Hair straightening products may significantly increase the risk of developing uterine cancer in those who use them frequently, a recent study suggests.
"We estimated that 1.64% of women who have never used hair straightening products will develop uterine cancer by age 70, but for frequent users, this risk rises to 4.05%," study leader Alexandra White of the US Environmental Health Safety Institute said in a statement.
"However, it is important to put this information in context. "Uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer," she added.
However, uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with rates on the rise, especially among women of color.
After the researchers accounted for the participants' other risk factors, the odds of developing uterine cancer were more than two and a half times higher for women who used hair straightening products more than four times a year.
Previous studies have shown that hair straighteners contain so-called endocrine disrupting chemicals. The products have previously been associated with higher risks of breast and ovarian cancer.
Because women of color use hair styling or straightening products more often and tend to begin use at earlier ages than other races and ethnicities, these findings may be even more relevant to them.
