Formaldehyde

High Concern

Preservative / Contaminant

Also known as

formaldehydeformalinmethanalmethylene oxideformic aldehyde

The concern

IARC Group 1 carcinogen — causes nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia. Used directly in some keratin hair treatments and nail hardeners, and released by formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. OSHA sets workplace exposure limits.

Read the source: IARC

What to look for on labels

This ingredient may appear under any of the following names or codes on product labels:

Formaldehyde
formaldehyde
formalin
methanal
methylene oxide
formic aldehyde

Learn more

Read the full evidence directly from the authoritative source.

View source — IARC

Data sourced from IARC, FDA, EFSA, WHO and EWG public data. For informational purposes only. This does not constitute medical or legal advice.

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