5 Ways Hair Relaxer Use Leads to Cancer
Many relaxers have dangerous chemicals that pass through the scalp and into the body. Chemical hair relaxers have been linked to a higher risk of many types of cancers. These findings generate concerns, particularly for women who use these products regularly.
You should reach out to a hair relaxer lawsuit lawyer if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer after using hair relaxers. Knowing the cancer risks will help you protect your general health.
In this article, we’ll look at five ways hair relaxer use leads to cancer.
1. Uterine Cancer
Chemicals found in hair relaxers can disrupt the body's hormone levels. Studies have indicated that regular usage of these products increases uterine cancer risk. Women who use hair relaxers more than four times a year have more than twice the risk of developing this kind of cancer.
Black women especially suffer from increased and earlier use of these products. Studies reveal that compared to people who never use relaxers, they have a far higher chance of uterine cancer. Relaxers' ingredients can be absorbed via the scalp and change estrogen levels, which contributes to uterine cancer.
2. Ovarian Cancer
Chemical hair relaxers have also been linked to ovarian cancer. Many of these relaxers have formaldehyde and other potentially harmful ingredients that might find their way into the bloodstream. Chemical exposure over time increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
According to a study, women who regularly use hair relaxers are more likely to develop ovarian cancer. Relaxers' chemicals can disrupt hormones and harm reproductive cells. For long-term users of these products, this makes ovarian cancer a major worry.
3. Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial cancer has been linked to the usage of hair relaxers. The uterus's lining, the endometrium, can grow abnormally due to hormonal changes. Chemicals found in hair relaxers, as we said, affect these hormones and cause cancer.
Women who have spent years using hair relaxers are at more risk of endometrial cancer. Long-term damage might result from contact with harmful chemicals. Studies imply that frequent use of these products greatly increases the risk of developing this cancer.
4. Breast Cancer
Hair relaxers can also contribute to breast cancer. These products’ chemicals have several endocrine disruptors that change estrogen levels. Cancerous cells in breast tissue can grow from this hormonal imbalance.
Studies show that extended use of dangerous chemicals in hair relaxers increases breast cancer risk. Black women, who use these products more frequently, could be particularly vulnerable. These compounds enter the bloodstream and affect breast tissue as they are absorbed through the scalp.
5. Harmful Chemical Exposure
The harmful ingredients in hair relaxers include formaldehyde, phthalates, and parabens. All these are regarded as endocrine disruptors, that is, compounds that interfere with the body's natural hormones. Consistent exposure over time might cause serious medical issues, including cancer.
These compounds find easy access through the scalp since it is quite absorbent. Once inside the body, they can influence many organs and increase cancer risk. Research on the long-term consequences of hair relaxers is still under way, but already the data suggests major health risks.
