Here Is Every Reason Why You Should Stop Using a Chemical Relaxer on Your Hair
Everything that’s good to you, truly isn’t good for you.
Hair Relaxers for women of color have always been a staple in cultural communities. However, recent studies have shown that women who use chemical hair-straightening products are at a higher risk for uterine cancer.
In a case study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, US women between the ages of 35-74 participating in the Sister Study showed that out of 33,497 participants, 378 uterine cancer cases were diagnosed over 11 years. Data reports revealed that women who frequently used hair straightening products more than four times through the year were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to those who did not relax their hair. “We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners would go on to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70; but for frequent users, that risk goes up to 4.05%,” said Alexandra White, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology group and lead author on the new study. “This doubling rate is concerning. However, it is important to put this information into context — uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer.”
While there are many ways to achieve straight hair for those with texture, the messaging should be overly aggressive or harmful as it is for nicotine products and beyond. Should you wish to continue using chemical straighteners, please be aware of the studies mentioned above.
