Have you used chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers at least four times in a year? Did you later develop ovarian or uterine cancer? If so, you may be owed compensation.
What are hair straighteners or relaxers?
Hair straighteners or relaxers are creams or lotions meant to chemically change the texture of a person’s hair. They are applied for a period of time before being washed out. Hair straighteners are typically used by people with tight curls as a means of making the curls “relax,” thus making their hair easier to straighten and style.
Hair relaxers and chemical straighteners are disproportionately used by African American women and girls. These products are also typically marketed most heavily to them, seemingly in an effort to promote a Eurocentric beauty standard.
The link between hair relaxers and cancer
Hair relaxers may be associated with a higher risk of cancer according to several recent studies. Specifically, repeated exposure to the chemicals in hair relaxers and straighteners have been linked to a potential increased risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. These hair straightening products may contain “endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic properties,” including phthalates, one study stated.
Hair relaxers and uterine cancer
A study led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH) followed over 33,000 women for more than a decade. Sixty percent of the women in the study self-identified as black. Results showed that while a woman who does not use hair relaxers has about a 1.64% chance of developing uterine cancer by age 70, women who frequently used these hair chemicals more than doubled their risk, with a 4.06% chance of developing uterine cancer.
What are the hair relaxer cancer lawsuits?
A Missouri woman has filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal, Namaste Laboratories LLC, Dabur International Ltd., and Godrej Consumer Products, claiming their hair straightening products she used since she was a child are responsible for the uterine cancer she developed at age 28.
The complaint alleges the companies have known their products were harmful since at least 2015 but chose not to make consumers aware of the risks.
Two other similar cases have also been filed in California and New York against L’Oreal and other cosmetics companies who manufacture hair straightener products. The number of related hair straightener and relaxer cancer lawsuits is expected to continue growing.
Named products in these complaints include:
- Dark & Lovely
- Motions
- Olive Oil Relaxer
- Organic Root Stimulator
Get help with your hair relaxer cancer case
If you have used hair straightener or relaxer products four times or more in a year and been diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer, you may have a case. Contact us today for a free consultation, and we can connect you with an attorney who can help you receive the settlement you deserve.
Hair relaxer lawsuit contact
The above products are registered trademarks of L’Oréal, Godrej Consumer Products, Dabur International Ltd., and Namaste Laboratories, LLC and are used here only for the purpose of identifying the products in question. Woods & Woods, LLC is not affiliated with, sponsored by or associated with L’Oréal, Godrej Consumer Products, Dabur International Ltd., or Namaste Laboratories, LLC.
