Since the early 1900s, consumers in the United States have used chemical hair straighteners. Many have used the products from their teenage years into adulthood, making the recent wave of lawsuits filed against hair relaxer manufacturers particularly alarming.
Almost sixty lawsuits were filed against manufacturers such as L’Oreal, Soft Sheen, Dark and Lovely, and Luster Smooth Touch. Plaintiffs across the country are claiming that the products cause cancer and other health problems. The class action lawsuit was filed in Chicago.
Do chemical hair relaxers cause cancer?
A recent study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) using the data of more than 33,000 women found a link between hair straightening chemicals and uterine cancer. As part of the study, researchers followed up with women after eleven years and found that those who had used chemical hair straightening products were almost twice as likely to develop uterine cancer as those who had not.
Ingredients in chemical hair relaxers such as parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, and the toxic chemical DEHP are known to cause cancer, as reported by DrugWatch. The two most common types of cancer linked to chemical hair relaxer use are uterine cancer and breast cancer.
Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuits
The 2022 landmark study by the NIH and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute provided the first epidemiological evidence that linked chemical hair straighteners to cancer and other health issues. The study triggered a wave of lawsuits across the country, the first of which was filed by eleven attorneys in 2022 in Chicago’s U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of Jenny Mitchell, a Black woman from Waynesville, Missouri.
“Because Black women use hair straightening or relaxer products more frequently and tend to initiate use at earlier ages than other races and ethnicities, these findings may be even more relevant for them,” said Che-Jung Chang, Ph.D., one of the authors of the NIH study.
In addition to uterine cancer, plaintiffs claim that hair relaxer use caused them to develop uterine cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis, or fibroids. Individuals who have used chemical hair straightening products and were diagnosed by a doctor to have health concerns like uterine cancer, breast cancer, uterine fibroids, or endometriosis may be eligible for compensation.
What companies are involved in the hair relaxer class action lawsuit?
Some of the most prominent companies involved in the class action lawsuit are:
- L’Oreal: manufacturer of Dark & Lovely, Ultra Sheen, and other chemical hair products
- Namaste, LLC: manufacturer of ORS Olive Oil Hair Relaxer
- TCB Naturals/Godrej Consumer Products: manufacturer of Just For Me
- Strength of Nature Global, LLC: manufacturer of Motions
Call An Expert Product Liability Lawyer
Manufacturers are responsible for the safety of their products and must be held accountable for the integrity of their products. Product liability lawsuits play an important role in helping to keep our families and communities safe. At Panter, Panter, & Sampedro, we have experience in trying all types of product liability cases. We are here to answer questions if you or a loved one believe they have been injured by a harmful or faulty product. Call (305) 662-6178 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relaxer
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/06/loreal-hair-relaxer-lawsuit-cancer
https://chicagocrusader.com/chicago-to-be-center-of-massive-class-action-hair-relaxer-lawsuit/
https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/114/12/1636/6759686?
https://www.drugwatch.com/chemical-hair-straighteners/
