Several known and potential risk factors can cause uterine cancer and other types of cancer. A new risk for uterine cancer is exposure to chemicals through hair straightening and relaxing treatments. These products are also commonly known as “chemical relaxers” or perm solutions, and they contain harsh chemicals that can be very dangerous if misused or for long periods.
If you used a chemical hair straightener and have been diagnosed with uterine, ovarian, or endometrial cancer, you may be entitled to file a hair straightener lawsuit and seek financial compensation.
In People For Law, we are here to help. Our attorneys are currently reviewing new chemical hair straightener lawsuits from women and hairdressers who were in constant contact with this dangerous product.
Get a free case evaluation from our experienced mass tort attorneys on chemical hair straightener lawsuits to help you determine your eligibility. Below, we present a brief review of the history of these demands and how they have evolved.
First Case Reported
The first hair relaxer lawsuit (Mitchell v. L’Oreal et al. – 1:22-cv-5815) was filed by Jenny Mitchell in October 2022. Mitchell had been using chemical relaxers since she was 10 years old. Like most women who use these products, she continued to use them every six to eight weeks for the next 18 years. Mitchell was diagnosed with uterine cancer at age 28. In the lawsuit, she is suing L’Oreal and other cosmetic companies for product liability, alleging that their hair relaxers caused her cancer. In November of that same year, four women filed a class action lawsuit against L’Oreal and SoftSheen-Carson for the use of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and phthalates in their hair products.
These are far from the first chemical hair straightener lawsuits filed against cosmetic companies like L’Oréal. The above examples are not even the first cases brought regarding hair care products. In 2011, a class action lawsuit was filed against L’Oréal, alleging that their hair relaxer products contained dangerous chemicals that caused scalp burns and hair loss in users. In 2016, a similar case was filed against L’Oreal, alleging that they violated the Missouri Marketing Practices Act. Since the Jenny Mitchell case in 2022, numerous other lawsuits have been filed across the country. All of the plaintiffs allege that the chemicals these manufacturers use in their chemical hair relaxers and straighteners contributed to causing them to develop uterine cancer, fibroids, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, or other adverse health problems.
One thing is clear: the research is on the side of the victims. In February 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added certain phthalates—including DEHP and DINP, chemicals commonly found in hair straightening and relaxing products—to its list of high-priority toxicants that need extensive risk assessments. In its press release, the EPA noted that many laboratory studies in animals have shown that exposure to phthalates in the womb can even negatively affect male development and reproduction.
This has been referred to as the “phthalate syndrome.” Their review process for these phthalates will be unique in that they are conducting a cumulative risk assessment in addition to evaluating these chemicals individually. Since these phthalates are toxicologically similar and often found together, they felt it was essential to understand the potentially greater cumulative risk they pose together.
Update of Hair Relaxer Class Action Lawsuits Over Time
Since then, several chemical hair straightener lawsuits have been filed. In October 2024 alone, 200 new cases were added to the hair relaxer class action lawsuit. In September, the MDL actually decreased in size, losing 98 cases and bringing the total number of pending cases down to 8,393.
A Georgia lady claims in a new wrongful death case filed on October 19, 2024, in MDL-3060 that her mother’s death was caused by uterine cancer, which was diagnosed as a result of her long-term usage of hair relaxer products. According to the lawsuit, her mother frequently used goods made by SoftSheen-Carson LLC, L’Oréal USA, Inc., and other defendants.
Like every other claim in the MDL, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants’ hair relaxer products included dangerous chemicals that were not adequately labeled and evaluated, posing severe health concerns, including cancer. Among other things, the plaintiff charges the corporations with negligence, design flaws, and failing to notify customers. In addition to punitive damages, the plaintiffs are requesting damages for loss of consortium, survival action, and wrongful death.
Contact Us to File Your Hair Straightener Cancer Lawsuit
Given the severity and life-changing outcomes associated with uterine, ovarian, and endometrial cancer, our legal team expects a significant number of lawsuits to be filed. People For Law attorneys are currently seeking new cases for review.
If you used, applied, or were exposed to toxic hair straightening products and have been formally diagnosed with ovarian, uterine, or endometrial cancer, you may have a valid hair straightener for a cancer lawsuit case.
Our team of mass tort attorneys hold the experience and knowledge to make large manufacturers pay for putting consumers like you at risk of developing cancer after using their hair straightening chemicals.
Contact our legal team today to find out if you qualify to file a lawsuit for a hair straightener-related cancer diagnosis.