New research from a nationwide study that has followed nearly 34,000 American women for more than ten years suggests that women who frequently use chemical hair straighteners may have a higher risk of developing uterine cancer than women who have never used the items.
The study found no link between hair straighteners and uterine cancer, a type of reproductive cancer that has been on the rise in women’s occurrence in recent years, particularly among Black women.
According to the study, women who had never used hair straighteners had a 1.64 percent chance of acquiring uterine cancer by the time they turned 70, while frequent users had a 4.05 percent chance.
Although women of all racial and cultural backgrounds were found to be at elevated risk, the study indicated that Black women may be disproportionately affected: 60% of individuals who admitted to using hair straighteners identified as Black women.
