Driven in the United States since National Institute of Health (NIH), on a panel of 33,947 women of different origins and aged between 35 and 74 yearsthis study published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that frequent use of hair straightening products could double the risk of uterine cancer (not to be confused with that of the cervix).
How ? This is the question we ask ourselves. Scientists, meanwhile, suspect endocrine disruptors present in smoothing products, be the cause of the problem. These really could pass the blood barrier through the scalp and gradually move to the uterus. Injuries to the scalp or burns caused by the product itself could be an entry point for the various disruptors.
Worrying results as out of nearly 34,000 women, 378 developed this type of cancer during the study. Overall, about 4.05% of women who regularly used ironing products (more than four times a year) developed uterine cancer, compared with 1.64% of people who did not. Alexandra White, lead scientist of the study, explains:
“We estimated that 1.64% of women who have never used smoothing products would develop uterine cancer before age 70, but for frequent users, this risk rises to 4.05%.”
If scientists think endocrine disruptors are the problem “More research is needed to identify specific chemicals that drive this observed association,” says Alexandra White.
Today it is very easy to find parabens, bisphenol A, metals or even formaldehyde (or formaldehyde, which has been identified in particular in Brazilian straightening formulas) in straightening products.
A problem that affects more black women
According to the same study, more than 66,000 new cases of uterine cancer occur each year in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these cases are on the rise, particularly among black women, the main users of hair straightening products.
“Because women of color use straightening or straightening products more frequently and tend to start younger (…), these results may be of particular interest to them.”, explained Che-Jung Chang, co-author of this work. Among respondents, about 60% of women who said they used hair straightening products one or more times during the year said they were black.
In a comment published soon after the study was published, the scientists sounded the alarm and explained that it is “time for action”. According to them, it is important to “address racialized beauty standards” and the “lack of transparency about the chemicals” used. On good terms.
Front page image credits: @Priscilla Du Preez.
Source: Madmoizelle
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
