According to a new study by researchers at the National Institute of Health, women who use relaxers may be at higher risk of developing uterus cancer.
The study, released Monday, joins prior research in showing an increased risk of hormone-related cancer in women who have used the chemicals in their hair.
The risk of developing uterine cancer goes up to 4% for frequent users, according to the lead author of the study.
The data comes from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. The project collects medical records and lifestyle surveys from tens of thousands of women ages 35 to 74, all of whom are sisters to women with breast cancer but did not have cancer themselves, in an attempt to identify risk factors for breast cancer and other diseases.
There were 378 cases of uterine cancer diagnosed over the course of the study. Women who have ever used straightening products are more likely to develop cancer than women who haven't used them. Women who'd used the products more than 4 times in the past year were more likely to be diagnosed with uterus cancer.
Participants in the study were not asked to report brands or chemicals. The link between hair products and cancer was not the same as before.
According to the National Cancer Institute, Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with uterus cancer than other women.
Black women are also under pressure about their hair. Black women and men have been subject to bans in settings from K-12 schools to the U.S. military for wearing natural hair and other hair styles. Many people may still have biases against textured hair, according to a study. The House passed a bill that would ban hair discrimination.
According to Che-Jung Chang, one of the authors of the study, the findings may be even more relevant for black women because they use hair products more frequently.
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