Sheila Bush was reclining in her St. Louis-area home one winter day when she came across a television ad from a law firm urging viewers to call a toll-free number if they or someone they knew had used hair relaxers and were diagnosed with uterine cancer. After seeing the ad multiple times, Bush decided to make the call.
These television advertisements were part of a nationwide campaign by plaintiffs’ law firms aiming to recruit Black women to file lawsuits against several cosmetic companies, including L’Oreal and Revlon. The lawsuits alleged that these companies sold hair relaxers containing chemicals that increased the risk of uterine cancer and failed to warn customers.
The recruitment drive began in October following a US National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that identified an association (though not causation) between frequent use of chemical hair relaxers and uterine cancer.
L’Oreal and Revlon stated that their products undergo rigorous safety reviews and that they do not believe the current scientific evidence supports the allegations in the lawsuits. Other companies named in the lawsuits either declined to comment or did not respond to requests.
Over 6,000 cases have been filed, with the majority of them (more than 5,700) filed since mid-August, according to the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. However, these cases face obstacles as the NIH study demonstrated only correlation, not causation. Many plaintiffs are suing multiple companies, and some lack receipts or evidence of specific products used.
The success of these legal claims depends on proving that the companies were negligent and failed to warn customers about the alleged toxic products. Marketing hair relaxers to Black women is not inherently illegal.
Attorneys like Ben Crump, known for representing the family of George Floyd, filed the initial hair relaxer lawsuit, framing these cases as “essentially civil rights issues.”
Uterine cancer, the most common form of reproductive system cancer, is on the rise in the US, particularly among Black women, according to the NIH. The NIH study indicated that women who reported using hair straightening products more than four times in the previous year were over twice as likely to develop uterine cancer.
These hair relaxers have been found to contain various chemicals, including phthalates, parabens, cyclosiloxanes, and metals. When heated, they may release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. L’Oreal and Revlon, among others, stated that the NIH study did not definitively establish a causal link between hair relaxers and uterine cancer and called for further research.
The companies named in the lawsuits have asked for dismissal, noting that the NIH study was the first to suggest a possible link between hair straightening products and uterine cancer. Plaintiffs may have difficulty identifying specific products used or demonstrating how individual products harmed them. If the cases proceed, defendants may request summary judgment or attempt to exclude expert evidence during trials.
Legal experts expect hair relaxer lawsuits to increase, as more plaintiffs join and the number of cases grows. Lawyers seeking plaintiffs have employed various tactics, including social media outreach and community events.
The legal proceedings highlight the growing concern over the potential health risks associated with these products and the need for clearer guidelines and information for consumers.
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