Hair-Straightening Products May Increase the Risk of Uterine Cancer

New research published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that women who use chemical hair straightening products have a higher risk of cervical cancer than those who don’t. During data collection, 378 participants were diagnosed with cervical cancer. The data showed that women who used hair straightening products frequently, “more than four times in the previous year,” were more than twice as likely to develop cervical cancer than those who did not use such products.

64% of women who have never used hair straighteners will develop cervical cancer by age 70; but for frequent users, that risk increases to 4.05%,” Alexandra White, Ph. noted, “This doubling rate is worrying.

However, it is vital to put this information in context, as cervical cancer is relatively rare. The sister study conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Noted, “about 60% of the participants who reported having used straightening irons in the past year identified themselves as black women.

The link between chemical hair straightening and cervical cancer in black women. While cervical cancer accounts for only about three percent of all new cancer cases, the most commonly diagnosed cancer associated with the female reproductive system.

“Given that Black women use hair straightening or straightening products more frequently and tend to start using them at a younger age than other racial and ethnic groups, these results may be even more relevant to them,” Che-Jung Chang, Ph. , an author of the new study and a research associate in the Division of Epidemiology.

The researchers emphasized that several chemicals commonly found in relaxers, such as parabens, bisphenol A, metals, and formaldehyde, “could contribute to the observed increased risk of cervical cancer.

Chemical exposure from hair relaxers is arguable “of more concern” than other personal care products because they absorb more through the scalp, “which can be exacerbated by burns and injuries from relaxants. For other hair products, the researchers found no associations with cervical cancer. women reported using, including hair dye, bleach, highlights or perms,” the source said.

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