Hair Relaxer Uterine Cancer in Wisconsin

Cancer Causing Chemicals Found in Wisconsin Hair Relaxers

Chemical hair relaxer products such as Dark & Lovely and Motions have been found to cause uterine cancer in Wisconsin women. Research shows that Wisconsin women who regularly use hair relaxer products experience uterine cancer twice as often as other women, due to the presence of harmful and carcinogenic substances. Critics say manufacturers have been aware of the danger of uterine cancer from hair relaxers for years, and that safe alternatives were readily available.

In pursuit of profit, manufacturers have continued to market hair relaxers containing cancer-causing substances, never warning Wisconsin consumers of the risk. Attorneys handling hair relaxer uterine cancer lawsuits believe women and family members of women in Wisconsin who have suffered from hair relaxer uterine cancer may be eligible for significant compensation. This page provides a comprehensive look at uterine cancer from hair relaxers in Wisconsin.

How Hair Relaxers Work

Hair relaxers, which come in both creams and lotions, are cosmetic products used to straighten or "relax" wavy or curly hair. Marketed primarily to Black and Latin women in Wisconsin, hair relaxers make up a $718 million market that relies on a stereotype that says straight hair is preferable to curly or kinky hair. As many as 90% of Black women use hair relaxers at some point during their lives, often starting at a young age and before puberty, and many say their job depends on having their hair relaxed.

Hair relaxers contain chemicals that purposefully damage the natural protein structure of the hair, which has the effect of flattening, straightening and smoothing curly or kinky hair. Hair relaxing agents come in multiple forms, including "lye" relaxers utilizing sodium hydroxide, "no-lye" relaxers containing calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate, and "thio" relaxers using thioglycolic acid and salts. These products are applied directly to the scalp. While some Wisconsin women choose to apply relaxers at home, many receive the treatment at a Wisconsin beauty salon. A hair relaxer treatment lasts 12-16 weeks, but may be touched up at shorter intervals.

In addition to any stated ingredients, many hair relaxer products also contain a host of other substances lumped under "fragrance" or "perfumes". These substances include known carcinogens and endocrine-disruptors, such as phthalates, estrogens, and parabens. According to medical experts, the application of carcinogenic and hormonally-active substances on the scalp is risky in and of itself because the scalp is highly vascular, meaning it contains many blood vessels that serve as easy entry points into the bloodstream. In addition, caustic chemicals found in hair relaxers frequently cause burns and lesions on the scalp, making it even easier for carcinogens in hair relaxer products to find their way into the bloodstream.

Uterine Cancer from Hair Relaxer Chemicals in Wisconsin

Hair relaxer uterine cancer is linked to substances known as "endocrine-disrupting chemicals" or EDCs, which are commonly found in many leading hair relaxer products. EDCs are chemicals that are known to alter the body's natural hormone levels by impacting the endocrine system.

Wisconsin women who regularly use hair relaxers (4x per year or more) are twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than other women.

The endocrine system is an extremely sensitive and precise network of glands that produces hormones to develop and regulate the brain and nervous system, the reproductive system, and the body's metabolism and blood sugar levels. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals have the effect of altering the natural functioning of this system, causing endometriosis, uterine cancer, and other forms of cancer, as well as uterine fibroids, cognitive defects, immune disorders, and metabolic syndromes. Wisconsin women who have been exposed to EDCs may be forced to undergo hysterectomy and suffer from infertility.

Hair Relaxers Linked to Uterine Cancer

A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in October of 2022 identified that women who frequently use hair relaxers (four times per year or more) are twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than women who don't use hair relaxers. The study, which was conducted by the National Institutes of Health, followed nearly 34,000 for over ten years. The more often a woman used hair relaxers, the more likely she was to develop uterine cancer, according to the research. This was the first study to specifically prove a link between hair relaxer use and uterine cancer, though scientists have long since been aware of the connection between substances found in hair relaxers and cancer.

Uterine cancer is the fourth most common form of cancer in the United States, with 65,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Wisconsin women who use straighteners have a higher risk of developing uterine cancer, and their risk goes up the more they have used the product in the past. Overall, Black women also have a poorer prognosis when diagnosed with uterine cancer than other women with uterine cancer.

Hair Relaxer Attorneys for Wisconsin Claims Anticipate Uterine Cancer Compensation

Through our work as leaders in the area of talcum powder cancer litigation, our attorneys have represented countless women who have been harmed by the presence of cancer-causing substances in cosmetics.

• Jacqueline Fox, $72 million
• Gloria Ristesund, $55 million
• Deborah Giannecchini, $70 million
• Lois Slemp, $110 million
• Twenty-two plaintiffs in St. Louis Circuit Court, $4.7 billion

Based on this experience, we anticipate Wisconsin women who have suffered from uterine cancer as a result of using chemical hair relaxers may be entitled to significant compensation.

Companies who manufacture and market hair relaxers have a duty to provide safe products and also must warn consumers of any potential risks. While safety testing is not required for cosmetics in the United States, selling products that contain ingredients known to be harmful or dangerous to the user amounts is not permitted. Critics say manufacturers have been aware of the risk of uterine cancer from hair relaxers for several years, yet failed to warn consumers or issue product recalls. These actions have resulted in grave illness, injury and death in countless women in Wisconsin, while all the while, safe alternatives were readily available.

Let Our Hair Relaxer Uterine Cancer Lawyers Serving Wisconsin Help You

Our lawyers specialize in holding large corporations accountable when they've placed profits ahead of safety. Through settlements and winning verdicts, our attorneys have obtained millions for our clients. Let us help you today.

Hair Relaxer Uterine Cancer Lawsuits for Wisconsin Residents

Filing a lawsuit will allow you to hold the pharmaceutical company accountable for damage it has caused you or a loved one, while also providing real compensation for your medical expenses, suffering and loss. Contact us today for a free consultation.