On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered the removal of lead from all hair-coloring products in the United States.
Although a lot of (read: most) hair dye formulas no longer contain lead as an ingredient, there are still a few sold on the market, mainly to gradually recolor gray hair. Thankfully, the FDA is finally acknowledging that there are no safe levels of lead exposure.
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“In the nearly 40 years since lead acetate was initially approved as a color additive, our understanding of the hazards of lead exposure has evolved significantly,” FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. “We now know that the approved use of lead acetate in adult hair dyes no longer meets our safety standards.”
They’re giving companies like Grecian Formula—a popular recoloring product—a year to reformulate their products. Until then, labels must have a strong warning on them.
