Chemical Hair Relaxer Use and Its Potential Effect on Incidence of Endometrial Cancer in Black Women

Recent research indicates that frequent use of chemical hair relaxers (more than 4 times per year) is associated with a 2.55 times higher incidence of endometrial cancer (EC). Black women, who purchase 60% of chemical straighteners in the U.S. despite being only 6.5% of the population, have seen a rise in EC incidence. Data from 2001 to 2019 shows that Black women surpassed White women in EC incidence rates starting in 2017, coinciding with the average age of EC diagnosis (60 years) and the availability of hair relaxers since 1971. This suggests that hair relaxers may contribute to the higher EC rates in Black women, highlighting the need for potential cancer surveillance and warning labels on these products.