Law Experts LLP

Hair Relaxer ProductssLinked to Cancer

Haircare companies and the beauty industry capitalize on this message by offering eye-catching products, creating compelling advertising campaigns, and tapping gorgeous models to propel their message and drive product sales. However, what women did not know is that in pursuing their ideal hair goals, they were exposing themselves to harmful, cancer-causing chemicals.

Women, especially women of color, have a long and complicated relationship with their hair. For decades, many women have felt that to conform to the traditional, societal standard of “beauty,” they need to relax their curls and natural hair texture. Pressure to identify as “beautiful” means these women sought out products claiming to straighten their hair, giving it a sleek, shiny, and appealing look. That look every woman wants and every man desires!

Women repeatedly exposed to the chemicals in common hair relaxers and straightening products are at an increased risk of developing certain cancers. If you’ve used chemical hair straighteners and have recently been diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer, you may feel as if your world is crumbling down around you. The legal team at Law Experts wants to help. We want to offer you the support and legal advice to hold careless companies and manufacturers accountable for their actions.

If you have used chemical hair relaxers or straightening products and have been diagnosed with cancer, you may be eligible to file a product liability lawsuit against hair-relaxing manufacturers for compensation for your financial losses. Want more information? Let the hair relaxer lawsuit attorneys of Law Experts LLP help.

What is a hairrelaxeror straightener?

Relaxers and chemical straightening products are designed to loosen the curl pattern of specific hair types. Hair can be classified as straight, wavy, curly, and coily. Each category has specific curl pattern breakdowns. A curling iron can take straight hair to wavy or curly. However, chemical relaxers are one of the only products that can take tight, naturally curly hair from curls to straight for an extended period.

Do HairRelaxingProductsCause Certain Types of Cancer?​

When applied to wet hair, chemical relaxers break down the protein bonds in hair called disulfides. Hair with curls or tight coils has more disulfide bonds than naturally straight hair. Chemicals break these bonds, allowing the hair to “relax,” releasing the curl pattern. However, the process is not permanent. As new hair grows, more product needs to be applied to continue to relax the new growth close to the scalp. That means that to keep the straight hair result, women must constantly use the product, reapplying it to their hair.

Recently, numerous medical studies have come out suggesting that the chemicals in popular, over-the-counter hair-relaxing products may increase the risk of certain cancers. People who regularly use chemical relaxers and straightening products may be up to 2 ½ times more likely to develop cancer. Why? Many of the chemical agents in relaxing products, including formaldehyde, bisphenol A, ammonium thioglycolate, parabens, and diethanolamine, are common ingredients in hair-relaxing products. These chemicals are endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with the body’s hormonal system. Exposure to these types of chemicals can increase a person’s risk of developing cancers that impact the reproductive organs.

Who Is atRiskfor Developing Cancer from Hair Relaxing Products?

Anyone with curly hair who consistently uses chemical relaxers or straightening products can potentially develop cancer. However, women of color may be at an elevated risk of developing uterine and ovarian cancers because they tend to be the target audience for hair-relaxing products. Explore the straightening aisle at any drug store, and you’ll notice that most chemical relaxers include photos of women of color.

Women of color tend to have more robust curl patterns and a more natural texture to their hair. When the beauty and fashion industries indicate that “straight hair is in” or sleek hair is the “beauty standard,” ad campaigns for straightening products overwhelming target women of color.

Chemical straightening products and relaxers focus on enticing women of color to use their products. One recent study suggests that at least 60 percent of women who reported using chemical hair relaxers identified as African American. While many women who reach for chemical straighteners are women of color, these same women may face delayed diagnosis and poorer health outcomes because of healthcare cost disparities and healthcare bias.

Studies suggest African American women have shorter life expectancies and can be disproportionately burdened by chronic health conditions. They also have higher rates of maternal mortality. African American women are 41 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, according to statistics from the American Cancer Society.

