Israeli Hospitals Warn of Kidney Damage from Hair Straightening Treatments

A 14-year-old girl from Western Galilee has been hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya after undergoing a hair straightening procedure. She developed kidney dysfunction, prompting doctors to reiterate warnings about the dangers of such cosmetic treatments for adolescents. Dr. Yoav Hoffman, head of pediatric intensive care, stated that this is not the first instance of severe complications following hair straightening. He emphasized that medical professionals strongly advise against these procedures for children, citing the "completely unjustified risk."

Last week, a 16-year-old from Tel Aviv was admitted to Wolfson Medical Center in Holon with general weakness, abdominal pain, and nausea hours after straightening her hair at home. While her initial kidney function tests were normal, they more than doubled within hours, leading to a diagnosis of kidney failure. Dr. Meital Keidar, head of pediatric nephrology at Wolfson, described the patient's condition as initially mild but noted the rapid deterioration of her kidney function.

In July, a woman in Hadera also required intensive care for severe kidney failure after a similar home treatment. This prompted the Ministry of Health to launch an investigation, inspect the product manufacturer, and file a police complaint. The ministry had previously warned about the product "Legend," distributed by Hezi Eden, and demanded its immediate removal from sale pending laboratory results.

Earlier in May, the Ministry of Health cautioned against "Kerating Organic Smooth PRADA," a hair straightening product being distributed without proper licensing. The ministry specifically highlighted concerns about glyoxylic acid, banning hair straightening products containing it due to its link to kidney failure cases. The Ministry of Health advises consumers to ensure cosmetic products are approved and to avoid those with unverified ingredients. They also reiterate that hair straightening is not recommended for individuals under 16.