In recent years, a growing number of lawsuits have been filed in the United States involving chemical hair relaxer and hair straightening products that have been widely used for decades. These products, designed to permanently straighten natural hair, have been especially popular among Black women and girls. While hair relaxers have long been marketed as safe cosmetic products, thousands of users now claim they were exposed to dangerous chemicals that increased their risk of serious reproductive and hormone-related health conditions, leading to large-scale product liability litigation.

Most of the current legal actions focus on allegations that cosmetic manufacturers failed to properly warn consumers about the long-term health risks associated with repeated use of hair relaxers. Plaintiffs argue that many of these products contain or release endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as phthalates, parabens, and formaldehyde-related compounds, which can interfere with hormonal systems in the body. According to the lawsuits, manufacturers knew or should have known that prolonged exposure to these chemicals could increase the risk of uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and other reproductive disorders, yet continued to market the products without adequate warnings.

Many of the women bringing these claims report using hair relaxers multiple times per year, often beginning in childhood or adolescence. Plaintiffs allege that repeated chemical burns and scalp absorption allowed toxic substances to enter the bloodstream, increasing cumulative exposure over time. Scientific studies cited in the litigation suggest a possible association between frequent hair relaxer use and higher rates of hormone-related cancers, which plaintiffs say should have prompted stronger safety testing and clearer consumer disclosures.

The lawsuits have been consolidated into federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) to coordinate pretrial proceedings, including discovery and expert testimony. These cases are brought under product liability law and generally allege failure to warn, negligence, and defective design. Plaintiffs are seeking compensation for medical expenses, ongoing treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, and diminished quality of life resulting from cancer diagnoses and reproductive health complications.

Manufacturers named in the lawsuits deny the allegations and maintain that their hair relaxer products comply with existing cosmetic regulations and are safe when used as directed. They argue that scientific evidence does not conclusively prove causation and that other factors may contribute to the health conditions claimed by plaintiffs. Nonetheless, plaintiffs’ attorneys continue to challenge these defenses, arguing that cosmetic regulations are outdated and that companies exploited regulatory gaps while targeting a specific consumer population.

As the litigation moves forward, it is expected to have broader implications for cosmetic safety oversight, labeling requirements, and consumer awareness. The hair relaxer lawsuits have already sparked national conversations about environmental health, racial disparities in product marketing, and the need for stronger regulation of personal care products in the United States.