April 26, 2023
Latest reports from Consumer’s Notice are stating that chemical texture treatments are causing different types of cancer amongst users or past consumers. Many of those affected are among African American (AA) women who used the product on a frequent basis. Before I jump deep into this topic I want to put a disclaimer that all chemical treatments should be performed by a licensed cosmetologist. Conducting such acts at home with over the counter kits or by someone that has limited training and knowledge of how to use these products potentially puts the consumer at risk for adverse reactions. Chemical texture treatments are various services that licensed cosmetologists apply to hair that can alter the texture and curl pattern for straight, curly or loose curls patterns allowing the hair to be more manageable, less frizzy or straight. The largest demographic of people that are being affected are African American women that receive chemical relaxers because they are the most frequent consumed users. Where did relaxers come from, what chemicals are being used that are potentially harmful to the health and well being of the public consumers, and what is being done about it to prevent or lower the risk of being exposed to carcinogenic substances???
Just A Little History
The first type of chemical straightening solution was accidentally invented by Garrett A. Morgan. He was a famous inventor of the traffic signal and he upgraded the sewing machine. While trying to figure out how to prevent the needle from burning wool fabric due to friction, he added a type of lubrication that he made up. During his testing he noticed that the needle was straightening the fibers on the wool material. He took his discovery a step further by testing the lubricant on a patch of hair on his neighbor’s dog, and the fur was straight. Lastly he tried the straightening solution on himself and with positive hair straightening results he began to sell the product to African American people and eventually started his own hair line company in 1913 called G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Co.
Over time other texture altering systems were made with different processes, but with the same ingredient that was used from Morgan’s invented straightening solution called Thioglycolate (thio). This ingredient is a chemical agent that permanently breaks down one of the strongest bonds in hair called disulfide bonds (hence the word perm). In 1938 Arnold F. Willatt invented the cold wave perm that can permanently curl straight hair without the use to heat or electricity better known as the cold wave perm. 1954 the texturizer was invented by George E. Johnson which was designed to soften the curl of hair in which The Johnson Company was formed, but was later sold to L'oreal by his ex wife at the time who had 49.5% share in the company. Then in 1976 the Jheri Curl was invented by Jheri Redding that was more catered to the African American community by using toothpicks to form the curls, but again with the use of ammonium thioglycolate. Fast forward decades later to 1996 the Japanese Straightening system was created by Yuko Yamashita called the YUKO Hair Straightening, she bought the product that will permanently straighten hair with the use of a thio relaxer and the addition of heat with a flat iron tool to America in 1999. The Brazilian Keratin Treatment was invented sometime in the 2010 era by an unknown mortician in South America, Brazil. Information is very limited on the inventor. However the harmful chemical that is used in the preservation for human corpses called formaldehyde gained a lot of controversy because exposure to it causes nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia. All these chemical straightening systems involve either a thio or a formaldehyde chemical where if exposed to repeatedly over an extended period of time increases the risk of causing different types or cancer.
So what type of cancers could an individual be at risk of developing?
According to the National Health Institute (NHI) the thio chemical disrupts the way the endocrine system functions leading to cancers involving the reproductive system in women and breast cancer. Other endocrine disrupting agents such as parabens and phthalates cause cancer of the uterine. Endometriosis is another cancer caused by hormonal instability where cancerous tumors are developed inside, outside or around the uterus. The 2018 study by The Journal of Human Reproductive Services found that high levels of phthalates were found in women diagnosed with endometriosis. Northwestern Medicine’s data collected that uterine fibroids have been associated with high exposure to parabens, phthalates, and Di(2-Ethylhexyl)Phthalate (DEHP) in women who are at higher risk of forming symptomatic fibroids. It is also stated that DEHP can be passed from mother to baby in utero and exposure to the chemical indoors also puts a person at risk of uterine fibroids coming about.
Who are at risk of contracting these different types of cancers and why?
Studies are showing that African American women are at the most risk and have thus far been the highest demographic that have developed one of the listed cancers and are linked with exposure to thio, parabens, and phthalates. The ways in which these women were exposed were through chemical relaxer straightening systems. Statistics point to the fact that women exposed to these chemicals more than four times in 12 months are at more than “DOUBLE THE RISK.” AA women were using these products at least every 4-6 weeks, mostly starting from the age of three years old all through late adulthood and beyond. That is at least 8-12 chemical sessions in a one year period. This high exposure gives a 30% more chance of developing breast cancer by transmission of dermal scalp abrasions that can be caused by chemical burns from the relaxer treatment. During a study by NHI women that affirmed using chemical straightening systems had a higher rate of being diagnosed with uterine cancer, this study was collected from 33,947 women aged 35-74. 60% of these women were African American.
Women in this specific demographic used these products for various reasons. What I personally hear from users is more manageability as a number one answer and having a more attractive desirable look. By whose standards? Are these reasons true? Is it their opinion or the opinion of others? According to JSTOR Daily’s article How Natural Black Hair at Work Became A Civil Rights Issue says that in the early 1900s African Americans chose to straighten their hair by chemical straighteners or hot combs in order to avoid racial discrimination and to be socially accepted in the workplace. In 1964 when the Civil Rights Acts was signed into legislature in hopes to end segregation in public places, schools, and employment discrimination. As part of The Civil Rights, The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was formed in order to regulate workplace discrimination. While people of color could not be legally discriminated against because of the color of their skin, they could face scrutiny for the natural hair that grows out of their head.
