The injuries most often named in hair relaxer lawsuits are uterine or endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids. A hair relaxer is a chemical product used to straighten curly or tightly coiled hair for an extended period. Not every user qualifies. The federal litigation focuses on people with regular, long-term use before one of those diagnoses, with medical and product-use records to support review.
Official resources:
- Read the original research from NIH — Use this page to review the original research.
- Read the official guidance from FDA — Use this primary source to verify the official guidance.
Table of Contents
- Which cancers are part of the litigation?
- Do fibroids and endometriosis count?
- What does the science actually show?
- What should you gather before asking for review?
Which cancers are part of the litigation?
The consolidated federal cases in MDL 3060 in the Northern District of Illinois include claims for uterine or endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. Those categories come from plaintiff allegations, not from a final ruling about any product. Uterine cancer has drawn the most attention.
The National Institutes of Health reported that frequent chemical straightener use in its Sister Study of 33,497 women was linked to more than double the uterine cancer risk, with a projected rate of 4.05% versus 1.64% by age 70 in the NIH announcement. Ovarian cancer is also included. A Sister Study analysis of 40,559 women linked frequent straightener or relaxer use to higher ovarian cancer risk, with a hazard ratio around 2.19, while ever-use alone showed no clear link, according to the Carcinogenesis authors via PubMed Central in the published analysis.
Do fibroids and endometriosis count?
Yes, both conditions appear among the allegations consolidated in the federal litigation. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths in the uterus. Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to uterine lining grows outside the uterus.
Fibroid claims point to duration and frequency. Boston University reported that ever relaxer use in its Black Women's Health Study of 23,580 premenopausal women was linked to 17% higher fibroid incidence, rising with longer use, more frequent use, and more scalp burns in the university summary. A diagnosis alone does not establish eligibility. Firms generally look for a documented diagnosis, treatment history, and a pattern of repeated relaxer use before symptoms began.
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What does the science actually show?
The major studies report associations between frequent use and disease, not proof that relaxers caused any one person's illness. The cited federal court opinion also treats causation as contested rather than decided. Exposure matters in the research.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that most heated smoothing or straightening products release formaldehyde gas, a known human carcinogen, with eye, nose, throat, breathing, skin, headache, and dizziness effects that worsen with greater exposure. Use patterns differ by group. The National Institutes of Health noted disproportionate concern for Black women because frequent straightener or relaxer use is more common among Black women, increasing exposure to the associated uterine-cancer risk.
What should you gather before asking for review?
Focus on regular, long-term use before diagnosis. Useful details include brand or product names, where you had treatments, how often you used them, start and stop dates, and any scalp burns or breathing or eye irritation. Medical records matter as much as product history.
Keep pathology reports, imaging, surgery notes, oncology or gynecology records, and a list of treatments and dates. Bring the timeline and records to a case review together. Complete dates and consistent records allow faster evaluation than memory alone.
- Write a use timeline with products, frequency, and years used
- Save boxes, receipts, salon records, photos, or old appointments
- Request pathology, diagnosis, surgery, and treatment records
- Note family history and other hormone-related risk factors separately
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