How Can a Hair Relaxer Cause Cancer?
For decades, millions of women – including right here in Memphis – have used chemical hair relaxers to achieve smooth, straight, manageable hair. Now mounting research shows these products may come with serious health risks, including uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. But how do hair relaxers cause cancer?
The answer lies in toxic chemicals, hormone disruption, and long-term exposure.
Let’s break down the science behind the lawsuits and what you need to know if you’ve used these products.
The Science That Sparked the Lawsuits
In 2022, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a groundbreaking study that changed everything.
The study followed more than 33,000 women over 11 years and found that those who used chemical hair straighteners 4 or more times per year were more than 2x as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to women who didn’t use them at all.
This research confirmed what many advocates and scientists suspected for years: the chemicals in hair relaxers are absorbed through the scalp, enter the bloodstream, and can damage sensitive reproductive tissues.
The Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals
The biggest danger comes from endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These ingredients in many relaxers interfere with the body’s natural hormone system.
Hormones like estrogen and progesterone regulate growth and reproductive health. When something throws them off balance, it can trigger abnormal cell growth and increase cancer risk.
Common chemicals in hair relaxers include:
- Formaldehyde – A known human carcinogen, often released during straightening treatments.
- Phthalates – Used to make products smoother, but linked to hormone disruption and tumor growth.
- Parabens – Preservatives that mimic estrogen in the body and may promote cancer cell development.
- Bisphenol A (BPA) – Found in packaging and sometimes in formulations, linked to breast and reproductive cancers.
When these chemicals are applied repeatedly over time, they can build up in your system and interfere with your reproductive health.
How Chemicals Enter Your Body
You might assume products designed for your hair stay on your hair, but that’s not always true. Chemical relaxers are applied directly to the scalp, and many women experience burns, sores, or irritation during the process.
Even tiny abrasions allow chemicals to enter your bloodstream quickly. From there, they travel throughout your body, potentially reaching the uterus, ovaries, and other hormone-sensitive organs.
Over time, repeated exposure can increase the risk of cancers that depend on estrogen or other hormones to grow.
Why Black Women Are Disproportionately Affected
While women of all backgrounds use relaxers, Black women are at higher risk – not because of genetics, but because of targeted marketing and cultural pressures.
For decades, beauty standards have pushed straight hair as more “professional” or “polished,” and relaxers were advertised heavily to Black women and even young girls. Many started using these products in childhood and continued for decades, increasing their lifetime exposure.
This unequal exposure has contributed to higher rates of hormone-related cancers among Black women – and it’s one reason lawsuits now argue that companies failed to protect the very consumers they marketed to most aggressively.
What the Lawsuits Claim
Our hair relaxer lawsuits allege that companies like L’Oréal, Revlon, Strength of Nature, and others:
- Knew or should have known their products contained harmful chemicals.
- Failed to warn consumers about long-term health risks.
- Marketed aggressively to Black women and young girls, despite known dangers.
- Profited for decades while hiding critical safety information.
These lawsuits are not just about recovering compensation. They’re about holding manufacturers accountable for failing to put consumer safety first.
How We Prove the Science in Court
As an award-winning Memphis personal injury firm, we partner with medical and scientific experts to explain exactly how these chemicals cause cancer. We use:
- Peer-reviewed studies linking relaxers to cancer risks.
- Product testing showing harmful levels of endocrine disruptors.
- Internal corporate documents revealing what companies knew.
- Expert witness testimony connecting your diagnosis to chemical exposure.
Our job is to turn complicated science into a clear, compelling story for judges and juries, so we can hold these companies accountable.
What You Can Do If You’ve Used Hair Relaxers
You may qualify for a lawsuit if:
- You used chemical hair relaxers for at least two years (about four times per year).
- You were later diagnosed with uterine, ovarian, or endometrial cancer.
- Your diagnosis came after your product use began.
- You are within your state’s filing deadline (in Tennessee, as short as one year).
Even if you’re not sure which brands you used or when you started, contact us for a free consultation. We can help gather your records, receipts, and other evidence to build your case.
Call Us Today for a Free Consultation
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer after years of using chemical relaxers, you deserve answers – and you may deserve compensation.
Our award-winning team will fight for you every step of the way. And we don’t win anything unless and until we win your case. So you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Call our Memphis office today or fill out our online form for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and fight to hold these companies accountable.