Hair Straighteners Linked to Uterine Cancers in Black Women

Health Risks Concerning Hair Straighteners

Black women need to know about the potential risk of hair straighteners and make informed choices about what products they use. Hair straighteners have been linked to uterine cancer, according to a new study that was published on Thursday in the journal Environmental Health. The study was led by Dr. Heather Patisaul, an environmental health scientist at North Carolina State University, and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

The chemicals — which can also be found in detergents, pesticides, paint, and furniture — have been labeled as “potential endocrine disruptors” by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The study was published on Thursday in the journal Environmental Health. Endocrine disruptors have been linked to breast cancer, obesity, and infertility in women.

In the study, published in the journal Environment International by researchers from Columbia University, it was found that premenopausal women of color are using hair straighteners with chemicals linked to uterine cancer more frequently than all other races. The study’s authors believe this is due to the popularity of chemically relaxed or curly hairstyles among African-American women.

Surprising Impact

“We were surprised because we were expecting there might be some impact on breast cancer,” said lead author Dr. Robin Deaiza, M.D., Ph.D., director of research at Columbia University Medical Center and associate professor at the university’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Epidemiology. “It’s really important for us to understand what these chemicals do in our bodies because they might be carcinogenic.”

UNEP, which is the United Nations Environment Programme, has labeled these chemicals as “potential endocrine disruptors.” They are found in many products throughout the world and have been linked to breast cancer, obesity, and infertility.

These chemicals can be found in hair straighteners, which may explain why they’re so popular among women who wish to straighten their hair. The chemicals are endocrine disruptors, which have been linked to breast cancer, obesity, and infertility in women.

Endocrine disruptors are an example of a class of chemicals that can interfere with the body’s hormones and alter normal functioning. A 2010 report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), found that there is evidence that some endocrine disruptors can cause breast cancer in women.

Additional Information

Other studies have linked these chemicals to weight gain and diabetes as well as causing sexual development problems in children.

Black women are at a higher risk for uterine cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. They also use hair straighteners more frequently than white women and have a greater likelihood of dying from the disease.

Thus, it’s important that we know about the potential risks associated with using these products and make informed choices about what products we use.

Ultimately, the study authors urge consumers to be more aware. “We believe that the public should not only be mindful of these chemicals in their homes and workplaces but also consider their possible health risks in beauty products, especially those used by women of color,” they wrote.

Written by Sheena Robertson

Sources:

NBC: Chemical hair straighteners linked to higher risk of uterine cancer for Black women, study shows
News24: Brazilian blow dry could cause cancer

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