Lawsuits have been filed by women who claim that Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers contain chemicals that are linked to uterine cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancer, and more.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know used hair relaxers and was diagnosed with cancer, fibroids, or endometriosis, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: Another Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against L’Oreal
In November 2022, another Dark & Lovely class action lawsuit was filed against L’Oreal and SoftSheen-Carson by a group of 4 women who used Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers. The women are seeking financial compensation for ongoing medical monitoring and other damages.
Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Illinois
In November 2022, a class action lawsuit was filed against L’Oreal and Soft Sheen-Carson by women who claim that Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers contain chemicals that are linked to uterine cancer, endometriosis, fibroids, breast cancer, and more.
According to the lawsuit, Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers contain toxic endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which can mimic hormones like estrogen and increase the risk of hormone-sensitive health issues.
What Happens When I Use Hair Relaxers?
In November 2022, a group of women who used Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer filed a class action lawsuit against L’Oreal and Soft Sheen-Carson, claiming they never would have used Dark & Lovely if they knew it contained chemicals that might increase their risk of uterine cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, or breast cancer.
The toxic chemicals in hair relaxers are absorbed and metabolized through skin contact, as well as burns and lesions on the scalp that commonly occur due to harsh chemicals like sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, guanidine carbonate, or thioglycolic acid salts.
Risk of Hormone-Sensitive Health Problems
Hair relaxers may also contain hormonally active and carcinogenic compounds, such as phthalates and parabens, which disrupt the endocrine system. These ingredients may be disguised as “fragrance” or “perfume” on the label, making it impossible for women to know what they are actually putting in their hair, according to the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs include several women who claim that they never would have used hair relaxers if they had been properly warned of the risks.
They accuse L’Oreal and Soft Sheen-Carson, the manufacturers of Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers, of misleading women about the safety of routinely using this product to straighten their hair.
Can I Join a Class Action Lawsuit?
Lawyers are trying to create a multi-state class action for anyone who bought Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers after May 25, 2017. They are also seeing financial compensation for medical monitoring and full refunds.
The Dark & Lovely Class Action Lawsuit was filed against L’Oreal and Soft Sheen-Carson on November 3, 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Eastern Division) — Case Number 1:22-cv-06110.
Types of Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers
- Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer (Triple Nourished Silkening Relaxer No-Lye)
- Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer (Healthy Gloss 5 Shade Shea Moisture No-Lye Relaxer)
- Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer (No-Lye Conditioning Relaxer System)
- Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer (Healthy Gloss 5 Moisturizing No-Lye Relaxer with Shea Butter)
- Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer (Superior Moisture Plus No-Lye Relaxer Kit)
- Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer (Moisture Plus No-Lye Relaxer)
What is Dark & Lovely?
Dark & Lovely is a hair company that was founded in 1972 by Carson Products. It was acquired by L’Oreal in 1998.
Dark & Lovely was the first no-lye hair relaxer, which was a huge breakthrough in the 1970s because at the time, there were only lye-based hair relaxers on the market. These lye-based relaxers contained sodium hydroxide, a chemical that would damage the hair over time, and cause painful skin burns.
Unlike lye-based relaxers, Dark & Lovely pioneered the use of other chemicals, such as calcium hydroxide, which was advertised to be milder and less painful to use. Today, there are several different types of Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer with different chemical ingredients.
Health Risks of Using Hair Relaxers
The problem is that Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer and similar products contain toxic carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are linked to many life-threatening health issues for women, including;
Study Links Hair Relaxers and Uterine Cancer
L’Oreal has been hit by multiple lawsuits and class actions involving women who used Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer before they developed cancer. These lawsuits were filed after a major study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found a doubled risk of uterine cancer for women who used hair relaxers:
“The researchers found that women who reported frequent use of hair straightening products, defined as more than four times in the previous year, were more than twice as likely to go on to develop uterine cancer compared to those who did not use the products.”
The researchers estimated that 4% of women who used hair relaxers at least every 3 months would develop uterine cancer by age 70, compared to just 1.6% of women who did not use hair relaxers.
Dark & Lovely Lawsuit Filed by Woman With Cancer
One of the first hair relaxer lawsuits was filed in November 2022 by Timika S., a woman who used Dark & Lovely, Just for Me, and Cantu Shea Butter Relaxer from 1987 through 2017, until she was diagnosed with cancer.
Two months after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer, she had to undergo a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus). She was also diagnosed with endometriosis.
What Do Lawsuits Claim?
Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer lawsuits claim that L’Oreal and other beauty companies aggressively promoted hair relaxers toward African American women, while misleading them about the “natural” ingredients, and failing to warn about the health risks of being routinely exposed to toxic chemicals in hair relaxers (formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, DEHP, metals, Bisphenol A, and many others).
Do I have a Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know used hair relaxers and was diagnosed with cancer, fibroids, or endometriosis, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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