A quick overview of the timeline of chemical hair straightener lawsuits includes:

• 2022: The first chemical hair straightener lawsuit is filed, alleging that hair relaxers caused the plaintiff’s endometrial cancer and eventual infertility by age 30.
• January 2023: L’Oreal and several other companies are named as defendants in another hair relaxer lawsuit; it alleges that hair relaxer products caused the plaintiff’s ovarian cancer.
• February 2023: A multidistrict litigation (MDL) is formed in the Northern District of Illinois. Hair straightener lawsuits are transferred to it.
• July 2023: The MDL case total reaches 236, a large increase from June, showing the growing interest and need for litigation.
• August 2023: 295 lawsuits are filed and 275 remain active in the MDL, which shows the validity of the claims.
• October 2023: Nearly 6,000 hair straightener lawsuits are part of the Illinois MDL.
• Now: More people like you are taking action against the hair product manufacturers who sell unsafe chemical hair straighteners and hair relaxers.

Thousands of chemical hair straightener lawsuits are already pending in Illinois MLD against L’Oreal alone. The more people who come forward, the greater each case becomes, so it is important to speak up if you need legal help.

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Dangers of Chemical Hair Straighteners

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a ban on chemical hair straighteners, hair relaxers, blowout products, and keratin treatments that use formaldehyde. The proposed ban would also cover chemical hair products that release formaldehyde when heated, such as many products that are labeled as “formaldehyde-free.”

A short list of concerning chemical compounds found in many chemical hair straighteners are:

• Formaldehyde: A known carcinogen that can increase the risk of various forms of cancer when inhaled or applied to the skin.
• Phytalates: An endocrine disruptor and recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a probable carcinogen.
• Guanidine: A chemical substance known to cause damage to the skin and soft tissues.
• Sodium hydroxide: An alkali substance that can cause burns, skin damage, and hair loss with direct or prolonged contact.

While these chemical compounds can cause a variety of health problems, the worst risk is arguably the heightened risk of cancer. The legal action that has begun against chemical hair straightener manufacturers and merchandisers has focused on increased cancer risks, mainly uterine and ovarian cancers.

Scientific Links Between Chemical Hair Straighteners & Cancer

In October 2022, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a study that linked chemical hair straighteners to uterine cancer and other serious health conditions. More than 33,000 women were included in the study, which asked them what types of different hair products they used and how often. After about 11 years, researchers checked back in with the women to look for signs or diagnoses of serious health issues like several forms of cancer.

According to the study’s data and data from a similar study conducted by the same group:

• Women who infrequently used chemical hair straighteners were at least twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to women who did not.
• Women who frequently (at least four times a year) used chemical hair straighteners were 2.5 to 4 times as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to women who did not.
• Women who used chemical hair straighteners were 9%(on average) more likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not.
• Black and African-American women who frequently used chemical hair straighteners were 45% more likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not.
• 60% of women in the chemical hair straightener study self-identified as Black, making this demographic the most likely to be affected by these unsafe products.
• About 1.64% of women who don’t use chemical hair straighteners will eventually be diagnosed with uterine cancer but that percentage increased to 4.05% for women who use those products.
• Heightened cancer risks were not identified with most other hair products, which further suggests the risk lies with the use of chemical hair straighteners and hair relaxers.

How Can a Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuit Help?

If you were injured by a chemical hair straightener or were diagnosed with cancer after using one, come to Schlesinger Law Offices, P.A. at your first opportunity. We can research your case further and determine the best way to develop it, so it can be the most beneficial. The main benefit of a successful lawsuit is its ability to compensate you for your losses and harm.

The financial compensation that could be available to a chemical hair straightener lawsuit client could include:

• Medical treatment costs: The full extent of your necessary medical treatment costs for cancer or another illness or disease caused by chemical hair straighteners could be covered by a successful claim or lawsuit. Even if you need years of specialized cancer treatments, the liable product manufacturer could be required to cover those costs.
• Lost wages: If you can’t work due to the health complications caused by cancer or another serious illness, you may be able to seek the value of income you would have earned in life but now can’t. We can also fight for past wages you have already lost due to your hair product-related illness.
• Pain, suffering, and trauma: Cancer is a traumatic illness that will change many parts of your life. The suffering and trauma of living with cancer can be considered forms of non-economic damage owed to you. Physical pain caused by the disease or another serious illness can also be calculated as non-economic damage.

It is also important to remember that your chemical hair straightener lawsuit could help another person with a similar claim in the future. Depending on how MDL is handled, arguments used and court decisions made in one case could potentially influence another. Furthermore, if enough consumers speak up and take legal action, it could be the tipping point that convinces the FDA to outright ban these unsafe chemical compounds in hair products, effectively protecting future generations from such harm.

Consult a Fort Lauderdale Chemical Hair Straightener Attorney Now

If you or a loved one were diagnosed with cancer or another serious health condition after using a chemical hair straightener, you could have the chance to file a claim for compensation and justice. Let the trusted and experienced attorneys of Schlesinger Law Offices, P.A. act as your legal guides from start to finish. With more than seven decades worth of practice experience and a legacy of excellent legal counsel, we’re ready to take on whatever happens while your case progresses.

We’re here to amplify the voices of those hurt by unsafe chemical hair straighteners. Let us know your story today. Dial (954) 467-8800 to request a FREE consultation.