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Reasons to Let Your Hair Go Natural

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  • As research has sought to answer why Black women suffer more maternal health complications, one link has now become clear: the regular use of hair straighteners used by 90 percent of Black women, over generations, often starting at young ages.  

    A study in 2012 linked their use to uterine fibroids, which 80 percent of Black women develop by age 50. The fibroids cause painful periods and infertility, and are a leading cause of hysterectomies.  Another study called the Sisters Study, involved 50,000 women ages 35 to 74 with sisters who developed breast cancer.  After analyzing the data, they found women who used hair relaxers every 5 to 8 weeks had more than 30 percent higher rates of breast cancer.    

    Studies also show if Black women used hair relaxers before age 12 for more than a decade, they were more likely to develop larger and more aggressive breast tumors. Using the products at least four times a year is linked to ovarian cancer and uterine cancer which went up by 80 percent for frequent users. A follow up study of 45,000 women linked more than twice a year use for more than 5 years to a 50 percent chance of higher risk of uterine cancer.  

    And yet, most of the toxic ingredients were not listed on the packaging of nearly 20 products used by Black women.  It is time for the FDA to step in with more rigorous regulation of these products. 

More Information

The Sister Study
The NIEHS Sister Study is the nation's longest and largest study to find environmental and genetic causes of breast cancer. 

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