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Your Hair, Your Health, and Your Relaxer Cancer Lawsuit

Dr. Patricia Farrell
4 min readMay 11, 2024

Straightening your hair shouldn’t put your health at risk, but recent research suggests otherwise.

Photo by Yoann Boyer on Unsplash

Many women opt for hair relaxers to achieve hair in their quest for beauty. However, recent studies have highlighted a concerning link between these hair products and cancer rates among women and adolescents. While the appeal of hair is understandable, it’s important to be aware of the health risks associated with these chemical treatments.

Hair relaxers are solutions designed to change the texture of kinky hair, making it more manageable and straighter. These products typically contain chemicals like sodium ammonium thioglycolate or guanidine hydroxide that work by breaking down the protein bonds in the hair strands.

Although Brazilian blowout products are frequently advertised as formaldehyde-free, testing on a few discovered that the methylene glycol released comparatively high levels of formaldehyde.

The Connection to Cancer and Other Illnesses

Several research studies have raised alarms about the cancer-causing effects of the chemicals in hair relaxers and possibly lupus. For instance, a study revealed that women who used hair dyes or chemical relaxers had a chance of developing breast cancer compared to those who didn’t use products. Another…

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Dr. Patricia Farrell
Dr. Patricia Farrell

Written by Dr. Patricia Farrell

Dr. Farrell is a psychologist, consultant, author, and member of SAG/AFTRA, interested in flash fiction writing (http://bitly.ws/S94e) and health.

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