Hair Straightener Lawsuit

Hair Straightener Chemicals Linked to Cancer

Chemical hair straightener products are widely used across the United States and are primarily marketed to African American women. Now, these products are involved in multi-district litigation for the toxic chemicals contained within them, often labeled as “fragrance”.

Manufacturers are facing lawsuits for failing to warn consumers about the potential side effects, such as:

• Uterine cancer
• Breast cancer
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids

The following symptoms can be signs of uterine cancer:

• Cramping, pain, or pressure in the lower abdomen
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting
• Vaginal bleeding or spotting post-menopause
• White or clear vaginal discharge post-menopause
• Pain during sexual intercourse

Anyone dealing with these symptoms should prioritize seeing a healthcare provider as soon as possible. If you suspect that these health issues stem from hair straightening treatments, get in touch with an attorney to go over your legal options. You may qualify for potential compensation if you use hair straighteners or have used them in the past and developed cancer or other injuries.

Hair Straightener Injury

What research is there about Hair Straightener Injuries?

Hair straighteners are cosmetic products that use chemicals such as lye to achieve their effects, and studies show that continued use of these products can lead to substantial health defects. 

Studies have been conducted for decades on the injuries hair straighteners are likely to cause, some of which have only been published recently. In October 2022, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) followed 33,497 women ages 35-74 for 11 years where 378 uterine cancer cases were reported. Researchers found women who frequently used hair straighteners, four times or more, were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to others. Sixty percent of the participants in the study identified as black women.

The International Journal of Cancer (IJC) published their own findings in December 2019. 50,884 women were enrolled from 2003 to 2009 and found those who frequently used hair straighters faced a 30% higher risk of developing breast cancer. Before the IJC was the medical journal Carcinogenesis in June 2017 which found evidence supporting the relationship between hair care products and breast cancer.

The longest of these studies was conducted by Boston University’s Black Women’s Health Study which followed 59,000 self-identified black women for a 25-year period. They found women who used hair products containing lye at least seven times a year were around 30% more likely to develop breast cancer compared to more infrequent users.