Moroccan Woman in ICU After Hair Treatment: Unregulated Beauty Products Spark Health Crisis

The young woman suffered serious complications after a hair treatment session based on "protein" in a beauty salon on Avenue 2 Mars in Casablanca. The victim felt intense headaches, followed by rapid swelling of the face after the product was applied. Panicked, the salon employees called for help. The young woman was rushed to the hospital where she was admitted to intensive care. An investigation has been opened, under the supervision of the competent prosecutor’s office, to shed light on this case.

This incident reignites the debate on the effectiveness of control measures in beauty salons specializing in keratin or protein-based hair treatments. These popular practices in Morocco represent a danger to the health of Moroccan women. In 2024, the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) issued an alert on glyoxylic acid, a substance used in so-called "formaldehyde-free" straightening products that can cause kidney damage.

Between January and September 2024, four cases of acute kidney failure were reported in France. Beyond kidney complications, the use of these products also carries respiratory and dermatological risks. The frequent use of straightening products also increases the risk of uterine cancer, according to a study published in 2022 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Faced with the resurgence of cases related to imported or counterfeit hair products in Morocco, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection has recommended the temporary suspension of certain hair treatments containing carcinogenic substances. Voices are rising to call for the adoption of stricter standards, in coordination with specialized international bodies.