Chemical hair relaxers are a beauty staple for many, but now they’re at the center of a legal and health controversy.
People across the country are suing, claiming the products are linked to some reproductive cancers.
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Consumer Reports digs into the science, the claims, and what you need to know about the potential risks of relaxers.
Heidi Parks began using chemical hair relaxers as a child, a routine beauty ritual with risks she never expected.
“Growing up through the years, I got my hair straightened on a regular basis with a chemical relaxer,” Parks said.
Then in 2022, Parks was floored to learn that she had stage 3 ovarian cancer, which she believes is a result of her decades-long use of chemical relaxers.
“I wasn’t aware of any potential side effects or dangers of using the products. If I had known, I absolutely would not have used the products,” Parks said.
Now, Parks is one of thousands of women suing companies, including L’Oreal, Revlon, and others.
Their lawsuits follow a National Institutes of Health study that included data of more than 33,000 women, and found that women who used hair relaxers had more than double the risk of developing uterine cancer.
The plaintiffs in this lawsuit include women who were diagnosed with endometrial, ovarian, or uterine cancer after years of using chemical hair relaxers, and attorneys say that as part of their treatment, many of these women have had to have a hysterectomy, leaving them unable to have children.
Scientists point to chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and BPA in these products - all believed to be endocrine disrupters that affect hormone systems. Some products also contain or release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
The attorneys for these women argue that manufacturers misrepresented the toxic health effects of using these products that they often marketed them as “natural” or “gentle,” despite the presence of harmful chemicals.
The manufacturers deny the allegations and argue it’s impossible to prove direct causation.
As for Parks, while her cancer is now in remission, the fight continues. She undergoes frequent monitoring and the uncertainty that comes with it.
“I’m almost afraid to plan for the future,” Parks said. “I feel like we are always waiting for the rug to be pulled out from underneath us. I constantly live in fear.”
Two years ago, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans to ban formaldehyde in hair straighteners. However, after several delays and a White House executive order earlier this year blocking new regulations, the ban’s future is unclear.
Thirteen states have already adopted bills aiming to address toxic chemicals in personal care products, and New York is considering its own “Beauty Justice Act” now.