A Survey on Health Effects in a Human Population Exposed to Permanent‐Waving Solution Containing Thioglycolic Acid

This study investigated the health effects of thioglycolic acid (TGA) in permanent-waving solutions on humans, focusing on female hairdressers. It involved 57 hairdressers and 64 schoolteachers, revealing a higher menoxenia rate among hairdressers (22.81% vs 9.38%, p<0.05). A mutagenic activity test on urine from 8 hairdressers and 8 medical students showed significantly higher activity in hairdressers (110.30 ± 45.95 vs 28.43 ± 19.33, p<0.01). Additionally, a micronucleus assay on hair follicle cells from 16 volunteers showed increased micronuclei presence 24 hours post-waving (12.44‰ vs 3.13‰, p<0.001). The findings suggested potential reproductive and carcinogenic risks for hairdressers due to TGA exposure.