For years, researchers have been investigating a link between chemical hair relaxers and an increased risk of cancer. In 2022, a landmark study found that women who often used hair relaxers like Dark & Lovely and Creme of Nature could be over TWICE as likely to develop uterine cancer. Since then, thousands of women with cancer have joined the ongoing lawsuit against hair relaxer brands.
But, even though the lawsuit first began a while back, the science behind hair relaxers being linked to uterine cancer is still generally not understood. For many people, it can even seem confusing! Our team is often asked, “How would using hair relaxer cause uterine cancer if it goes on your head, not near the genitals?”
And to that, we say: fair question! On first glance, the science behind the Hair Relaxer Lawsuit can almost seem counter-intuitive. But to find the answer, we’ll need to dig a little deeper into how the body’s hormones can be affected by changes in the human endocrine system, along with some unique features about the scalp.
NOTE: Before we begin, keep in mind we are NOT healthcare professionals, and this info should not be considered as medical advice. This information has been gathered from academic studies published by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Silent Spring Institute, and the Battelle Memorial Institute.
The effects of hormonal imbalance
According to a 2018 study published in academic journal Environmental Research, researchers have identified dozens of potentially harmful chemicals in a group of hair products marketed towards Black women, including hair relaxers. Some of the most common and risky chemicals mentioned in the study include parabens, phthalates, cyclosiloxanes, and BPA, also known as Bisphenol A.
Classified by scientists as “endocrine-disrupting chemicals,” or EDCs, these substances have been found to interfere with the body’s hormonal system in a variety of ways. Some can block the production of certain hormones, while others can mimic hormones like estrogen, making them “estrogenic.”
Estrogenic EDCs, in particular, seem to be a strong reason why scientists have linked hair relaxers to uterine cancer. For over 50 years, studies have found that too much estrogen in a biological woman’s body could be a strong risk factor for cancer, especially uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancer.
But, even though many hair relaxers contain EDCs, it’s not the presence of these chemicals alone that makes relaxers linked to cancer. Because hair relaxers are a chemically-active product applied directly to the scalp, they present another issue that potentially makes the risk even worse.
The effects of hormonal imbalance
Have you ever heard the saying “your scalp is like a sponge?” There’s a lot of truth to that analogy. In fact, the scalp is considered to be one of the most absorbent parts of the entire body, after the skin on your face and neck.
However, that’s not the real issue contributing to hair relaxers being linked to cancer—or at least, not entirely. If you’ve ever used hair relaxer before, you’ve probably felt a painful, “burning” sensation on your scalp, especially if you accidentally left it on too long. This feeling is caused by alkaline chemicals found both in lye AND no-lye hair relaxers, like sodium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate.
Because of these chemicals, relaxers have a tendency to create burns and skin lesions on the scalp, even if you use them correctly and don’t leave them on long. These wounds create small openings in your skin, which gives EDCs a direct pathway to your bloodstream through your scalp’s capillaries.
A combination of risk factors
Ultimately, the risk of hair relaxer being linked to uterine cancer comes from two core issues:
1. Many hair relaxers contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that can mimic estrogen, which is strongly associated with a risk of uterine and ovarian cancer.
2. Because relaxers are applied on highly-absorbent skin, and because relaxers tend to cause burns and break the skin barrier, the EDCs they contain can easily travel into the bloodstream.
These elements combined have likely affected thousands of people, especially women with a long history of using hair relaxers. As of 2026, over 11,000 women have joined the Hair Relaxer Lawsuit holding beauty brands accountable for staying silent about the risks.
File a Hair Relaxer claim
If you or an immediate family member were diagnosed with uterine cancer or another reproductive cancer after using hair relaxers, you may be entitled to significant compensation from the lawsuit.
Ready for a free case review? Take our online hair relaxer eligibility evaluation to see if you may be eligible to file a claim.
