A hairdresser photographed straightening hair.Photo:Getty
Getty
That was substantiated in 2022, when a link was found between formaldehyde in hair straightening products and uterine cancer, according to theJournal of the National Cancer Institute.
Out of 34,000 women in the United States ages 35 to 74 who were included as a part of the uterine cancer study, there was a notably higher incident uterine cancer rate among women who used hair-straightening products in the past 12 months as opposed to those who did not.
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Furthermore, the study noted that women over the age of 70 who used hair-straightening products in the past 12 months had a 4% risk of developing uterine cancer, where women over 70 who did not use the products had a 1.6% risk.
The effects of formaldehyde in hair-straightening products are particularly notable among Black women, who are disproportionately sold products with these kinds of chemicals present, according to theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Their research claims that 50% of hair-straightening products advertised to Black women contain potentially hazardous chemicals. Conversely, the school found that only 7% of products targeted towards White women contain the same chemicals.
On Mar. 15, 2023, Reps. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, and Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, wrote anopen letterto FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf requesting “a thorough and transparent investigation to determine whether publicly available chemical hair straightening products contain carcinogens that lead to a higher risk of uterine cancer.”
In the wake of news of the proposed ruling being released, Pressley penned a news release on her website commending the FDA for taking action.
“I applaud the FDA for being responsive to our calls and advancing a rule that will help prevent manufacturers from making a profit at the expense of our health,” the representative said. “The Administration should finalize this rule without delay.”
Although a record of a future ruling on the matter has been noted, the FDA still has steps to take before it can become official.
source: people.com
