Have you been diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometrial cancer after using chemical hair straighteners or relaxers? If so, contact GWC Injury Lawyers, where we are currently reviewing potential claims on behalf of women who have developed various forms of cancer or other serious medical conditions following their use of hair straightening or relaxing products.
Straighteners May Double the Risk of Certain Cancers
A chemical hair straightener is a type of lotion or cream that helps break down the chemical bonds of the hair shaft in order to straighten or relax very curly hair or tight curls. Unfortunately, a recent study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that frequent users of chemical hair straightening products are more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than women who do not use these products. (The study defined “frequent use” of hair straightening products as more than four times per year.)
Chemical hair straighteners and relaxers have also been linked to an increased risk of ovarian and breast cancer, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.
Manufacturers of hair straighteners have an obligation to meet the rigorous safety standards expected of cosmetic products in the United States to avoid harming consumers. Victims who have developed cancer or other serious conditions from their use of a chemical hair straightener or relaxer might be able to seek compensation from the manufacturer for their physical, financial, and emotional losses. Lawsuits have already been filed against L’Oréal and other manufacturers on behalf of women with medical problems associated with hair straighteners and relaxers.
Black women are statistically at the greatest risk of harm from chemical hair straighteners or relaxers. However, any woman who regularly used this type of product and was later diagnosed with uterine cancer or some other qualifying health condition may be eligible to pursue a case against the manufacturer.
To learn more about whether you can take legal action against a hair straightener manufacturer for your related health condition, call GWC Injury Lawyers at (312) 999-9999 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
Which Brands May Be Linked to Cancer and Other Medical Conditions?
Chemical hair straighteners contain a number of materials that are linked to a heightened risk of cancer, including parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, and metals. These substances may be even more easily absorbed into the human body through the scalp burns and abrasions that are often inflicted during the application of hair relaxers and straighteners.
Given the highly carcinogenic nature of the ingredients commonly found in chemical hair straighteners and relaxers, any number of manufacturers could be subject to legal actions from victims suffering from uterine cancer and other related medical conditions. Nevertheless, some of the most common hair straightening brands that could potentially be held liable include:
• L’Oréal
• Revlon
• Just For Me
• Creme of Nature
• Affirm
• Precise
• Motions
• Optimum Care
• Dark & Lovely
• African Pride
• Olive Oil
• TCB
• Bantu
What Medical Conditions Are Associated with Hair Straighteners?
A number of serious medical conditions have been associated with exposure to chemical hair straighteners and relaxers, including:
Uterine Cancer and Ovarian Cancer
Cancer of the uterus is the most common form of cancer in the female reproductive system, accounting for nearly 3% of all new cancer cases nationwide. Recent studies have shown that uterine cancer is on the rise in the United States, particularly among women who regularly use hair straightening products.
While approximately 1.64% of women who have never used hair straighteners develop uterine cancer by the age of 70, 4.05% of frequent users of chemical relaxers develop uterine cancer by that age – almost 2.5 times as many as those who do not use these products.
The NIH has confirmed that chemical hair straighteners are associated with this spike in uterine cancer, a devastating condition that can require extensive medical treatment, including:
• Hysterectomy
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Lymph node removal
• Hormone therapy
• Anti-angiogenesis therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Use of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors
The NIH study also found that regular users of chemical hair straighteners suffered from an increased risk of ovarian cancer (cancer of the ovaries). Treatment for ovarian cancer may include surgical procedures such as salpingo-oophorectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and other physically and economically taxing medical interventions.
The hair straightener cancer lawsuit attorneys at GWC can help you recover compensation for the unnecessary costs you have incurred if you have developed uterine cancer or ovarian cancer following the frequent use of dangerous hair care products.
Endometriosis
Recent studies have also found a possible causal link between chemical hair straighteners and endometriosis, a highly painful condition in which tissue similar to the endometrium (which normally lines the uterus) grows outside of the uterus. Endometriosis can lead to infertility, heightened risk of miscarriage, painful urination and bowel movements, and chronic discomfort. The effects of this condition can negatively impact a woman’s physical and financial well-being, as well as her ability to have a family.
Endometriosis treatment may require:
• Hysterectomy or other surgeries
• Hormone therapy
• Pain medication
Please notify GWC Injury Lawyers if you have either undergone treatment for endometriosis or experienced infertility or a miscarriage after using chemical straighteners and relaxers.
What Compensation Can I Receive for My Case?
While every case is different, successful dangerous product lawsuits can recover compensation for:
• Past and future medical expenses
• Wage loss
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent impairment and disability
• Mental and emotional trauma
• Diminished enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium
What Will It Cost to Hire an Attorney?
Hiring GWC’s hair straightener cancer lawsuit attorneys will cost you NOTHING up front because our firm works on a “contingency fee” basis. Only when we successfully resolve your case will we receive payment for our services, typically in the form of a percentage of the final settlement along with reimbursement for case-related expenses.
If you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid, and the more you get paid, the more we get paid. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement that removes the initial worries and stress for our clients.
Contact GWC Injury Lawyers Today
With more than $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC Injury Lawyers is one of the premier personal injury law firms in Illinois. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys have the experience, determination, resources, and reputation necessary to get you and your family the justice you deserve.
Contact GWC Injury Lawyers today to discuss a possible hair straightener cancer lawsuit with an attorney. You may call us at (312) 999-9999 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
