Boston University researchers say chemical hair relaxers linked to uterine cancer
BOSTON - There's a warning for people who use chemical hair relaxers. Local researchers have found use of these products may be linked to cancer.
Chemical hair relaxers have been used for many years, predominantly by Black women, to straighten curly or tightly coiled hair. The products are not strictly regulated and contain ingredients that can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, chemicals that have already been shown to disrupt hormones.
Now researchers at Boston University have looked at data on nearly 45,000 participants in the Black Women's Health Study and found that those who used these products frequently or over the long term were significantly more likely to develop uterine cancer compared to those who never or only rarely used them.
Black women have higher rates of aggressive forms of uterine cancer and are more likely to die from the disease than white women.
The researchers hope this study will raise awareness about the potential toxic effects of chemical hair relaxers and discourage women from using them.