Women may file chemical hair straightener lawsuits if they used these products and later developed uterine, endometrial and ovarian cancer. Lawsuits say chemical straighteners and relaxers increase the risk of cancer and that manufacturers failed to warn the public.
Hair straightener lawsuits have been filed against familiar companies like John Paul Mitchell, L’Oreal, Revlon, Sally Beauty Supply and other chemical hair straightener manufacturers. The suits claim that hair relaxer manufacturers failed to warn consumers that the products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) linked to uterine, endometrial and ovarian cancers.
As of February 2025, 9,863 hair straightener lawsuits were pending in multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois. Though litigation in MDL 3060 is in its early stages, lawyers expect many more people to file lawsuits.
The case is in its early stages, with the first bellwether trial expected in 2025. Attorneys are still accepting hair straightener cases.
When the Illinois MDL was first formed, it started with nine individual injury cases and has since grown to include more than 9,800 plaintiffs. Lawyers expect this litigation to grow because millions of people have used these products.
People are filing lawsuits against chemical hair straightener companies after a 2022 National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found women who used chemical hair straighteners were more than two times more likely to develop uterine cancer than those who didn’t use them. Defendants include SoftSheen-Carson, Strength of Nature, L’Oreal, Namaste and others. The litigation is currently focused on uterine, endometrial and ovarian cancer, though this could later include more injuries if more evidence links straighteners to them.
Uterine cancer rates among Black women have been rising, and researchers say chemical straighteners may be to blame. About 60% of participants in the study who reported using hair straighteners were Black women.
People are filing lawsuits for compensation, including medical bills, pain and suffering and lost wages. Some women who filed lawsuits have had to have hysterectomies to treat uterine cancer, preventing them from having children.
Some lawyers predict that a settlement for the hair straightener lawsuits could range from $100,000 to $1.75 million, mainly because of claims related to cancer. These estimates are based on past cases involving similar claims about other products.
Chemical hair straightener lawsuits claim chemicals in these products have caused women to develop uterine cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis and fibroids. Studies have linked endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in hair straighteners to various side effects and health problems such as cancer, endometriosis and uterine fibroids. The risk of these conditions increases with frequent use, and many plaintiffs in hair relaxer lawsuits have used these products for years.
Researchers define frequent use as more than four times a year or every five to eight weeks. Dangerous chemicals in hair straighteners include phthalates, parabens and a toxic chemical called DEHP.
Hermania E. Bates filed a chemical hair straightener lawsuit against L’Oreal, SoftSheen-Carson and other hair straightener manufacturers in February 2023 after she developed uterine cancer. According to her lawsuit, “Ms. Bates’ cancer diagnosis was directly and proximately caused by her regular and prolonged exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals found in Defendants’ hair care products.”
In the 2022 NIH study, researchers looked at data from 33,947 women aged 35 to 74. Women who reported using hair straighteners had higher incidence rates of uterine cancer. Women who used the products more than four times in 12 months had more than double the risk.
Researchers believe hormonal issues may contribute to endometriosis. According to some studies, phthalates, parabens and EDCs like those found in chemical hair straighteners and hair dyes could disrupt hormones and increase the risk of endometriosis.
A study published in the 2018 Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences found high levels of phthalates in women diagnosed with endometriosis. Lawsuits claim these chemicals can also increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
According to claims in chemical hair straightener lawsuits, “uterine fibroids, or uterine leiomyomata, are associated with phthalate metabolites and BPA found in hair care products.” A November 2022 study by Northwestern Medicine found women with high exposures to phthalates such as DEHP and its metabolites have a higher risk of developing symptomatic fibroids. Researchers found DEHP activates certain hormone receptors and causes fibroid tumor growth.
Before this study, researchers established a link between uterine fibroids and phthalates. Scientists also discovered DEHP can pass from a mother to a baby.
Plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against L’Oreal, other hair relaxer makers, and popular brands such as Soft & Beautiful and Dark & Lovely.
In addition to individual injury lawsuits, defendants also face a class action in Illinois court that demands a refund for the full purchase price of the products. The lawsuits claim, “The presence of EDCs in Defendants’ Toxic Hair Straightener was not disclosed in the products’ label, in violation of state and federal law.”
You may qualify to file a chemical hair straightener lawsuit if you used a chemical hair straightener or relaxer and were later diagnosed with uterine cancer, breast cancer, uterine fibroids or endometriosis. A lawyer can determine if you qualify. There may be time limits to file a claim, so speak with an attorney as soon as possible to see if your case is eligible.
A lawyer may ask questions about the experience with chemical hair straighteners. Have receipts and information about the diagnosis ready to share. If you are unable to provide documentation, a lawyer may be able to help you obtain medical records.
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