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Chemical hair straighteners can more than double your risk of uterine cancer, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute earlier this month.
Having carried out a study that followed over 33,000 women for almost 11 years, Alexandra White – who leads the Environment and Cancer Epidemiology Group of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – disclosed, “We know that certain formulations of straighteners can release formaldehyde when heated, and formaldehyde is an established carcinogen. And we know that these products are relatively commonly used, particularly for black women.”
Growing up as a brown girl in England, I felt an intense pressure to conform to western beauty ideals; I begged my mum for my very first straightener, and once I got it, I made sure there was never a single curl, flick, or kink in sight. I wanted nothing more than the straight, shiny locks of my classmates; I was enamoured with the cool effortlessness of it all. My mum was the same; I would sit on her bed and watch her get ready, and she’d always ask me, “Does my hair look poker-straight?”
Fast forward a few years, I moved to the UAE and became friends with this gorgeous Libyan girl who had the most beautiful, luscious locks that fell in tight, bouncy curls. I only knew this because she showed me pictures. In reality, her hair was straighter than an arrow. The only giveaway? Her curly roots. Her mum let her chemically straighten her hair multiple times a year, and she loved it. And I was – I’m ashamed to admit – jealous of it. My mum would never allow me to do the same. The point is that for many women with curly hair, the industry’s affinity with sleek and straight strands is all too alluring, and many turn to regular chemical straightening treatments from a young age.
Thankfully – with the rise of black-owned hair care brands, popular Hair Artists like Charlotte Mensah, and routines like The Curly Girl Method – curly hair is beginning to claim its rightful space in the industry. But that doesn’t undo the fact that people of colour, and – more specifically – women who identify as black, are now at a greater risk of developing uterine cancer. This is not necessarily because the actual risk of cancer is greater in black women, but because a greater percentage of black women use chemical relaxers and straightening treatments. Alexandra White plainly stated: “In our study, we found that 60% of those who reported using these products were black women.”
So, what exactly is uterine cancer?
Uterine cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer that is caused when malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of your uterus. Though only accounting for 3% of all new cancer cases in the US, it’s the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, and its death rates are on the rise. They rose by an average of 1.7% per year between 2010 and 2019.
How does chemical straightening actually cause uterine cancer?
It doesn’t! As Alexandra White explained in an interview with National Public Radio, the study shows correlation, not causation; a cause is hard to prove. However, researchers found that women who used straightening products “frequently” (read: more than four times a year) were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than those who did not.
“We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners would go on to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70; but for frequent users, that risk goes up to 4.05%,” said White.
“Straighteners in particular have been found to include chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, cyclosiloxanes, [and] metals, and can release formaldehyde when heated.”
Formaldehyde is a gas that can be inhaled, while other chemicals can be absorbed through the scalp – particularly if you have any abrasions or burns from said chemicals – where they can enter the bloodstream and travel through your body.
Though the study presents a clear association between the use of hair straighteners and uterine cancers, we need replicated results in further studies to form stronger evidence. Plus, the specific chemicals associated with increased cancer cases were not identified. This lack of identification is in part due to inaccurate labelling, and women therefore not knowing exactly what they’re putting on their hair.
Though we can’t know anything for sure, it’s important that people are at least aware of any potential risks. Personally, I’m beginning to embrace my wavy hair, and I no longer feel jealous when I see silky-smooth, super-straight strands in sight.
