New study warns black women that chemical hair straighteners 'relaxers' may cause uterine cancer

A new study from the National Institute of Health found that women who used chemical hair straightening products had a greater chance of developing uterine cancer than women who do use these products.

Although previous studies show chemical straighteners cause ovarian and breast cancer. Other hair products, such as hair colours, bleach, highlights, or perms, that the women reported using were not linked to uterine cancer, according to the study.

According to several reports, uterine cancer incidence rates have been rising in the US, especially among Black women. With 65,950 forecasted new cases in 2022, uterine cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system and accounts for nearly 3% of all new cancer cases.

The study cautioned that the effects may be worse for Black women due to the fact that they use more.

Even though it did not identify a relationship between straighteners, uterine cancer and race, white women are less likely to get uterine cancer from chemical straighteners.

33,497 American women between the ages of 35 and 74 took part in the Sister Study. For about 11 years, the women were monitored and 378 new incidences of uterine cancer were identified.

In comparison to women who did not use hair straightening products, frequent users—those who used them more than four times in the previous year—were more than twice as likely to later develop uterine cancer.

It seems like, it is in black women's best interest to go natural.