Hair straightening products, including relaxers and other chemicals, have long been a part of many women’s daily cosmetic routines. However, recent research has revealed that the chemicals used to make these goods may pose a considerable risk to users’ health. One of the potential risks associated with hair relaxer chemicals is uterine cancer. As a result, some makers of these products have been sued.
Researchers have determined that exposure to carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals in hair relaxers causes various disorders, including endometriosis and ovarian and uterine cancer. These are the only diagnoses for which a person can pursue a claim connected to using a hair relaxer as of March 2023. Talk to hair relaxer attorneys so that they can evaluate your case to determine whether you are eligible for compensation from hair relaxer makers.
How can hair relaxers cause uterine cancer?
Uterine cancer is not the only major health problem linked to chemical hair relaxers and straighteners. According to research published in the International Journal of Cancer in May 2021, women who used these items, as well as perms and hair color, had a higher risk of breast cancer.
How are these hair products so dangerous? Naturally, the answers are in the substances, especially in endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. According to the Environmental Working Group, one of every twelve cosmetic care items offered to Black women contains harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, bisphenol-A, and phthalates. Sodium hydroxide is an ingredient in many “lye” hair relaxers, which can cause sores and burns on the scalp and aid in absorbing hair relaxer ingredients. Even “no-lye” hair relaxers can cause blisters and burn on the scalp.
Regarding generating adverse health concerns, phthalates are considered one of the biggest offenders among these substances. Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not required to regulate cosmetic items and such products are not required to publish a comprehensive list of their components, many manufacturers choose to label phthalates as “fragrances” or “perfume.” Phthalates are hormonally active because they have estrogenic effects in animals.
Northwestern Medicine researchers discovered a relationship between DEHP, the phthalate most often present in hair relaxers (and many other consumer items), and tumor growth. In women, this particular chemical may trigger a hormonal pathway that raises the chance of malignant tumors and, by extension, certain forms of cancer.
Have you faced any adverse effects after using hair relaxers? Do not stay silent. Speak to an experienced attorney immediately and determine your next steps.
