No. Despite the newly found scientific evidence that using hair relaxers frequently can lead to uterine and ovarian cancer due to the toxic chemicals these products contain, no hair relaxer has been recalled so far. Neither the FDA nor any of the hair relaxer manufacturers took the initiative to recall any of these products.
Alarmingly, over ten hair relaxers that are still on the market are believed to contain toxic chemicals.
One of the reasons the FDA cannot take hair relaxers off the shelves is that the agency is not required to test cosmetics before they are sold across the country. Nevertheless, two laws apply to cosmetics marketed nationwide – the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA). The former refers to a legislative package passed by the U.S. Congress in 1938, which invests the FDA with authority to oversee the safety of:
The FFDCA defines cosmetics as "articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance." Under this law, the FDA is not required to approve cosmetics and does not have the authority to recall products such as hair relaxers. However, it prohibits the marketing of adulterated or misbranded cosmetics, which is the case with hair relaxers. The FPLA applies to labels on many consumer products, including cosmetics. It requires the label to state:
This act requires all "consumer commodities" to have a transparent label regarding all the ingredients, no matter the amount. Under it, consumer commodities are defined as any device, food, drug, or cosmetic that is produced or distributed for sale for consumption by individuals or used by individuals for personal care. Many hair relaxers containing toxic chemicals violate the FLPA, as manufacturers often decide to omit key ingredients such as formaldehyde from the label, which misleads consumers.
If you have been using hair relaxers and now struggle with uterine or ovarian cancer, we strongly encourage you to contact our expert team, as you might be eligible to file a toxic hair relaxer claim and obtain financial compensation from the manufacturers. With over 35 years of experience in assessing toxic exposure and personal injury claims, our team of professionals will gladly help you find out if you qualify to file one.
In the regrettable event that you used hair relaxers containing toxic chemicals and now have a diagnosis of uterine cancer or ovarian cancer, we advise you to get in touch with our expert team. We will gladly help you determine whether you are eligible to file a toxic hair relaxer claim. Eligible individuals will promptly be put in touch with a reliable, specialized attorney to have their claims filed as soon as possible.