Remember when most of the faces of well-known Black hair straightening products admitted they never used them? Well, they might have been onto something! Recently, a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found a link between the frequent use of hair-altering products and an increased risk of certain types of hormonal cancers, including uterine, ovarian, and breast cancers.
The Washington Post reported that the study focused on hair products such as dyes and straighteners and discovered an increased risk in Black women. The study tracked 33,497 women between the ages of 35 and 74 who used those products for over a decade. And 60% identified as Black. During that time frame, 378 uterine cancer cases were diagnosed. In addition, researchers found that women who used hair straightening products more than four times a year were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than those who didn’t.
Dr. Alexandra White, the lead author of the study, estimated that 1.64% of women who have never used those products would develop uterine cancer by age 70. Frequent users developed uterine cancer at a rate of 4.05%. “This doubling rate is concerning. However, it is important to put this information into context — uterine cancer is relatively rare,” said White.
Uterine Cancer Risks in Black Women
According to the NIH study, uterine cancer accounts for about 3% of all new cancer cases. It is the most common type of cancer in the female reproductive system. As stated before, all women use these products. However, findings suggested an increased risk for Black women due to them often being lifelong users of those products.
“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,” Dr. Che-Jung Chang, Ph.D., an author of the new study and a research fellow in the NIES Epidemiology Branch, said in the release.
Specifically, products containing chemicals such as parabens, bisphenol A, metals, and formaldehyde were the culprits. Products containing them are potentially more hazardous than other cosmetic products because they absorb through the scalp and even create burns or lesions. Dr. White iterated that the study was likely only the story’s beginning.
“More research is needed to confirm these findings in different populations, to determine if hair products contribute to health disparities in uterine cancer, and to identify the specific chemicals that may be increasing the risk of cancers in women,” said White in the release.
