A study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that women who use chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers are more likely to develop uterine cancer. Women who use hair straightening or hair relaxing products may also be at risk of other cancers, including ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.
At least eight lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of chemical hair straighteners or relaxers on behalf of women who were diagnosed with cancer after using these products. Women who used hair straighteners or relaxers and were diagnosed with uterine, ovarian, or endometrial cancer may also qualify to file a lawsuit.
Increased Cancer Risk Linked to Straighteners & Relaxers
According to the study published by the NIH in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, women who used chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with uterine cancer as women who had never used these products.
The NIH found that 4% of women involved in the study who had used hair straighteners or hair relaxers had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. By comparison, only 1.6% of women in the study who never used hair straightening or hair relaxing products had developed cancer of the uterus.
The NIH researchers who conducted the study also noted that Black women had the highest rate of uterine cancer cases among the women who were involved in the study.
Although African-American women are not more likely to develop cancer from using hair straighteners or relaxers than women of other races, because Black women are among the most frequent users of hair straightening or relaxing products, the number of cancer cases linked to their use was highest among this segment of the population.
Researchers have also found that in addition to the increased uterine cancer risk associated with chemical hair straighteners and relaxers, women who used these products may also be at risk of developing ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer.
Lawsuits Filed on Behalf of Women Diagnosed With Cancer
Following the publication of the NIH study, the first chemical hair straighteners cancer lawsuit was filed against L’Oreal on behalf of a Missouri woman diagnosed with uterine cancer. The lawsuit alleged that the woman developed cancer and was forced to undergo a total hysterectomy as a result of years of using hair straighteners.
At least eight additional chemical hair straightener lawsuits have been filed across the U.S. against the manufacturers of these products on behalf of women who developed uterine, ovarian, or endometrial cancer.
Legal experts have predicted that more lawsuits will be filed on behalf of other women who developed cancer after using hair straighteners or relaxers as they become aware of the cancer risks associated with these products.
Start Your Claim Today
If you or a loved one used chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers and were diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometrial cancer, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation for your illness and the expenses associated with treating it.
To start your claim today, contact the law firm of Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling our office toll-free at 1-855-922-3660, or by filling out our free claims submission form located at the top of this page.
