Racial Targeting And Science Will Be Elements Of Hair Relaxer Lawsuits

Loreal is accused of targeting Black women with their hair relaxer product

Monday, March 6, 2023 - Studies show that women who use chemical hair straighteners four or more times per year have double the chance of developing hair relaxer uterine cancer and fibroid tumors than those who do not use the product. Armed with this evidence of wrongdoing, women with cancer of the uterus, breast, and ovaries, and also women with fibroid tumors are filing hair relaxer lawsuit claims against companies including. Black and Latino women use hair relaxers more than other women and have been the target of corporate advertising. Civil rights attorneys like Ben Crump are starting to get involved in lawsuits involving Loreal and other manufacturers and sellers of hair relaxers alleging the companies failed to disclose the dangers of certain chemicals like lye and formaldehyde in its products. Most plaintiffs suing Loreal state in their lawsuits that their uterine or other cancer was treated by having a total hysterectomy leaving the women unable to bear children in the future. Crump, who was recently named co-counsel in a hair relaxer lawsuit, elaborated the racial tone to the case's allegations, telling Click2Houston.com, "Generations of women of color, especially Black women, have been marketed and coerced to believe that using chemicals to straighten their hair equates to beauty. We know now that these chemicals are responsible for the tragic number of users' reproductive cancer. This litigation will bring justice to these women and their families and hold corporations that put profits over people accountable for their deadly actions."

Hundreds of hair relaxer lawsuits have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL) under a single judge to avoid duplicating administrative proceedings and more importantly, to interview potential expert witnesses from both sides as to the science underlying the plaintiff's accusations. This is a critical element in MDL about weeding out scientific testimony that may only inflame or confuse the jury. The MDL judge will not decide on the science, just the experts that will be allowed to testify. Chemical hair relaxers are accused of causing hormone disruption, DNA damage, and inflammation. Lye or no-lye formulations, which can mimic the actions of estrogen in the body and disrupt hormones, may be present in hair relaxers. This increases the risk of hormone-sensitive malignancies like breast and ovarian cancer. Chemical hair relaxers harm the DNA of hair follicle cells. Damage to DNA can lead to mutations and the development of cancer. Ammonia and formaldehyde, two prominent chemicals in hair relaxers, have been found in experiments to damage human DNA. The MDL judge will hold Daubert hearings in the months to come to interview scientists about the ability of the chemicals in commercial hair relaxers to cause hormone disruption cancer, DNA damage, and inflammation of the scalp known as scalp burns. Lawsuits against Loreal in the past for causing chemical scalp burns have been settled for undisclosed amounts of money out of court. Loreal denies the accusations that its products may cause personal injuries and that they are safe for long-term use. The company is on record replying to one lawsuit telling the media, "We stand behind the safety and efficacy of our products and believe that our labeling is clear and fully complies with FDA regulations. Our products meet the highest standards of safety, and consumers can use them with complete confidence."

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Lawyers for Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuits

We will represent all persons involved in a hair relaxer cancer lawsuit on a contingency basis, meaning our lawyers never charge legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. For a free no-obligation consultation please fill out our short online contact form and one of our hair relaxer attorneys for uterine cancer or breast cancer will contact you to answer any of your questions.