STEP away from the hair straightener, ladies - the way we style our hair may be putting our health at risk, according to new research out of the US.
Just 10 minutes of heat-based hair care exposes a person to the same nanoparticle pollution as they would get standing in heavy motorway traffic for the same amount of time, reported Purdue University researchers.
This is due to the heat from the hair tool vaporising volatile chemicals found in products such as conditioners, hair sprays, or creams, and releasing them into the air in the form of tiny nanoparticles.
Those particles may then be inhaled, potentially leading to respiratory stress and lung inflammation, and have even been linked with cognitive decline.
"This is really quite concerning - studies of this kind have not been done before, so until now, the public has had little understanding of the potential health risks posed by their everyday haircare routines," said study lead Dr Nusrat Jung.
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