Gangwon Province Confirms Safety of Distributed Functional Hair Loss Cosmetics... All 50 Products Found "Compliant"

Gangwon Province Inspects 50 Distributed Products
All Restricted Ingredients and Hazardous Substances Meet Safety Standards

The Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Institute of Health and Environment announced on January 13, 2026, that it had collected and conducted safety inspections on 50 functional cosmetic products distributed and sold in the province in 2025, which claim to help alleviate hair loss symptoms. All products were found to be "compliant."

This inspection targeted zinc pyrithione, a restricted ingredient, as well as heavy metals (lead, nickel, arsenic, mercury, antimony, cadmium) and methanol, which are of concern for human health. The results showed that all substances were either not detected or detected below the regulatory limits, confirming the safety of the products.

Among the products examined, eight were labeled as containing zinc pyrithione, while 42 were not. All labeled products were found to contain zinc pyrithione below the permitted limit, and no zinc pyrithione was detected in the unlabeled products. Therefore, both the usage and labeling standards were met.

Additionally, all heavy metals, including lead, nickel, arsenic, mercury, antimony, and cadmium, were detected below the regulatory limits, and methanol was not detected in any of the products.

Zinc pyrithione is a substance that can cause eye irritation. In Korea, its use as a preservative is limited to rinse-off products at concentrations of 0.5% or less. For rinse-off products such as shampoos and conditioners intended to alleviate dandruff or itching, as well as functional cosmetics for alleviating hair loss symptoms, the total zinc pyrithione content is restricted to 1.0% or less. Its use is strictly regulated and prohibited in other types of cosmetics.

Shin Incheol, Director of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Institute of Health and Environment, stated, "To ensure that residents can use cosmetics with peace of mind, we plan to continue conducting safety inspections on distributed cosmetics in 2026. If any non-compliant products are identified, we will take prompt and proactive measures, such as immediately blocking their distribution."