An Ohio woman is among dozens of women to file a chemical hair straightener lawsuit claiming dangerous chemicals in straighteners and relaxers marketed to Black women caused her to develop cancer.
Alicia Smith filed her lawsuit in Cleveland federal court. She no family history of cancer, yet doctors diagnosed her with uterine cancer in 2019. Smith, now 46, had used hair straightening products since she was 13.
Smith’s lawsuit names popular hair relaxer manufacturers L’Oreal, Strength of Nature, SoftSheen-Carson, Luster and Godrej Consumer Products as defendants. Manufacturers knew their products could cause potential harm but continued to sell them and failed to warn the public, the lawsuit said.
Studies cited in lawsuits link harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals in hair relaxers, such as phthalates, to reproductive problems, cancer and other issues. The main injuries named in lawsuits include uterine cancer, breast cancer, uterine fibroids, endometriosis and preterm delivery.
“For too long, the cosmetics industry has failed to warn consumers of the presence of harmful chemicals in hair relaxers,” Smith’s attorney, Ashlie Case Sletvold, told Cleveland.com. “This has led to devastating consequences for women like Alicia Smith.”
Plaintiff’s attorneys anticipate a larger number of cases and have filed a motion to consolidate cases into one multidistrict litigation in Illinois. A judge in Miami is set to hear the case on Jan. 26.
Fast forward into 2023 you will see cosmetic brands who have already been named in chemical hair straightener lawsuits include L’Oreal products and popular brands such as Soft & Beautiful and Dark and Lovely.
“It is alleged that the defendants knew or should have known that their hair relaxer products were dangerous and defective because they contain highly toxic EDCs and they manufactured, marketed and sold them anyway,” according to lawsuits.
Chemical hair straightener brands named in lawsuits include:
- L’Oreal
- Motions
- Dark and Lovely
- TCB Naturals
- Olive Oil Girl
- Just for Me
- Namaste
- Optimum
- Soft & Beautiful
- Strength of Nature Global LLC
These brands are popular among Black women, who are more likely to use chemical hair straighteners.
“Sixty percent of the participants who reported using straighteners were Black women. The bottom line is that the exposure burden appears to be higher among Black women,” said Chandra Jackson, one of the NIH study’s co-authors.
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with cancer after using one of the above hair straightener products, you may be eligible to file a settlement FREE CLAIM