Hair straightening products could be linked to cancer, new study shows

ATLANTA — A new study is pointing to a possible link between uterine cancer and chemical hair straightening products.

Researchers with the National Institutes of Health say they found that Black women could be at a higher risk because they use the products more often.

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Kristy Edmondson has been styling hair for 25 years. She told Channel 2′s Candace McCowan that over time the demand for hair relaxers or chemical straightening products has changed.

“There’s another option for you and, yes, it’s a healthier option because having a chemical in your hair, it’s a chemical, period,” Edmondson said.

Other stylists say chemical straighteners are still a frequent request.

“I would say, for me and my clientele, I would say I’m even between the number of clients that get relaxers, how many clients I have that are natural,” Toccara Bagget explained.

Both women work at Tru Serenity Salon say they believe relaxers will remain an option for customers even after the new study.

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The 11-year study points to an association between frequent use of chemical straightening products and uterine cancer.

It found that 1.64% who do not use the products will develop uterine cancer by the time they turn 70. Among those who use the products more than four times a year, their risk increases to more than 4%.

The same data was used to report an association between hair dye and breast cancer.

Stylists say they have found other benefits to staying away from the chemicals.

“We did away with a relaxer years ago. Now, her hair is thicker, healthier,” Edmondson said of one of her clients.

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Uterine cancer is still relatively rare, but stylists still want to know more and are waiting on more studies to surface.

Researchers say they are still working to figure out which chemicals in the straightening products could be causing uterine cancer.

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