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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley urged the Federal Drug Administration to investigate chemical hair straightening products on Wednesday after concerns they could pose a public health threat.
Congresswoman Pressley asked the FDA to look into chemical hair straightening products that contain carcinogens after the National Institutes of Health published research on the link between chemical straightening products and the risk of uterine cancer. Pressley stated that there have been harmful chemicals found in products advertised to Black women that put them at a higher risk of developing uterine cancer, due to race-based hair discrimination.
“As a result of anti-Black hair sentiment, Black women have been unfairly subjected to scrutiny and forced to navigate the extreme politicization of hair,” lawmakers Ayanna Pressley and Shontel Brown said in a statement. “Manufacturers of chemical straighteners have gained enormous profits, but recent findings unveil potentially significant negative health consequences associated with these products.”
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The National Institutes of Health study found that women who frequently use products chemical straightening products are twice as likely to develop uterine cancer. The lawmakers said that the health risk disproportionately affects Black women, contributing to national racial health disparities. The FDA has a mandate to reevaluate the product's safety, taking the new research into consideration.
Congresswoman Pressley has introduced and reintroduced legislation to advocate for Black women's health and end race-based hair discrimination.
There have been almost 60 lawsuits filed in federal court claiming cosmetic companies' chemical hair straightening products have been linked to cancer. L’Oréal made the following statement in October 2022 following several lawsuits.
"Our highest priority is the health, wellness and safety of all our consumers. We are confident in the safety of our products and believe the recent lawsuits filed against us have no legal merit. L’Oréal upholds the highest standards of safety for all its products. Our products are subject to a rigorous scientific evaluation of their safety by experts who also ensure that we follow strictly all regulations in every market in which we operate," L’Oréal said in a statement.
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