Woman suffers kidney damage after hair-straightening session

A young woman experienced kidney damage following hair-straightening treatments at a salon. Despite her prior good health, she underwent treatments in June 2020, April 2021, and July 2022, each time suffering from symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and back pain, India Today reported.

She also noted scalp burning and developed ulcers afterward. Doctors, documenting her case in The New England Journal of Medicine, observed elevated creatinine levels in her blood, indicative of kidney dysfunction. Although no signs of infection or urinary obstruction were detected by a CT scan, blood was found in her urine.

The woman's hair treatments involved a straightening cream containing glyoxylic acid, likely responsible for the scalp burning and ulcers.

In an effort to comprehend the link between glyoxylic acid and kidney damage, doctors conducted a mouse experiment. They exposed five mice to the straightening product containing 10 per cent glyoxylic acid and another five to petroleum jelly as a control group.

The crystals found in the urine of the treated mice resembled those from individuals who had ingested ethylene glycol, a hazardous chemical present in household items such as antifreeze, the report noted.

Mice exposed to the hair product exhibited higher creatinine levels and increased calcium oxalate monohydrate in their kidneys within 28 hours compared to the control group.

Remarkably, the woman's kidney function recovered swiftly after each salon visit, suggesting short-lived effects.

Nonetheless, the treating doctors caution against the use of glyoxylic acid in hair treatments, advocating for potential discontinuation due to its associated risks.

Despite its recent adoption in hair-straightening products as a safer alternative to formaldehyde, anecdotal evidence suggests a potential link to kidney disease.

A recent study in Israel involving 26 patients with kidney injuries revealed that some had used products containing glycolic acid derivatives, which metabolize into glyoxylic acid in the liver, the publication noted.