March 23, 2025 Story by: Editor
Chemical hair relaxers, widely used by Black women in the U.S., have previously been linked to estrogen-dependent cancers such as breast cancer, as well as other reproductive health issues. However, the connection between hair relaxer use and uterine cancer risk has remained unclear—until now.
Study and Methodology
A study conducted through the Black Women’s Health Study followed 44,798 Black women with an intact uterus from 1997 to 2019. Researchers examined the impact of chemical hair relaxer use, tracking its frequency and duration while accounting for age and other potential risk factors. During the study period, 347 cases of uterine cancer were diagnosed.
To determine risk levels, scientists utilized multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for potential confounders, to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Findings: Increased Cancer Risk Among Heavy Users
The study revealed that women who heavily used hair relaxers (for 15 years or more and at least five times per year) had an 18% increased risk of developing uterine cancer compared to those who never or rarely used them (HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 0.81, 1.71).
For postmenopausal women, the risks were even more pronounced:
- Moderate use of relaxers was linked to a 60% increased risk (HR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.53).
- Heavy use correlated with a 64% increased risk (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.64).
- Those who used relaxers for 20 years or more—regardless of frequency—had a 71% increased risk (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.72).
However, for premenopausal women, no significant association between relaxer use and uterine cancer was found.
Conclusion: A Modifiable Risk Factor
The study’s findings suggest that long-term use of chemical hair relaxers could be a modifiable risk factor for uterine cancer, particularly for postmenopausal Black women. Given these potential health risks, experts recommend further research and increased awareness about safer hair care alternatives.
Source: Science Direct
