HAIR BEAUTIFIERS LINK TO UTERINE CANCER

BEAUTIFUL hair may come at a cost! A new National Institutes of Health study found women using chemical hair straighteners over four times a year were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than gals who don’t use the products. “While uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer, this doubling rate is concerning,” observes NIH investigator Dr. Alexandra White.

Almost 66,000 new cases of uterine cancer were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2022. But diagnoses are rising — especially among Black women.

Researchers note Black females use straighteners and relaxers more often and

from an earlier age than other races and ethnic groups, which could increase their risk of adverse health effects. Several chemicals found in the products — including parabens, bisphenol A, metals and formaldehyde — may be absorbed through the scalp and contribute to higher uterine cancer risk, experts warn.

While straighteners have

been linked to breast and ovarian cancer risk, this is the first epidemiologic study to examine straightener use and uterine cancer, explains

White.

She adds, however, “More research is needed to identify specific chemicals increasing the risk of cancers in women.”