair Products

Martins,

Castro,

Ribeiro

et al. 2024

Cosmetics

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The increasing demand for effective hair care products has highlighted the necessity for rigorous claims substantiation methods, particularly for products that target specific hair types. This is essential because the effectiveness of a product can vary significantly based on the hair’s condition and characteristics. A well-defined bleaching protocol is crucial for creating a standardized method to assess product efficacy, especially for products designed to repair damaged hair. The objective of this study was to create a practical bleaching protocol that mimics real-world consumer experiences, ensuring that hair samples exhibit sufficient damage for testing. This approach allows for a reliable assessment of how well various products can repair hair. The protocol serves as a framework for evaluating hair properties and the specific effects of each product on hair structure. Color, brightness, lightness, morphology, and topography were primarily used to understand the big differences in the hair fiber when treated with two repair benchmark products, K18® and Olaplex®, in relation to the Bleached hair. The devised bleaching protocol proved to be a fitting framework for assessing the properties of hair and the unique characteristics of each tested product within the hair fiber. This protocol offers valuable insights and tools for substantiating consumer claims, with morphological and mechanical methods serving as indispensable tools for recognizing and validating claims related to hair. The addition of K18® and Olaplex® demonstrated an increase in hair brightness (Y) and lightness (L* and a*) in relation to the Bleached samples, which were considered relevant characteristics for consumers. Olaplex®’s water-based nature creates a visible inner sheet, effectively filling empty spaces and improving the disulfide linkage network. This enhancement was corroborated by the increased number of disulfide bonds and evident changes in the FTIR profile. In contrast, K18®, owing to the lipophilic nature of its constituents, resulted in the formation of an external layer above the fiber. The composition of each of the products had a discrete impact on the fiber distribution, which was an outcome relevant to the determination of spreadability by consumers.

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Hair Dye and Relaxer Use among Cisgender Women in Embu and Nakuru Counties, Kenya: Associations with Perceived Risk of Breast Cancer and Other Health Effects

Llanos,

Ashrafi,

Olisa

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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Despite widespread use of hair products globally, little is known about the prevalence and patterns of use in populations outside the United States. As some hair products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and EDCs have been linked to breast cancer, which is increasing globally, in this study, we addressed key knowledge gaps about hair product use and practices, and perceptions of use among women in two counties in Kenya. Using community-engaged approaches in Embu and Nakuru, Kenya, we recruited women aged 15–50 years to complete a questionnaire that ascertained hair product use in the last 7–14 days, ever using hair dyes and chemical relaxers, and participants’ perceptions or harm around hair product use. In multivariable-adjusted regression models, we evaluated associations between participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of hair product use in relation to if they have ever used hair dyes and relaxers. In our sample of 746 women (mean age, 30.4 ± 8.1 years), approximately one-third of participants reported ever using permanent and/or semi-permanent hair dyes, with approximately one-fifth reporting current use. Almost 60% reported ever using chemical relaxers, with a little over one-third reporting current use. Increasing age and having an occupation in the sales and service industry were statistically significant predictors of hair dye use (OR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.06 and OR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.38–3.03, respectively) and relaxer use (OR 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06 and OR 1.93, 95% CI: 1.30–2.87). On average, participants reported moderate-to-high levels of concern about exposures and general health effects from using hair products, and relatively high levels of perceived risk of breast cancer related to hair product use. However, in contrast to our hypotheses, we observed mixed evidence regarding whether higher levels of perceived risk were associated with lower odds of ever using hair dyes and relaxers. These findings add new knowledge to the extant literature on hair product use among women in Kenya, where breast cancer incidence rates are increasing. Improving the understanding of patterns of use of specific products and their chemical ingredients—which may be hormone disruptors or carcinogens—and exploring the role of environmental health literacy are critical for developing interventions to reduce potentially harmful exposures found in these products.

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Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair-Product-Purchasing Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Affiliated with a University in the Northeast

Cited by 3 publications

References 35 publications

Asking Why Is Necessary to Address Health Disparities: A Critical Approach for Solution-Oriented Environmental Epidemiological Research

Asking Why Is Necessary to Address Health Disparities: A Critical Approach for Solution-Oriented Environmental Epidemiological Research

Bleached Hair as Standard Template to Insight the Performance of Commercial Hair Repair Products

Hair Dye and Relaxer Use among Cisgender Women in Embu and Nakuru Counties, Kenya: Associations with Perceived Risk of Breast Cancer and Other Health Effects

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