The FDA has not banned hair relaxers containing formaldehyde. As of early 2026, the agency has not even formally published its proposed rule to restrict formaldehyde-based hair smoothing and straightening products. Products containing formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals remain legal to manufacture, sell, and use throughout the United States.
What the Proposed Rule Would Cover
The rule under development does not target every product people call a “relaxer.” It targets formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals used in hair smoothing and straightening treatments. The formal title is “Use of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-Releasing Chemicals as an Ingredient in Hair Smoothing Products or Hair Straightening Products,” with Regulation Identifier Number 0910-AI83.
That distinction matters. Traditional lye and no-lye relaxers work through sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide and related alkaline compounds, breaking and reforming protein bonds in the hair without heat. Formaldehyde-based smoothing treatments, often sold as “Brazilian Blowouts” or “keratin treatments,” are chemically different. They contain formaldehyde or chemicals that release formaldehyde gas when heated, creating cross-links between hair proteins.1U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Hair Smoothing Products That Release Formaldehyde When Heated If the FDA rule is finalized as drafted, it would reach the smoothing and straightening category, not the traditional alkaline relaxer category.
Names to watch for include formaldehyde itself, methylene glycol, and formalin. Methylene glycol and formalin are essentially formaldehyde in solution, and these ingredients don’t always appear on labels under recognizable names.2U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products – What You Should Know
Where the Rulemaking Stands in 2026
The rule has stalled well short of formal action. It has not been published in the Federal Register, so the public comment period has never opened, and no enforceable regulation is close to taking effect. The FDA first announced its intent to pursue this rule several years ago, and the target date for publishing the proposal has been pushed back repeatedly.
On the FDA’s entry in the Unified Regulatory Agenda, the most recent target for publishing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was December 2025. That deadline passed without action. An FDA spokesperson stated in early 2026 that the proposed rule “continues to remain a priority for the Agency” but acknowledged the agency “may adjust the anticipated publication date of this and other proposed rules when appropriate.” No legal penalty attaches to missing these self-imposed dates, because they aren’t required by Congress.
The rule has now spanned two administrations. It was developed but never formally published during the Biden administration, and the transition to the second Trump administration introduced further uncertainty. The current Department of Health and Human Services has listed “harmful chemical exposures” from consumer products among its stated priorities, but that language has not translated into specific forward movement on this rule. Until the proposal appears in the Federal Register, there is nothing for the public to comment on and no path to finalization.
Why the FDA Wants to Restrict These Products
The case for restricting formaldehyde in hair products rests on two lines of evidence.
Formaldehyde as a Known Carcinogen
Formaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the same category as asbestos and tobacco smoke. The U.S. National Toxicology Program also lists it as a known human carcinogen. Studies of workers regularly exposed to formaldehyde, including embalmers and certain industrial workers, have found elevated rates of nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia.3National Cancer Institute. Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk
Short-term exposure to formaldehyde gas causes eye irritation, nosebleeds, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Salon workers are especially exposed because they apply these treatments repeatedly throughout the workday in enclosed spaces. Regulatory attention first grew after an Oregon salon worker reported symptoms while using a product labeled “formaldehyde-free” that tested positive for formaldehyde.4Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Hair Smoothing Products That Could Release Formaldehyde
Hair Straightener Use and Uterine Cancer
A 2022 study from the National Institutes of Health, known as the Sister Study, found that women who used hair straightening products were roughly 80 percent more likely to develop uterine cancer compared to women who never used them. Among frequent users, defined as more than four times in the previous year, the risk was about two and a half times higher.5Oxford University Press. Use of Straighteners and Other Hair Products and Incident Uterine Cancer
One important caveat: the Sister Study did not collect data on specific brands or ingredients. Researchers could not identify which chemicals drove the risk. The study grouped together formaldehyde-based smoothing treatments, traditional chemical relaxers, and heated pressing products, so the elevated risk may not be attributable to formaldehyde alone. The authors noted that because pressing products are less chemically harsh, their inclusion likely understates the true risk from chemical straighteners and relaxers.5Oxford University Press. Use of Straighteners and Other Hair Products and Incident Uterine Cancer
How to Spot Formaldehyde on a Product Label
Because no ban is in effect, avoiding these chemicals is currently up to the consumer. Formaldehyde rarely appears under its own name. The FDA advises checking ingredient lists for formaldehyde, formalin, and methylene glycol, and treating any of those names as an indication that the product contains formaldehyde or will release it when heated.2U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products – What You Should Know
Other formaldehyde-releasing preservatives that appear in personal care products include:
- Quaternium-15, considered one of the most sensitizing formaldehyde releasers
- DMDM hydantoin, a common preservative in shampoos and conditioners
- Imidazolidinyl urea, one of the most widely used antimicrobial agents in personal care products
- Diazolidinyl urea, which releases the most formaldehyde of the common preservatives
- Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, also called bronopol
Some products have carried “formaldehyde-free” labels while still containing formaldehyde-releasing chemicals. The Oregon investigation that helped trigger regulatory interest began with exactly that scenario. If a product does not include an ingredient list at all, the FDA recommends not buying it.2U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products – What You Should Know
The Lawsuits Are Separate From the Rulemaking
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of chemical hair straightening products, alleging that long-term use caused uterine, endometrial, or ovarian cancer. The cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation known as MDL 3060, managed by a federal court in Illinois. As of early 2026, there are approximately 11,440 pending cases in the MDL, no trials have taken place, and no settlements have been announced. Based on the current schedule, the first bellwether trial is not expected until 2027.
The lawsuits and the FDA rulemaking are on separate tracks. A plaintiff does not need to wait for the FDA to finalize any rule to sue, and the FDA does not need to wait for trial outcomes to move forward. A final FDA determination that formaldehyde in these products is unsafe would likely strengthen plaintiffs’ claims in court, but nothing about the litigation restricts what products are sold today.
What Would Still Have To Happen Before a Ban Takes Effect
Even if the FDA published the proposed rule immediately, a final ban would still be months or years away. The rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedure Act moves in defined steps.
First, the FDA publishes the proposed rule in the Federal Register, opening a formal public comment period. For rules of this significance, comment periods typically run 60 to 90 days. Manufacturers, salon workers, scientists, advocacy groups, and individual consumers can submit feedback during that window.
After the comment period closes, the FDA must review every substantive comment. Depending on volume and complexity, that alone can take months. The agency may revise the rule, withdraw it, issue a new proposal, or move toward finalization.6U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Rules and Regulations
If the FDA finalizes the rule, it publishes the final version in the Federal Register with a compliance date usually set some months in the future, giving manufacturers time to reformulate and clear existing inventory. Industry legal challenges could delay enforcement further. Given the current pace, products containing formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers will remain on the market for the foreseeable future, and any decision to avoid them is one consumers have to make on their own.