Hair Straighteners Linked to Cancer:
Women have been trying to create straight, silky smooth hair for decades. From home products you buy in a box at the drug store to expensive chemical treatments performed by a stylist in the salon, hair straighteners are a billion-dollar business. Companies market these products heavily to black women in the U.S. But there are unintended consequences to this quest for beauty.
The Dangers of Chemical Hair Straighteners
Unfortunately, some people who’ve used hair straighteners in the past are developing uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. In 2022, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health published a large sister study indicating that women who used chemical hair straighteners were at higher risk of uterine cancer. Similar studies have also shown higher ovarian cancer rates among users of these straighteners.Many chemical hair straighteners contain powerful endocrine-disrupting chemicals or EDCs, including:
- Lye or sodium hydroxide
- Formaldehyde
- Cyclosiloxanes
- Parabens
- Diethanolamine
- Phthalates
- Benzophenone-3 and
- Triclosan
These endocrine disrupters are linked to many adverse side effects, including:
- Developmental problems with embryos, fetuses, and children
- Developing allergy sensitivities
- Burning eyes, skin, nose, and lungs
- Respiratory complications and asthma
- Hair loss
- Infertility or reduced fertility
- Endometriosis
- Skin conditions and rashes
- Impaired immune system
- Vision loss
- Increased risk of certain cancers
Many chemical straighteners also contain formaldehyde, which is classified as a carcinogen by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. A carcinogen is a substance capable of causing cancer. A recent IARC report on formaldehyde states, “There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde.”
Hair Straightener Lawsuits
Now, many manufacturers of chemical hair straighteners are facing lawsuits from women with cancer. Some companies named in lawsuits so far include:
- Dark and Lovely
- Just for Me
- L’Oreal
- Olive Oil Girls
- Optimum
- Motions
- Namaste
- Soft & Beautiful
- Strength of Nature Global LLC and
- TCB Naturals
You Need an Experienced Attorney
If you’ve used hair straighteners in the past and are now facing uterine, ovarian, or endometrial cancer, the two may be related. Find out how the Madeksho Law Firm can help. Call us at 1-888-910-6376 or contact us online. Your first consultation will be free, and you won’t pay us a fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
