A cleaning woman ’s hair fear function seems to have given her repeated turn of kidney price . In a young case survey this calendar month , her doctors describe how the woman ’s role of hair - straightening products curb a sure ingredient likely injure her kidney . The ingredient , call up glyoxylic pane , has been bind to similar incidents in the past tense and the author argue that its inclusion in these products should possibly be discontinued .
The type wasdetailedearlier this month in the New England Journal of Medicine . According to the account , the 26 - yr - older womanhood began to receive episodes of back painful sensation , feverishness , disgorgement , and diarrhea on day that she received hair - straighten treatments at a salon . She also report feel a burn genius on her head following the treatments , which caused actual ulcers to form on the scalp . The symptoms recurred during three sojourn she made to the beauty salon between 2020 to 2022 and dissipated rapidly thereafter . And she reported being treat with a straightening emollient that contained glyoxylic acid at each fitting .
The Dr. ’ medical tests on the woman notice lounge sign of kidney injury , such as increase creatinine levels and blood in her urine . But she did n’t seem to have an contagion or other recognise movement of acute kidney damage , such as blockages along her urinary tract . give the timing of the fair sex ’s symptom and the want of any other account , the doctors say that her exposure to glyoxylic acid was the most likely culprit . But they went one step further to be certain , conduct experiments with mice .
Image: JAYANNPO (Shutterstock)
The authors disclose the dorsum of some mice to the very same product used on the womanhood and compared them to a control chemical group ( these shiner were merely blur in rock oil jelly ) . The next day , tests found higher level of creatinine in the treated mice compare to control . And only the exposed mice had “ elongate ” crystals of a chemical know as atomic number 20 oxalate monohydrate in their water as well as deposits of Ca oxalate monohydrate inside their kidneys .
base on these experiment and other evidence , the writer conclude that the glyoxylic acid in the product was absorbed through the woman ’s hide , eventually extend to the kidneys . The breakdown of glyoxylic acid then led to the organization of sharp enough atomic number 20 oxalate crystals to damage the kidney .
The authors ’ findings have “ demonstrated convincingly ” that apply hair unbend creams containing glyoxylic acid locally , that is , externally , “ can cause kidney damage , ” Joshua David King , an associate professor of medical specialty and apothecary’s shop at the University of Maryland not affiliated with the research , toldLive Science .
Interestingly enough , glyoxylic acid and similar chemicals are intended to be safer alternatives to formaldehyde , which has long been used in haircloth - straightening intersection but is now being phase out in many countries overconcerns of its short and long - condition perniciousness , include a potential increased risk of cancer ( the U.S. isexpectedto formalize a forbiddance by next year ) . But this case sketch is only the up-to-the-minute piece of grounds to tie in thesesupposedly safer productsto the risk of exposure of kidney damage .
While the woman ’s symptoms were short - lasting , the authors say their case should swear out as a warning about the possible risks of glyoxylic acid in hair - straightening products and that such products might need to be ward off or even “ break from the grocery . ”
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , science , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the hereafter , deliver to your present tense .
