Hair Straightening and Uterine Cancer: What to Know About the Risks

 

• Previous studies have linked chemicals in some hair products to breast cancer.
• New research has found hair straightening chemicals may increase risk of uterine cancer.
• Risk was doubled for those frequently using hair straightening products compared to those not using them.
• Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women in the US.

Various chemical ingredients are used in the formulation of hair products, many of which continue to be analyzed for their impacts on the body.

Now, new researchTrusted Source conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has found that chemicals included in some hair straightening products may increase the risk of developing uterine cancer.

The study assessed data spanning 11 years, relating to 33,497 US women aged 35-74. Insights were collected as part of the ongoing ‘Sister StudyTrusted Source’ led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS).

During this time, 378 women were diagnosed with uterine cancer. Those who frequently (four or more times per year) used hair straightening products had a 4.05% chance of developing the disease by age 70, compared to a 1.64% risk among women who did not use them.

Dr. Alexandra WhiteTrusted Source, head of NIEHS’ Environment & Cancer Epidemiology Group and lead author of the study, revealed that, among women who used the products occasionally but less than four times per year, “we observed an elevated but not statistically significant small increase in risk.”

The team also explored the effects of hair dyes, bleaches, highlighters, and perms on the incidence of uterine cancer and found no association — which was somewhat unexpected.

“We were surprised to not see a higher risk for permanent dye use, which has been related to risk of other cancers, such as breast cancer,” stated White.

Why frequency of hair straightening is important

Diving deeper into the two-fold risk increase, the researchers noted that 60% of women in the study diagnosed with uterine cancer self-identified as Black.

They hypothesized this might be due to higher product use among this group.

“Black women are much more likely to report using these products, so the exposure burden is more pronounced for them,” White shared with Healthline.

So how does the level of use make a difference?

When chemicals enter our systems through the skin, they “do not stay in our bodies forever,” Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicology physician and medical director at the National Capital Poison Center, revealed to Healthline.

“Chemicals that enter the human body are typically metabolized and excreted through the kidneys or feces, [and] people who are exposed to chemicals (including from hair straightener products) on a regular basis still metabolize and eliminate chemicals from their bodies.”

However, she continued, “using chemicals on a regular basis can result in a higher accumulation of chemicals in the body between exposures — which can lead to potentially dangerous health effects.”

The area to which chemicals are applied could also play a role in the absorption level, stated Dr. Ankit Madan, an oncologist with MedStar Health.

“The scalp, where hair straighteners are applied, may absorb more chemicals than other parts of the body,” he said.

Source: Healthnews