There is a growing number of lawsuits which claim that hair relaxers contain toxic chemicals. These chemicals can cause cancer and disrupt hormones according to a recent study released by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which is part of the National Institute of Health (NIH).
The Sister Study, a study led by NIEHS, included 33,497 U.S. women ages 35-74 and sought to identify risk factors for breast cancer and other health conditions. The women were followed for almost 11 years and during that time 378 uterine cancer cases were diagnosed. The researchers found that women who reported frequent use, defined as more than four times in the previous year, of hair straightening products were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to those who did not use the products.
“We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners would go on to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70; but for frequent users, that risk goes up to 4.05%,” said Alexandra White, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology group and lead author on the new study. “This doubling rate is concerning. However, it is important to put this information into context – uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer.”[1]
According to Reuters, more than 54 cases have been filed in Federal Court. The cases, which include some class actions, name L’Oreal and subsidiaries of India-based companies Godrej SON Holdings Inc and Dabur International Ltd.
If you or a loved one used hair straightening chemicals and have been diagnosed with uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, or ovarian cancer, please call our office at 251-343-1111 or 800-332-1529 for a free evaluation.
[1] NIH News Release October 17, 2022