| Hair sprays keep hair in place and protect it from | | | | refrigerators, cleaning solvents and plastic foams. |
| moisture. They are used by both men and women to | | | | In view of this, manufactures have sub¬stituted |
| look good and presentable. But are they safe to use? | | | | CFCs with other propellants but that doesn't make |
| Do they have any side effects? | | | | hair sprays safe either. The reason: the new |
| The old types of hair sprays were made of lacquer | | | | propellant gasses are flammable and may explode in |
| (shellac dissolved in alcohol) while the newer ones | | | | your face. They should never be used when you're |
| contain polymer or elastesse – a liquid elastic that | | | | smoking or around an open flame. |
| keeps the hair stiff and firm without snapping. Other | | | | "Hair sprays may make your hair more flammable |
| ingredients are a solvent (often alcohol), conditioners | | | | both by depositing a layer of potentially flammable |
| and perfumes. | | | | ingredients and by increasing the amount of |
| Aerosol sprays have propellants. Those used in the | | | | flame-supporting oxygen cir¬culating through your |
| past were chlorofluorocarbons 11 and 12 which are | | | | (teased or bouffant) hair," according to Carol Ann |
| not flammable. However, both were banned by the | | | | Rinzler in “Cosmetics: What the Ads Don’t |
| US Food and Drug Administration because of the | | | | Tell You.” |
| threat they pose to the Earth's ozone layer. | | | | “Hair spray is extremely flammable, more so |
| Ozone is a form of oxygen which protects us from | | | | before it is dry. The result of ignition is moderate to |
| the harmful rays of the sun. The ozone layer is found | | | | serious burns to the hair and upper torso, sometimes |
| about 30 miles above the earth and blocks the sun's | | | | resulting in death,” added the editors of |
| ultraviolet rays which are responsible for sunburn and | | | | Wikipedia. |
| skin cancer. | | | | The perfumes and films in some products can cause |
| Scientists believe the use of hair sprays is a factor in | | | | allergic reactions in the form of skin rashes, itchy, |
| the thinning of the ozone layer. This, they said, | | | | burning eyes and sneezing. In¬haling propellants can |
| explains why skin cancer has become more common | | | | be fatal while plastic films can damage the eyes if |
| and why sunbathing is more harmful now than | | | | you accidentally spray them. |
| before. | | | | The long-term use of hair sprays has also been linked |
| Because it is very unstable, ozone is easily destroyed | | | | to various lung conditions like thesaurosis - the |
| by pollutants like methane, nitrogen, oxides and | | | | accumulation of unusual amounts of normal or foreign |
| chlorofluoro¬carbons (or CFCS for short). The latter | | | | sub¬stances in the body. |
| was widely used in aerosol cans, air conditioners, | | | | |