Is Lead Acetate safe for use as a hair color?
Lead Acetate has been used in the United States as a color additive in progressive hair dyes for over 40 years. It is specifically approved for hair dye use based on extensive scientific studies. In order to be approved for this use, a color additive petition was required by the Food and Drug Administration to establish safety. The safety data submitted in support of this petition included results from trials on humans using the products. In the trials, people using the product under controlled conditions of use were monitored for the amount of lead in their bloodstream. No significant increase in blood levels of lead was seen in the trial subjects indicating that the lead was not absorbed into the body through such use. These data allowed FDA to determine that safe conditions of use could be established, and a color additive regulation (Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 73.2396) allowing the use of Lead Acetate in hair dyes was established. The regulation requires t
