Lawsuits have been filed by women who used hair relaxers and needed to have a hysterectomy after developing uterine cancer, fibroids, or endometriosis.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting hair relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know used hair relaxers and had to have a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus), 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.
Hair Relaxers: A Risk-Factor for Hysterectomies?
In October 2022, a study found that women who use hair relaxers at least 4 times a year were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer, which typically requires a hysterectomy to remove cancerous tissue in the uterus.
The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Around 4% of women who used hair relaxers were expected to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70. Treatment for uterine cancer almost always involves a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus).
Women Are Filing Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
After the study was published, lawsuits were filed by multiple women who had a hysterectomy due to uterine cancer or other health issues, like fibroids or endometriosis.
These lawsuits accused L’Oreal and other beauty companies of aggressively marketing hair relaxers toward African American women, misleading customers about the “natural” ingredients, and failing to warn women about the health risks of exposure to toxic chemicals.
Hair Relaxer Lawsuits Filed by Women Who Had Hysterectomies
One of the first hair relaxer lawsuits was filed by Jenny M., a woman from Missouri who had to have a hysterectomy when she was only 28 years old. She was diagnosed with uterine cancer after using hair relaxers for 22 years, according to the lawsuit. “My dreams of becoming a mother were gone,” she told CNN.
In November 2022, another hair relaxer lawsuit was filed by Timika S., a woman from Illinois who had to have a hysterectomy after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and endometriosis. She used a variety of hair relaxer products for 30 years before her hysterectomy, including Dark & Lovely, Just for Me, and Cantu Shea Butter Relaxer.
In January 2023, a lawsuit was filed by a woman from Missouri who developed ovarian cancer after using hair relaxers. She had to undergo a hysterectomy when she was only 35 years old, as well as numerous rounds of chemotherapy.
What is a Hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove the uterus (also called the “womb”), which is a female reproductive organ where a baby grows when a woman becomes pregnant. Hysterectomies may also involve the surgical removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries. Women with some types of cancer may also need to have the cervix or the upper part of their vagina surgically removed.
How Common Are Hysterectomies?
Every year in the U.S., nearly 500,000 women undergo a hysterectomy. It is the 2nd-most-common surgery for American women, followed only by childbirth by C-section (cesarian delivery).
Why Do Women Need A Hysterectomy?
Healthcare providers may recommend that women get a hysterectomy if they have fibroids, endometriosis, uterine cancer, vaginal bleeding that is abnormally heavy, chronic pelvic pain, or uterine prolapse.
What Happens After a Hysterectomy?
Women who have a hysterectomy will not be able to get pregnant and they will stop menstruating. This can be a relief, but it can also cause emotional distress or a sense of loss for some women. If the ovaries are also removed in a younger woman, it will cause menopause, which can result in sudden hormonal changes, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, insomnia, mood changes, and other symptoms.
What is the Problem?
A growing number of lawsuits have been filed by women who claim that the toxic chemicals in hair relaxers can cause health problems that require a hysterectomy, such as uterine cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, heavy vaginal bleeding, and serious long-term pain.
Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Hair Relaxers
Lawsuits claim that hair relaxers contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (such as phthalates or parabens), which can mimic estrogen. These chemicals are absorbed into a woman’s body through scalp sores and burns that occur during the hair relaxing process.
Hair Relaxers Linked to Hormone-Sensitive Health Problems
In recent years, multiple studies have found a link between hair relaxers and hormone-sensitive health issues, including:
List of Major Hair Relaxer Products & Brand-Names
- Ultra Precise
- Dark & Lovely
- Bantu
- Optimum
- Motions
- Just for Me
- ORS Olive Oil
- African Pride
- TCB Naturals
- Luster’s
- Africa’s Best
- Creme of Nature
- TCB
- Mizani Rhelaxer
- Soft & Beautiful
- Ultra Sheen Supreme
Do I have a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting hair relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know used hair relaxers and had to have a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus), 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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