Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

As of August 2024, the defendants in the hair relaxer MDL are:

• L’Oreal
• Revlon
• Strength of Nature

If you regularly used chemical hair relaxers from these brands and later developed cancer, you could qualify to join the MDL or file an individual lawsuit.

As of August 2024, there have been no hair relaxer cancer settlements. It is also important to note that there is no average hair relaxer settlement amount as each person’s illness and losses are different.

The damages you can recover depend on the specifics of your case. However, you may be entitled to:

• Medical bills, such as testing, radiation, chemotherapy, treatment, hospitalization costs, copays, prescription medications, and ongoing treatment
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Miscellaneous related expenses
• Pain and suffering and other non-economic damages

If you lost a loved one due to ovarian, endometrial, or uterine cancer, we offer our most sincere condolences. A hair relaxer attorney can help you fight for compensation and justice through a wrongful death claim.

If you regularly used a chemical hair straightening product, either applied at home or professionally, and you have been diagnosed with uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, or ovarian cancer, you should contact Goldwater Law Firm now to find out if you qualify to file a hair relaxer lawsuit.

If you have questions about what options are available for recovering your losses, take our quiz and find out if you qualify.

We offer our initial consultation at no cost, and we never charge a fee unless we win.

It can seem almost impossible to manage a hair relaxer cancer lawsuit, especially if you are undergoing cancer treatment or grieving the loss of a loved one.

You don’t need to handle this alone. Our law firm partners can handle every aspect of your case, including:

• Determining your eligibility
• Gathering the necessary evidence to prove your case, including expert witnesses
• Determining whether you should join the MDL or file an individual lawsuit
• Establishing your losses and the potential value of your case
• Managing deadlines
• Building a robust case
• Representing you at trial

Our co-counsel will also keep you updated on the status of your case as the MDL progresses. And remember, you pay nothing upfront for legal help. You only pay if you and your family recover compensation.

Yes. Chemical hair relaxer lawsuit lawyers handle cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means they do not charge any upfront fees, and you only pay if and when they win your case. This can be especially helpful in a case against a giant hair relaxer manufacturer like L’Oreal, Revlon, or Strength of Nature, which likely has endless resources to use against you and your claim.

Studies have proven a link between chemical hair straighteners and uterine cancer.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Study

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a study in 2022 connecting frequent application of chemical hair straightening and relaxing (also known as “perm”) products to a significantly increased risk of uterine and endometrial cancers. In fact, women who used these products four or more times per year had a 2x higher risk of developing these cancers. The study spanned 11 years and involved almost 33,500 women aged 35 to 74. Because this is a product typically used on textured hair, African-American women made up 60% of users.

This study also noted the following toxic chemicals found in these straightening products that may have a direct link to uterine cancer:

• Parabens
• Bisphenol A (BPA)
• Formaldehyde
• Metals

The chemicals in hair relaxers are dangerous because many of them are “endocrine disruptors.” These endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been linked to a host of women’s reproductive health outcomes.

Despite being aware of previously published studies linking their products to breast cancer and uterine fibroids, especially in African-American women, chemical hair straightener manufacturers continued to create and market these products without warning of their dangers. Having this knowledge and refusing to take action to address these problems could leave them liable for the illnesses sustained by their customers.

Boston University Study

A study performed by researchers at Boston University’s Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS) found that the use of chemical hair relaxer products at least twice a year for at least five years increased the risk of uterine cancer among postmenopausal African-American women by up to 50%.

No. However, some relaxers contain certain chemicals that can release formaldehyde when they are heated, according to NBC News.

Hair relaxers have been linked to uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. As more research is done, we may find more cancers and illnesses linked to these toxic chemicals.

While uterine cancer responds particularly well to treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, successful recovery can often be dependent on early diagnosis and intervention.

If you have the following symptoms, you should contact your doctor:

• Pelvic pain or cramping
• Vaginal bleeding between periods
• Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding after menopause
• Persistent or prolonged vaginal bleeding after age 40
• White or clear thin discharge in postmenopausal women

Ovarian cancer is known as the silent killer because many of its symptoms aren’t present or obvious in the beginning. Women are often diagnosed very late. Common ovarian cancer symptoms include:

• Bloating
• Swollen stomach
• Fatigue
• Unexplained or unexpected weight loss
• Pelvic area discomfort
• Abdominal discomfort
• Lower back discomfort
• Abnormal constipation
• Changes in bowel movements
• Irregular urination
• A feeling of fullness right after beginning to eat
• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Postmenopausal bleeding

Endometrial cancer can be low-risk or high-risk and is classified in stages I through IV. Endometrial cancer can come back after treatment. Common symptoms of endometrial cancer include:

• Unusual vaginal bleeding (between periods)
• Pelvic area pain
• Postmenopausal bleeding
• Pain during sex
• Difficult or painful urination

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a ban on hair relaxers containing formaldehyde in October 2023. However, the Agency later missed its own deadline for publishing this ban in April 2024, according to an NPR article. It pushed back the date for this publishing to July 2024 and then to September 2024, according to an NBC News article.

This decision is long awaited by advocates. The Environmental Working Group petitioned the FDA to ban hair products with formaldehyde in 2011 and 2021.

The FDA is currently warning against using hair care products with formaldehyde. However, hair relaxers without formaldehyde are still full of dangerous chemicals.