Hair-straightening chemicals 'could significantly increase' cancer risk, study finds

Hair-smoothing chemicals could more than double women's risk of developing deadly cancer, according to new study, scientists now hope to find out what who could hide behind the connection

Women who use chemical straighteners are more at risk (

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A study has shown that people who use chemicals to straighten their hair have a significantly higher risk of uterine cancer.

Most chemical straightening – also known as hair straightening – is the process of breaking protein bonds in hair and is commonly used by black women.

Researchers followed 33,947 women of various races, ages 35 to 74, for an average of almost 11 years.

During this period, 378 women developed uterine cancer.

Alexandra White, study leader, US National Institute for Environmental Health Safety (NIEHS), said in a statement: "We estimated that 1.64% of women who do not have ever used a hair straightener would develop uterine cancer before the age of 70, but for frequent users this risk goes up to 4.05%",

“However, it is important to put this information into context. Cancer of the uterus is a relatively rare type of cancer.”

Uterine cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with rates on the rise, particularly among black women.

Chemicals are used to relax the hair (

Picture:

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This comes after previous studies showed hair straighteners contained so-called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which have been linked to higher risks of breast and ovarian cancer.

Reflecting on the new findings, a team of scientists wrote in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, "These findings are the first epidemiological evidence for an association between the use of skin smoothing products and uterine cancer."

"Further research is warranted to...identify the specific chemicals responsible for this observed association."