Strom Law has a strong track record in securing suitable compensation for clients affected by toxic, cancer-causing chemicals concealed in hair straightening and relaxing products.
If you have experienced a medical condition or been diagnosed with cancer linked to these poisonous carcinogens, you may have a case to file a hair straightening lawsuit and claim reparations for the damage caused.
There are several law requirements for straightening product manufacturers, with multiple brands proven to have breached regulations and put consumers at serious risk of long-term medical outcomes.
Have Hair Relaxers Been Proven to Cause Cancer?
Several brands have insisted that there is no link between hair relaxers and cancer. However, researchers, FDA investigators, and analysts have discovered alarming concentrations of toxic chemicals in well-known cosmetic products.
The National Institute of Health reports that women that have used chemical hair straighteners, particularly over prolonged periods, have an increased risk of uterine cancer–which could potentially develop sometime later. Scientists also found that exposure through a salon or at-home treatment four times per year doubled the potential cancer risk.
A separate study by the American Cancer Society discovered that the average prevalence of uterine cancer is 1.64%, compared to 4.05% in regular users of chemical straighteners.
Adult cancers develop slowly, and there are instances where a medical diagnosis years later than an individual first used hair straightening products is only now being linked to chemical toxins. Other conditions, such as fibroids and endometriosis, are also associated with carcinogenic ingredients, including formaldehyde, parabens, and phthalates.
Which Hair Relaxers Cause Fibroids?
Fibroids are uterine growths, and many are non-cancerous and treatable but can require surgical intervention. Where fibroids are serious, this can involve a hysterectomy, impacting fertility and with life-long ramifications.
The chemicals used in perming, dyes, straighteners, and texturizer products can be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream. They contain dangerous hormone disruptors and carcinogens, which impact healthy cell growth and can be a significant factor in the risks of developing cancer.
Examples include:
- Parabens: Used in hair relaxers as a preservative, parabens disrupt estrogen production and create a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Phalatates: An endocrine disruptor used to add texture to hair products, which damages healthy hormone development, this chemical can cause infertility, several cancers, reproductive conditions, and endometriosis.
- Formaldehyde: This is a noxious substance that produces chemical gas with carcinogenic properties; it can cause respiratory problems, irritation, burns, and cancer.
Some brands have omitted to mention these ingredients on product labeling, in direct breach of FDA consumer protection legislation, or use alternative names, such as swapping formaldehyde for formalin or methylene glycol, to mislead users. In any case, where a toxic chemical is present, the product must display a prominent health warning, advising consumers of the potential for irritation, burning, and cancer.
The FDA updated the regulations related to cosmetic hair treatments in 2014. However, manufacturers have always been prohibited from selling or advertising products that contain chemicals known to cause adverse health outcomes.
If you have used hair relaxants, salon treatments such as Brazilian blow-dry, chemical straighteners, or any other product with hidden or mislabeled ingredients and have developed a medical condition, you may have a robust legal case. Compensation claims can cover a broad range of related expenses, including lost income, medical costs, ongoing treatments, and damages related to psychological welfare.
How Can I Check if Hair Straightening Products Have Contributed to My Cancer Diagnosis?
We advise contacting one of the experienced Strom Law attorneys to discuss your potential case with confidentiality and sensitivity.
Multiple cosmetic brands and beauty products have already been successfully pursued for reparations, punitive damages, and compensation. In these cases, liability may be predetermined or be proven through prior lab testing. Brands that have been shown to breach their legal obligations include Revlon, L’Oréal, Optimum Salon, TCB Naturals, Namaste, and Motions.
It is essential to compile sufficient documentation to proceed with the confidence of a favorable outcome, court judgment, or out-of-court settlement. Our team can navigate this process with you, collating medical records, diagnoses, and a history of product usage to establish a clear timeline.
We can assist with calculating an expected compensation value, filing legal documentation, commissioning research where necessary, and representing your interests throughout your case to the full extent of the law.
