Researchers found a correlation between using hair relaxers and an increased risk of cancer, prompting activists to demand that cosmetics giant L'Oréal stop selling the items.

Campaigners, led by the UK feminist organization Level Up, have sent an open letter to the corporation asking it to fund studies on the long-term effects of chemical relaxers. These products are known for smoothing hair cuticles and making styling simpler.

Many prominent politicians, activists, and professionals have signed the letter.

In a report by The Guardian, an activist from Level Up named Ikamara Larasi remarked, "We should all be able to trust that the products we use on our bodies are safe ... As one of the biggest brands in the world, we're calling on L'Oréal to use their resources and power responsibly and listen to Black women."

Do hair relaxers cause cancer?

The campaign is in response to studies that suggest lye (also known as sodium hydroxide or caustic soda) used in chemical hair straighteners may increase the risk of cancer.

Allegedly, women who used these products often were shown to have more than double the risk of developing uterine cancer, as per a study conducted by the US National Institutes of Health in 2022. Heavy usage of lye-containing relaxers was also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, based on a 2021 research published in the journal Carcinogenesis by Oxford University.

However, the study found no evidence to establish a relationship between overall hair relaxer use and the possibility of breast cancer.

Researchers acknowledged that there was inconsistency amongst studies, including their own. They wanted further research done to see whether there was a difference in the likelihood of developing breast cancer while using goods with or without lye.

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'No Merit'

L'Oréal responded to the accusations by saying it did not find any evidence to support them and that its products were safe.

Nearly 60 complaints were combined in a Chicago federal court in February, alleging that L'Oréal, along with other firms' hair relaxer products, caused cancer and other health concerns. The assertions claim the companies actively advertised and sold items they knew included harmful substances.

L'Oréal has said that these actions are without merit.

L'Oréal's top concern is the well-being of its customers, according to a company representative. "We are confident in the safety of our products and believe the recent lawsuits filed against us in the US have no legal merit."

It is said that the firm is committed to product safety and adheres to the strictest industry standards. The company claims that experts do thorough scientific evaluations of their goods' safety and ensure they comply with all local rules in each area where they sell them.

The trade group that represents the cosmetics industry, the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Perfumery Association, has slammed recent research by the US National Institutes of Health that established a relationship between hair relaxers and cancer.

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