In this latest study by Our 2023 Workplace Research Study revealed that:
Black women’s hair is 2.5x more likely to be perceived as unprofessional.
Approximately 2/3 of Black women (66%) change their hair for a job interview. Among them, 41% changed their hair from curly to straight.
Black women are 54% more likely (or over 1.5x more likely) to feel like they have to wear their hair straight to a job interview to be successful.
Black women with coily/textured hair are 2x as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace than Black women with straighter hair.
Over 20% of Black women 25-34 have been sent home from work because of their hair.
Nearly half (44%) of Black women under age 34 feel pressured to have a head shot with straight hair.
25% of Black women believe they have been denied a job interview because of their hair, which is even higher for women under 34 (1/3).
Today we wait on the next Act to be signed in legislation called The CROWN Act, C.R.O.W.N stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” this law will prohibit race-based hair discrimination, such as denial of employment, discrimination in the workplace and in educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots. If you would like to support The Crown Act, subscribe to the website and sign the petition at https://www.thecrownact.com/research-studies
Where do we go from here?
I became aware of the information that hair relaxers were causing cancer about three years ago by a client who had been diagnosed with fibroids. She knew that I had obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology and that I would understand whatever research was out there at the time and she asked me to look into it. I did, and unfortunately I cannot find the data now that I did find at the time I was briefed about it, but I do remember what the conclusion of the experiment was. The bottom line was that chemicals that are used in relaxer straightening systems were exposed to lab rats over a certain period of time, and at some point in the research the specimens developed some form of cancer, but it was also at more concentrated levels that are not in professional or over the counter kits. I think that counts for something.
If you have been diagnosed with uterine cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids you may be eligible to file a claim for a chemical hair straightener lawsuit if you have been exposed to any chemical straightening system. Consult with a lawyer with any proof or medical records to determine your eligibility. Companies that are involved in the lawsuit are Strength of Nature Global LLC, Soft & Beautiful, Motions, TCB Naturals, Just for Me, Namaste, Olive Oil Girls, L’Oreal, Dark and Lovely, and Optimum. According to Consumer’s Report these specific companies are being sued because “The presence of EDCs in Defendants’ Toxic Hair Straightener was not disclosed in the product’s label, and is in violation of state and federal law.” Lawsuits state chemical straighteners and relaxers increase the risk of uterine cancer, and that manufacturers failed to warn the public.” Treatment plans can be discussed with your doctor.
Relaxers have caused other adverse reactions for consumers such as permanent hair loss, scalp conditions, side effects with medications being ingested. Then the natural hair era came back with a bang and women that were receiving straightening treatments either stop the services cold turkey or transition to a point of no longer having chemicals on their hair. Right now it seems that companies are not switching up ingredients, if possible to stop or lower exposure to these harmful chemicals. My best suggestion as a hairstylist of 23 years is to discontinue usage if you are concerned about the exposure compromising your health. Opt in for flat ironing services on an regular basis and eventually your hair will become trained with heat and stay straight between appointments…or you can explore and enjoy a natural journey!
References
Biography. (2014, April 2). Garrett Morgan - Inventor of the Traffic Light & Gas Mask. bio. Biography.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.biography.com/inventors/garrett-morgan
Chemical Texture Services. (2016). In Milady Standard Cosmetology (2016th ed., pp. 618-619). Cengage Learning.
Coogan, P. F., Rosenburg, L., Palmer, J. R., Coizer, Y. C., Lenzy, Y. M., & Bertrand, K. A. (2021, May 20). Hair product use and breast cancer incidence in the Black Women's Health Study. NCBI. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8496025/
The Crown Act. (n.d.). About — The Official CROWN Act. CROWN Act. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.thecrownact.com/about
Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Johnson, George E. 1927–. Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/johnson-george-e-1927
Griffin, C. (2022, July 29). JSTOR Daily. How Natural Black Hair at Work Became a Civil Rights Issue. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://daily.jstor.org/how-natural-black-hair-at-work-became-a-civil-rights-issue/
Harris, K. (2022, March 22). Chasing Curls: A Look At The History Of The Permanent Wave. History Daily. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://historydaily.org/permanent-wave-facts-stories-trivia/2
The Japanese Hair Straightening Guide. (2015, June 1). The Beginning of YUKO Hair Straightening. Japanese Hair Straightening Guide. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://japanesehairstraighteningguide.com/2015/06/01/the-beginning-of-yuko-hair-straightening/
Llamas, M. (2023, February 25). Chemical Hair Straighteners and Cancer | Risks for Women. Consumer Notice. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.consumernotice.org/products/chemical-hair-straighteners/cancer/
Llamas, M., & Edel, A. (2023, January 27). Chemical Hair Straighteners | Safety Information & Side Effects. Consumer Notice. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.consumernotice.org/products/chemical-hair-straighteners/
Llamas, M., & Edel, A. (2023, April 18). Hair Straightener Lawsuits: Lawsuit Updates & Cancer Claims. Consumer Notice. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://www.consumernotice.org/legal/chemical-hair-straightener-lawsuit/
Organize For. (n.d.). Help Us End Hair Discrimination in the Workplace, Schools, and Pools. OrganizeFor. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from http://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/help-make-hair-discrimination-illegal
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