Hair Relaxer Litigation

Chemical hair relaxers are a type of lotion or cream that makes tight curls or very curly hair easier to straighten by chemically “relaxing” the curls. Chemical hair relaxing causes the hair to straighten by permanently altering the structure of the hair.

For frequent users of hair relaxing products, the thought that this process could potentially be the cause of life-threatening harm is devastating. Unfortunately, there have been numerous studies linking frequent use of hair straighteners or relaxers to increased risk of uterine cancer and ovarian cancer, in addition to other medical issues. And manufacturers of hair relaxing products must be held liable for failing in their duty to adequately warn of the risks.

If You Believe You Have a Claim, Keller Postman Can Help

If you suspect that the use of hair relaxer products may be responsible for your cancer diagnosis, Keller Postman can help you file a lawsuit against the company that manufactured the product(s) you used and may be responsible for contributing to your illness.

Keller Postman is fighting for victims who were not properly warned of the risk that hair relaxers could potentially cause cancer, including ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. If you believe you may qualify for a lawsuit, we encourage you to fill out our Free Case Evaluation form. One of our attorneys will contact you to gather more information and begin your claim.

Hair Relaxers’ Scientific Link to Cancer

A series of studies have been published linking uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and potentially uterine fibroids and breast cancer to chemical hair relaxers. In a statement given to the New York Times, Alexandra White, head of the environment and cancer epidemiology group of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (N.I.E.H.S.), said that they have “seen this association between hair straighteners and… ovarian and now uterine cancer — it’s been a consistent finding among hormonally driven female reproductive cancers.”

Use of Hair Relaxers and Racial Disparity

Chemical hair straighteners and relaxers are common in the United States and are often used beginning in childhood, particularly among Black women. Black women are also known to have significantly higher rates of certain types of cancer – particularly uterine cancers – than white women. Rates of uterine cancer have been rising recently among all women in the United States, but Black women die of uterine cancer at twice the rate that white women do, one of the largest racial disparities reported for any cancer. Black women also face aggressive marketing of hair relaxer products, and are often pressured to adhere to European beauty norms, particularly in schools and in the workplace.

Hair Relaxer Lawsuits on the Rise

Women across the country are now bringing hair relaxer lawsuits against companies that manufacture these products. These women, plaintiffs in the lawsuits, used hair relaxers at least five times (but usually far more frequently) and were subsequently diagnosed with hormone-dependent cancers, which depend on a hormone for growth and/or survival. These types of cancers include ovarian cancer and uterine cancer.

Defendants in these cases include manufacturers of hair relaxers, largely cosmetic companies. L’Oreal USA is the most well-known hair relaxer manufacturer and the largest cosmetics company worldwide. Other manufacturers may include Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, Softsheen Carson, and Strength of Nature LLC.