Five brands of hair dye have been found to contain the potentially cancerous toxic chemical lentine, local consumer authorities said yesterday.

Five brands of hair dye have been found to contain the potentially cancerous toxic chemical lentine, local consumer authorities said on March 15. [news.zj.com photo]

The five well-known international brands include Revlon Color Silk, Ecosystem No 1 Hair Colorant, Sewame Eshine Colorants, Kangchen 3in1 and Ouwaiya hair dye (natural black), all of them produced in the southern province of Guangdong.

The hazardous elements in these brands were detected after the Guangdong provincial consumer commission checked hair dye produced by 21 companies early this year.

"The presence of lentine, widely used as a highly toxic industrial dye, is banned in hair dye," Guo Yuhua, spokesman of the Guangdong provincial food and drug administrative authority, said.

Inhaling the lentine vapor could cause respiratory diseases. If the chemical is absorbed by the skin, it may damage kidney and liver, Guo said.

The authority warned consumers to conduct an allergic test before using "any brands of hair dye".

Guo said local food and drug authorities, as well as industrial and commercial bureaus, are scanning the hair dye products in the market.

"Hair dye containing lentine will soon be pulled off the shelves," Guo said.

(China Daily March 17, 2009)