What Types of CancersAre Associated with the Use of Chemical Hair-Relaxers?

Chemical straighteners and hair-relaxing products contain synthetic EDCs that can alter how hormones interact with the human body. Since these chemicals can interfere with the body’s natural hormonal system, they can cause hormonal imbalances, reproductive cancers, and severe gynecological conditions.

Medical research indicates that hair chemical hair straightening products may increase the risk of specific cancers such as:

  • Uterine cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Endometrial cancer
  • Breast cancer

Some research indicates that women who reported that they frequently used chemical hair relaxers were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than those who never used chemical hair straightening products.

Which Hair Relaxing Products May Be Linked to Cancer?​

There is no shortage of chemical hair straightening and relaxing products still on the market today. Some of the world’s most significant and influential beauty companies and manufacturers promote chemical relaxers to the public. Many of these beauty companies are now the target of lawsuits, claiming these companies knew or should have reasonably known that their products containing toxic EDCs could be harmful to the public.

Chemical straightening brands named in significant lawsuits based on hair straightening and relaxing products causing cancer include:

  • L’Oreal
  • Dark and Lovely
  • Motions
  • Soft & Beautiful
  • Optimum Care
  • Crème of Nature
  • Olive Oil
  • Brazilian Blow Out
  • Just for Me
  • Namaste

Is CompensationAvailable?​

Were you recently diagnosed with a hormone-sensitive cancer like uterine or ovarian cancer? Did you regularly use chemical hair straightening or hair-relaxing products? You may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the company or manufacturer of the harmful hair-relaxing product. Although the value of your case depends on numerous factors, women who were harmed by these products can pursue meaningful compensation for the following:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Emotional distress
  • Pain and suffering

In rare cases, the court can award punitive damages as well. Punitive damages do not cover your financial losses. Instead, they are a form of financial punishment for egregious or malicious conduct on the part of an individual or company. They’re meant to dissuade the offender and others from repeating the behavior.

An experienced attorney can evaluate your situation and help determine the value of your financial losses. To get a better understanding of whether you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against a hair-relaxing manufacturer, take this short questionnaire.

Do Not Fightthe Company Alone​

Product liability cases can be highly complicated and challenging. Several elements are needed to prove your case, requiring extensive evidence and medical documentation. Going up against a billion-dollar beauty company for the money you deserve can seem daunting and overwhelming. They have resources the average person doesn’t. They hope this knowledge prevents you from holding them responsible for their careless behavior.

That’s where the legal team at Law Experts can help. Our attorneys have the experience and resources to take on beauty manufacturers and hold them accountable for their careless actions. We fight for you from start to finish, freeing you to focus on your recovery and spending time with the ones you love. Let us leverage our time and experience by:

  • Investigating the circumstances of your case
  • Identify all potentially liable parties
  • Gather evidence and medical documentation to build your case
  • Manage communication between you and other parties
  • Calculate the fair value of your financial losses
  • Aggressively negotiate for the compensation you deserve
  • Prepare a case for court

We understand what a challenging time this is for you and your family. Our legal team wants to offer you the compassion and support you need to navigate this devastating situation. You deserve fair compensation. Let us fight for you.

Get More Information from anExperiencedAttorney Today

Should using products to straighten your hair rob you of your health and safety? Should beauty manufacturers get away with selling you products that can increase your risk of developing cancer? If you have recently been diagnosed with hormone-sensitive cancer and consistently used chemical hair straightening products over the years, you may qualify to seek compensation for your injuries and related financial losses. Fill out this quick questionnaire to find out more.

At Law Experts LLP, we are committed to helping you navigate this situation with compassion and sensitivity. Let us review your case and outline your options for seeking the money you deserve.

Get Your Free HairRelaxerCase Evaluation

If you or a loved one has experienced complications related to the using Hair Relaxing Products, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Take the questionnaire on this page to instantly find out if you qualify. You can begin the process immediately after you qualify.

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