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HAIR RELAXER CANCER LAWSUIT

The hair relaxer lawsuits claim that exposure to the chemicals in these products caused women to develop uterine or ovarian cancer or needed surgical treatment such as myomectomy or hysterectomy for uterine fibroids

We are representing individuals who developed uterine or ovarian cancer uterine fibroids causing a major surgery after using chemical hair straighteners and relaxer products.

How Hair Relaxers Work

The chemicals in hair relaxers are applied to the base of the hair shaft.  After the marination period, the hair relaxer changes the hair’s texture by compromising the hair’s protein structure. The effect of this protein damage straightens and smooths the hair.

After a period of weeks (4 – 8 weeks on average), depending on the hair’s natural growth rate, the treated portion of the hair grows away from the scalp as new growth sprouts from the roots, requiring additional relaxer treatment to smooth the roots.

These additional treatments are colloquially referred to in the community as “re-touches”, resulting in women relaxing their new growth every four to eight weeks on average, usually for decades.

The application loosens the hair’s tight curls and removes its kinkiness through a chemical reaction that breaks the disulfide bonds in the hair.  This potent mix of chemicals in the products attacks the protein structure of the hair causing it to flatten.

Which Hair Straightener and Relaxer Products Are We Talking About?

Several allegedly defective products are mentioned in the Complaint, including:

  1. SoftSheen-Carson LLC,  L’Oreal USA, Inc., L’Oreal USA Products, Inc.“OPTIMUM Salon Haircare” “DARK & LOVELY®”
  2. Godrej SON Holdings, Inc., Strength of Nature, LLC“MOTIONS™” “Soft and Beautiful™” “tcb naturals®” “African Pride®” “just for Me®”
  3. Dabur International Ltd., Dabur International USA Ltd., Namaste Laboratories, L.L.C.“ORS™” “Original Root Stimulator™” “ORGANIC ROOT Stimulator™” “OLIVE OIL Girls™”
  4. AFAM Concept Inc. d/b/a JF Labs Inc (Hawaiian Silky)Hawaiian Silky Herbal”
  5. Revlon, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation “Crème of Nature”

    Chemical Hair Relaxer Causes Uterine Cancer

    Over the last 10 years, a study by researchers at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) called the “Sister Study” has focused on a possible connection between exposure to chemicals in hair relaxer products and uterine cancer. The results of this major NIH Sister Study, which included over 33,000 women, were published in October 2022 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and they were very significant.

    The Sister Study found that women who used hair straightening products were almost twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than those who did not (after adjusting for other risk factors). Even more significantly, those women who had reported more frequent use of straighteners or relaxers (more than 4 times per year) were about 2½ times more likely to develop uterine cancer.

    Specifically, the NIH Study predicted that 1.64% of women who never used chemical hair relaxers would develop uterine cancer by the age of 70.  But for frequent users of hair relaxers, the risk may jump to 4.05%.

    Digest that.  Those statistics jump off the page.  The results of the Sister Study were a breakthrough that will be foundational in every uterine cancer lawsuit. This goes a long way towards resolving the disparity in uterine cancer rates between Black women in the U.S. and other racial groups. Around 80% of Black women in the U.S. use hair relaxer, most regularly. The Sister Study suggests that this use of chemical hair relaxer may explain why Black women get uterine cancer more often than others.

    If you or a loved one have any of the injuries listed above or related injuries please fill out the form above or Call us at 833-MAS-TORT or 833-627-8678. 

    The Law Office of Floyd Chapman, PLLC is associated with major law firms in the mass tort and medical device areas to litigate your claim. 

    The information you obtain on this website is not, nor is intended to be, legal advice. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls and inquiries. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information until an attorney-client relationship has been established. Attorney Floyd Chapman is responsible for the content of this website. Law Office of Floyd Chapman, PLLC, 1201 Pacific Avenue, Suite 600, Tacoma WA 98402.

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