Final answer:
The FDA does not allow chemical depilatories to be advertised as a permanent hair removal method as they only remove hair above the skin's surface without affecting hair follicles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the advertising claims that companies can make regarding their hair removal products. When it comes to hair removers, specifically chemical depilatories, these are formulated to be a temporary solution for hair removal.
Chemical depilatories, such as gels, creams, lotions, aerosols, roll-ons, and powders, work by breaking down the disulfide bonds in the protein structure of hair, which weakens it and allows it to be easily wiped away from the skin's surface.
Examples of common brands include Nair, Magic Shave, and Veet. These products are effective at depilation, which is the removal of hair above the surface of the skin.
However, because they do not remove hair below the skin surface or destroy hair follicles, they are not considered a permanent hair removal method. Therefore, according to FDA regulations, companies producing chemical depilatories cannot advertise their products as a 'permanent' hair removal method.