Activists Demand L’Oréal To Recall Hair Relaxing Products Following Cancer Risk Findings — Retail Bum

Beauty giant L’Oréal is being urged to remove its hair-straightening products from the market after recent studies found that such products contain carcinogens.

Many of the hair-straightening products are made using lye, also known as caustic soda, which is known to cause uterine cancer among women who use these products several times a year, according to a 2022 study by the US National Institutes of Health.

These products, today used mainly by Black women, can also cause breast cancer. A 25-year-long study of 59,000 Black women conducted by Boston University found that women who used hair products containing lye at least seven times a year for 15 years or longer had a 30% increased chance of developing breast cancer compared to infrequent users.

Findings from these studies have prompted activist groups and politicians to ask L’Oréal to do more research into the long-term effects of its hair-straightening products.

“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,” said Ikamara Larasi, a campaigner at Level Up.