For Black women and girls across the country, braiding hair is not just a beauty choice. It is a cultural staple, worn close to the body for months at a time. But the products behind those styles may be carrying something far more harmful than most people realize. James E. Rogers, PhD, Director and Head of Product Safety Testing at Consumer Reports, has spent the past two years building a case through rigorous testing that braiding hair products are loaded with heavy metals and toxic chemicals, and that very little is being done to protect the people who use them most.
What Consumer Reports found in braiding hair
Consumer Reports first tested artificial braiding hair about a year ago after asking Black women directly what personal care products concerned them most. Braiding hair came out on top. The team tested for heavy metals including lead, arsenic, and cadmium, as well as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The initial study found lead in about 9 out of 10 products and VOCs in a number of samples, with notably high levels of acetone.
The follow-up study expanded the scope significantly. Rogers and his team tested 30 products across human hair, plant-based braiding hair, collagen braiding hair, and products labeled as safer, organic, or hypoallergenic. The results showed that the problem runs deeper than the first report suggested.
“We found that the 9 human hair samples we tested had extreme amounts of lead, higher than anything else that we’ve tested so far,” Rogers said. “That’s kind of sad, because that was one of the alternative products that women go to when they are not compatible with synthetic braiding hair.”
Why lead in braiding hair is a serious concern
The danger with lead is not just a single exposure. Rogers explained that long-term contact with the chemical, what scientists call chronic exposure, is where the real harm begins.
“For adults, lead can increase the chance of diabetes and cancer,” he said. “For children that are exposed to lead, it can cause developmental issues and behavioral issues. Lead-based paint studies showed how it was hurting the IQs of children that grew up in homes with it.”
Rogers pointed to at least three ways the chemicals can enter the body. Tight braiding can cause small tears in the scalp, giving chemicals a direct path in. VOCs released from the hair during heat styling can be inhaled, particularly in braiding salons with limited airflow. And small particles of hair can transfer to the mouth through everyday activity, something Rogers noted is especially relevant for young children.
Safer braiding hair already exists
One of the more striking findings from the investigation was that two products tested with little to no heavy metals, proving that cleaner manufacturing is already possible.
“That means that these manufacturers can make a product that is safer,” Rogers said. “That gives me at least hope that in the heavy metals arena, we can get more and more products that do not have heavy metals.”
He also noted that products marketed as safe or organic did not consistently perform better than standard synthetic options, making labeling an unreliable guide for consumers trying to make safer choices.
The push for regulation
Rogers made clear that better products alone will not fix the problem. Consumer Reports is calling on the FDA to begin testing braiding hair, set acceptable limits for lead and other chemicals, and pull unsafe products from shelves. The organization is also supporting state-level legislation in New York and Washington.
“It is going to be Black women using their economic power in choosing to buy or not buy these products that will hopefully push this market toward a safer number of products,” Rogers said. “This will not happen without their efforts and support.”
Both the current report and the original 2025 study are available at consumerreports.org, where consumers can also sign the petition calling on the FDA to act.