Most women love to style their hair in a way that makes them look attractive. Straight hair has always been celebrated, and that often encourages women with curly or wavy hair to opt for chemical hair straightening. On the surface, it might appear stylish, but it leads to fatal health hazards in the long run.
Today, most women who have chemically straightened their hair have also filed chemical hair straightener lawsuits. They claim that hair straighteners from popular brands increase the risk of endometrial cancer, uterine cancer, and, to some extent, breast cancer.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2022 came across a study that established the correlation between uterine cancer and chemical hair straighteners. Most women started filing their legal cases right after this study that stated women who opted for chemical hair straightening products over four times annually had a higher chance of developing uterine cancer.
To date, companies that have been sued include Soft Sheen, Strength of Nature, L’Oreal, and many more. The lawsuit data suggests that the products were primarily marketed to black women who have suffered more. In this article, we will delve into the health hazards of chemical hair straightening and also discuss the legal remedy.
Hair Straightener Cancer Lawsuits Are Increasing
Jenny Mitchell, a 32-year-old woman, was the first to file her hair straightener cancer lawsuit back in October 2022. In her lawsuit, she revealed that she developed uterine cancer after getting exposed to phthalates and various other endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) that were present in the hair products she used.
According to the lawsuit updates of January 2024, nearly 8,026 hair straightener lawsuits had been pending in MDL, in the Northern District of Illinois. The total number of cases filed is 8,131. Today, lawyers are anticipating more such lawsuits to be filed by women who have suffered from some type of cancer after getting their hair chemically treated recurrently. To date, there have been no trials or global settlements sanctioned in the MDL.
Chemical Hair Straightening: How Does It Work?
This hair-styling process uses heat and chemicals to break the hair’s natural bonds. Three such bonds include salt, hydrogen, and disulfide bonds. Once the chemical hair straighteners are applied to a woman’s hair, the disulfide bonds break. It enables the hair to get straightened for a long time.
Women must maintain their chemically treated hair, as the effect usually lasts until new hair grows out. And this results in the recurrent use of the chemical hair products.
The chemicals present in hair straighteners comprise:
- Ammonium thioglycolate
- Triclosan
- Sodium hydroxide
- Formaldehyde
- Benzophenone-3
- Sodium thioglycolate
- Phthalates
- Cyclosiloxanes
- Diethanolamine
Exposure to any of these harsh chemicals can lead to severe health issues or cause cancer.
Types of Cancers Caused
Studies suggest that other than cancer, women who chemically straighten their hair frequently are also at risk of developing uterine fibroids and endometriosis. Parabens, phthalates, and another harmful chemical named DEHP are what cause cancer in women after this hair styling process.
Women mostly suffer from:
Uterine Cancer
Hermania E. Bates filed her lawsuit in February 2023. She blamed Soft Sheen Carson, L’Oreal, and various other brands for her uterine cancer. The lawsuit claimed that her cancer diagnosis was directly caused by prolonged exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates present in the hair care products she used.
Endometrial Cancer
Women who filed lawsuits after suffering from chemical hair straightening also mentioned endometrial cancer. Research indicates that women might develop endometriosis because of hormonal imbalances and problems. Parabens, phthalates, and EDCs that are available in hair dye and chemical hair products can disrupt the natural state of hormones and cause endometriosis.
The Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences published a study in 2018 that found increased phthalate levels in women who had developed endometriosis. The data collected from the lawsuit also reveals that these toxic chemicals can also increase the risk of developing endometrial cancer.
Breast Cancer
An NIH study in 2019 found that chemicals present in hair straightening products also lead to breast cancer. According to researchers, women who straighten their hair chemically are at risk of this cancer 30% more than women who don’t.
Despite this study, the current litigation is mostly focused on endometrial and uterine cancer. It can change when there is added scientific evidence that points towards other kinds of cancers and fatal health conditions resulting from chemical hair products.
Uterine Fibroids
Based on a few chemical hair straightening lawsuits, the uterine leiomyomata and uterine fibroids are linked to BPA and phthalate metabolites present in hair styling products. According to a study by Northwestern Medicine done in 2022, women who have been heavily exposed to phthalates like DEHP and its metabolites can develop symptomatic fibroids to a vast extent.
According to research, DEHP can activate specific hormone receptors and lead to the growth of fibroid tumors. Before this study, most researchers had established a connection between phthalates and uterine fibroids. That is not all. Even scientists have found out that DEHP gets passed from women to their infants and also gets released from various products in indoor environments.
A Legal Recourse
Often, those who suffer from cancer after using chemical hair treatments need to be compensated for the damages they have undergone. It is here that they can opt for legal recourse and seek the justice that they truly deserve.
Today many legal initiatives are being taken against chemical hair straightening hair product manufacturers. The majority of women claimed in their lawsuits that the manufacturers failed to alert them of the potential side effects and health risks.
If you have suffered from endometrial, uterine, breast cancer, or any other fatal health hazard after using chemical hair relaxers or styling products, you qualify to file a lawsuit.
It is best to go ahead on your legal journey with the assistance of a lawyer so that you don’t make any mistakes that cancel out your chances of getting the right to compensation.
Finally, it’s a valid desire for women to want to style their hair and look fashionable. However, it is necessary to assess the pros and cons of hair styling products that are available on the market.
Even though measured and moderate use of any product shouldn’t cause any harm, it is still advised that women should think twice before using chemical hair straighteners or relaxers. And if they have developed any health hazards because of it, they should seek both medical and legal help.
