How do the toxic chemicals in hair relaxers cause cancer?

Because most toxic chemicals in hair relaxers are endocrine disruptors, they can interfere with the actions of hormones in the body.

Through various mechanisms, endocrine disruptors can lead to uterine and ovarian cancer. Some of the endocrine disruptors in chemical hair relaxers are phthalates, bisphenol A, and parabens.

Early life exposure to endocrine disruptors can increase cancer risk much later in life, which is the case of many Black women who start using hair relaxers at a young age. Endocrine disruptors can affect the function of the endocrine system because of their interaction with estrogen receptors or their estrogen signaling pathways. Therefore, they can induce adverse effects in the normal development of the reproductive organs, such as the uterus and ovaries. Interestingly, a low dose exposure to endocrine disruptors over a prolonged time and to a combination of multiple of these chemicals is of greater concern than a sudden high dose exposure. This is because endocrine disruptors accumulate in the body over time.

While endocrine disruptors are generally thought of as chemicals that mimic the effect of natural hormones, particularly estrogen, this is just one mechanism by which they cause cancer. Other mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis include:

• receptor agonist: the chemical can mimic the effect of a natural hormone, such as estrogen, by directly binding to its receptor
• receptor antagonist: instead of binding to the receptor of a hormone and mimicking its actions, the endocrine disruptor binds to the receptor so the natural hormone cannot
• receptor expression: the chemical can alter the number of receptors present for natural hormones, such as bisphenol A, which seems to affect the number of estrogen receptors in the brain
• hormone synthesis: the production of hormones in the body may be impacted in many ways, leading to an increase or a decrease of many hormones

Every time a woman uses a hair relaxer, the endocrine-disrupting chemicals in these products infiltrate her blood through burns and lesions on her scalp. Over the years, if she continues to use these products regularly, the chemicals will accumulate in her body, which places her at significant risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. If you are a frequent user of hair relaxers and now struggle with uterine or ovarian cancer, do not hesitate to contact Atraxia Law, as you might be eligible to file a toxic hair relaxer claim.

Our expert team can help you file your toxic hair relaxer claim

With over 35 years of experience in reviewing toxic exposure claims, our team of professionals will gladly evaluate your case if you have been using chemical hair relaxers and now struggle with uterine or ovarian cancer. The process is simple and will require minimal involvement on your part. If we deem you eligible, we will put you in touch with a reliable, specialized attorney to handle your toxic hair relaxer claim.