Certain chemicals are known carcinogens, which means that they may cause cancer. Medical researchers are constantly discovering new carcinogens or discovering known carcinogens in new places. Unfortunately, it is common for a wide range of consumer products to contain carcinogens. A new study indicates that carcinogens can even be found in hair straightening products.
See below for more info on the carcinogens found in hair straightening products.
The study was conducted by the National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health, a government-funded organization that is at the forefront of medical research, conducted a study to look for carcinogens in hair products. The study, which was published in the prestigious Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that frequent usage of hair straightening products is linked with a greatly increased risk of uterine cancer. Hair straightening, hair smoothing, and hair relaxing products often contain dangerous chemicals known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
The hair straightening chemicals which may cause uterine cancer
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, better known as EDCs, change how the body produces and reacts to natural hormones. This can cause numerous health problems. The most dangerous of these health problems are cancers, especially cancers of the reproductive organs. The EDCs found in hair straightening products, specifically parabens, and phthalates, had previously been linked with breast cancer. However, parabens and phthalates had not been linked to uterine cancer until recently. It is unknown why EDCs lead to a higher risk of cancer, though the link has been well-established.
Black women may be disproportionately affected
One of the most troubling aspects of this revelation is that it may affect women of color at a disproportionate rate. Specifically, black women are much more likely to use uterine cancer hair straighteners. Black women are also far more likely to develop uterine cancer than women of other races. The study from the NIH suggests that there may be a link. Many people previously thought that black women were simply more likely to get uterine cancer because of their genes. However, it may actually be due to external factors like the usage of dangerous hair products.
Lawsuits are being filed over dangerous hair-straightening chemicals
As you might expect, the publication of the study by the NIH triggered many lawsuits. The first suit was filed in the United States Federal Court for the Northern District of Illinois by a woman named Jennifer Mitchell. Mitchell was diagnosed with uterine cancer at the age of 28 and had a full hysterectomy before she turned 30. She claims that her uterine cancer was due to her frequent usage of hair straightening products.
Unfortunately, Jennifer Mitchell’s story is one that many women can identify with. However, these women can get justice by filing lawsuits. Manufacturers have a legal obligation to refrain from releasing dangerous products, and chemical hair straightener manufacturers may have failed to live up to this obligation. This means that they may have exposed themselves to liability by releasing dangerous products.
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