Studies have found that certain hair products have been associated with breast and ovarian cancers. The newly released study identified a significant association between a specific type of hair product and cancer.
Hair product use is associated with increased exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which alter the body’s balance between estrogen and progesterone. Some hair products expose users to chemicals like formaldehyde and other probable carcinogens. And now the focus is especially on hair straighteners.
A new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that followed nearly 34,000 women over more than 10 years found hair straighteners were specifically associated with an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.
In the study, women were asked how often, if ever, they used hair products. These included permanent dyes, semi-permanent dyes, bleaches, highlights, and straighteners.
It turns out that only women who reported ever using hair straighteners in the past 12 months had a higher risk of uterine cancer.
Women who reported ever using hair straighteners had an 80% higher risk of uterine cancer, and for women who reported frequent use, defined as more than four times per year, the risk was more than two and a half times higher.
Another way to look at it is the average risk of developing uterine cancer by age 70 is about 1.6%, but it jumps to 4% for those who frequently use hair straighteners.
Data shows Black women may be more at risk because they use these products at a younger age, use more of them, and often use harsher chemical formulations.
This is just adding to a growing body of information on the potential hazard of hair care products, especially as marketed to women of color. Previous studies have also suggested links to lower sex steroid levels, uterine fibroids, and earlier menarche, that’s aged when menstrual cycles begin.