Proposed Ban, Which Followed Pressley-Brown Inquiry, Has Been Delayed Two Times

Text of Letter (PDF)

BOSTON – Today, Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Shontel Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting an update on delays in implementation of a rule to ban formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in hair products. The FDA’s proposed ban, which follows a March 2023 letter from Reps. Pressley and Brown calling for an investigation into the health risks posed by chemical hair straighteners, has been delayed twice since April 2024.

“Extended exposure to formaldehyde during these treatments has been linked to increased incidences of cancer, respiratory issues, and adverse reproductive outcomes,” wrote the lawmakers. “Of particular concern is the disproportionate impact on women of color, who are more likely to use these products and thus face heightened health risks.”

Despite being a known carcinogen, formaldehyde is widely used in hair relaxers and other chemical hair straighteners. Formaldehyde exposure is linked to serious health conditions, including myeloid leukemia, breast cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer. Research has found that those who used straighteners at least every five to eight weeks had a 31 percent higher breast cancer risk, compared with 18 percent for less frequent use.

These chemicals pose a disproportionate risk to Black women and other women of color. Research suggests that about 50 percent of products advertised to Black women contain these types of chemicals, compared with about 7 percent that are advertised to White women.  

In October 2023, the FDA proposed the ban of formaldehyde in hair products following a letter led by Reps. Pressley and Brown, which called on the agency to investigate the health risks associated with the chemical. Unfortunately, since April 2024, there has been no further movement or next steps regarding the implementation of the ban.

In the letter, the lawmakers ask the FDA for information about the reasons for the delay and the timeline for finalization of the ban. 

“As the FDA works to address these pressing issues, it is essential to continue to highlight the gravity of formaldehyde exposure, as highlighted by both epidemiological data and laboratory research,” continued the lawmakers. “Ensuring that regulatory actions align with the best interests of public health, remains the goal and we look forward to your prompt response.”

Specifically, the lawmakers asked FDA to answer the following questions:

• What factors have contributed to the two-time delay in the implementation of the ban and are there clear timelines or milestones moving forward that stakeholders can anticipate leading up to and after the ban proposal is released?
• Does the FDA share any concerns about how a delay in their rulemaking is potentially prolonging the dangerous health effects of the use of formaldehyde in communities of color?
• What steps has the agency taken to do outreach among stakeholders to proactively mitigate any disruptions to businesses and ensure they will be prepared when a ban is officially implemented?

For a full copy of the letter, click here.

Congresswoman Pressley has been steadfast in her advocacy for Black women’s health, ending race-based hair discrimination, and introducing policies that affirm the right of Black women to show up in the world as their full, authentic selves.

• Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, legislation with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05) that would ban discrimination based on hair textures and hairstyles that are commonly associated with a particular race or national origin.
• In June, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02) led their colleagues in re-introducing the Wigs as Durable Medical Equipment Act, legislation to help individuals affected by Alopecia Areata and patients with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy by allowing medical wigs and other head coverings to be covered under the Medicare program.
• In May, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) introduced the Recognition of Traction Alopecia in Service Women Act of 2023 to support servicemembers with traction alopecia.
• In April, Rep. Pressley reintroduced the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act, a bicameral bill to declare structural racism a public health crisis and confront its public health impacts through two bold new programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in September 2020.
• In 2020, the House passed an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Pressley to provide $5 million dollars for the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to fund research on the causes, impacts, and possible treatments of Alopecia areata.
• In December 2019, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky seeking information on the targeted marketing and sale of the company’s talc-based baby powder and its potential to cause harm, particularly to women, teenage girls, and people of color, due to asbestos contamination. 

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