25-Year-long Study of Black Women Links Frequent Use of Lye-Based Hair Relaxers to a Higher Risk of Breast Cancer

[secretdiamond]

25-year-long study of Black women links frequent use of lye-based hair relaxers to a higher risk of breast cancer

Researchers had suspected that chemical hair relaxers might be behind racial disparities in breast cancer diagnoses. A new study narrows in on lye as a possible cause for that link.

theconversation.com

25-year-long study of Black women links frequent use of lye-based hair relaxers to a higher risk of breast cancer​

The big idea​

Frequent and long-term use of lye-based hair straightening products, or relaxers, may increase the risk of breast cancer among Black women, compared with more moderate use.

Boston University’s Black Women’s Health Study followed 59,000 self-identified African American women for over 25 years, sending questionnaires every two years on new diagnoses and factors that might influence their health.

Using these data in our own study, my team of epidemiologists and I found that Black women who used hair products containing lye at least seven times a year for 15 or more years had an approximately 30% increased risk of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer compared with more infrequent users.


The minimal association between hair relaxers (with or without lye) and breast cancer risk for moderate users is generally reassuring. But the elevated risk for the heaviest users of lye-based hair products – which included about 20% of study participants – is concerning.

Why it matters​

There is an urgent need to address racial disparities in breast cancer.

Black women diagnosed with breast cancer are 40% more likely to die from the disease than white women. While systemic factors such as delays in diagnosis and poorer health care likely contribute to this disparity, they don’t seem to fully explain the survival gap between Black and white women.


Black women are more likely than white women to develop highly aggressive breast cancers that have higher mortality rates, but researchers don’t really know why. However, scientists do know that chemical hair relaxers, more often used by Black women, contain potentially harmful chemicals, including possible carcinogens and chemicals known as endocrine disrupters, which can interfere with hormone function and could raise breast cancer risk. In the Black Women’s Health Study, 95% of women reported past or current use of these products.

This study fills a knowledge gap on the potential health effects of a consumer product popular among Black women. Given these findings, women may want to be cautious about the types of personal-care products they choose.

What still isn’t known​

Because the Black Women’s Health Study did not have information on specific brands of hair relaxers, my team and I could not determine which specific ingredients might be most relevant for breast cancer risk. In addition, because we asked about hair relaxer use before 1997, the results of this study may not apply to products on the market today.

Though our findings suggest a link between the use of certain types of hair relaxers and breast cancer, epidemiologic studies such as this one cannot definitively prove that hair relaxers cause breast cancer. Additional research is needed, especially on currently available products.

What other research is being done​

Evidence from animal and other experimental studies support a possible link between chemicals included in hair relaxers and cancer development. Studieson hair relaxer use and breast cancer risk in people, however, have had inconsistent results, possibly because of differences in the types of products used or asked about.

What’s next​

Thanks to 59,000 study participants in the Black Women’s Health Study, our research team continues to investigate risk factors for breast cancer and other diseases in Black women. By understanding what causes disease and learning about ways to lower risk, society can move one step closer toward eliminating health disparities.

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

Wow. Yeah. I'm glad I stopped with the relaxers years ago.

 

[Seraphina]

Whoa. 30% is significant

 

[almond eyes]

25-year-long study of Black women links frequent use of lye-based hair relaxers to a higher risk of breast cancer

Researchers had suspected that chemical hair relaxers might be behind racial disparities in breast cancer diagnoses. A new study narrows in on lye as a possible cause for that link.

theconversation.com

25-year-long study of Black women links frequent use of lye-based hair relaxers to a higher risk of breast cancer​

The big idea​

Frequent and long-term use of lye-based hair straightening products, or relaxers, may increase the risk of breast cancer among Black women, compared with more moderate use.

Boston University’s Black Women’s Health Study followed 59,000 self-identified African American women for over 25 years, sending questionnaires every two years on new diagnoses and factors that might influence their health.

Using these data in our own study, my team of epidemiologists and I found that Black women who used hair products containing lye at least seven times a year for 15 or more years had an approximately 30% increased risk of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer compared with more infrequent users.


The minimal association between hair relaxers (with or without lye) and breast cancer risk for moderate users is generally reassuring. But the elevated risk for the heaviest users of lye-based hair products – which included about 20% of study participants – is concerning.

Why it matters​

There is an urgent need to address racial disparities in breast cancer.

Black women diagnosed with breast cancer are 40% more likely to die from the disease than white women. While systemic factors such as delays in diagnosis and poorer health care likely contribute to this disparity, they don’t seem to fully explain the survival gap between Black and white women.


Black women are more likely than white women to develop highly aggressive breast cancers that have higher mortality rates, but researchers don’t really know why. However, scientists do know that chemical hair relaxers, more often used by Black women, contain potentially harmful chemicals, including possible carcinogens and chemicals known as endocrine disrupters, which can interfere with hormone function and could raise breast cancer risk. In the Black Women’s Health Study, 95% of women reported past or current use of these products.

This study fills a knowledge gap on the potential health effects of a consumer product popular among Black women. Given these findings, women may want to be cautious about the types of personal-care products they choose.

What still isn’t known​

Because the Black Women’s Health Study did not have information on specific brands of hair relaxers, my team and I could not determine which specific ingredients might be most relevant for breast cancer risk. In addition, because we asked about hair relaxer use before 1997, the results of this study may not apply to products on the market today.

Though our findings suggest a link between the use of certain types of hair relaxers and breast cancer, epidemiologic studies such as this one cannot definitively prove that hair relaxers cause breast cancer. Additional research is needed, especially on currently available products.

What other research is being done​

Evidence from animal and other experimental studies support a possible link between chemicals included in hair relaxers and cancer development. Studieson hair relaxer use and breast cancer risk in people, however, have had inconsistent results, possibly because of differences in the types of products used or asked about.

What’s next​

Thanks to 59,000 study participants in the Black Women’s Health Study, our research team continues to investigate risk factors for breast cancer and other diseases in Black women. By understanding what causes disease and learning about ways to lower risk, society can move one step closer toward eliminating health disparities.

Thank you for sharing. More research needs to be done in some of our personal and hair care products even down to the synthetic and supposed human hair. These are the things that are causing so much harm to our skin, bodies, private parts and scalp. But we don't know that and think it's normal to have thinned out edges etc. That plus stressful lives, toxic people and also toxic containers and foods equals disaster for us. I have reduced in the past few years so many toxins from my life.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[yamilee21]

I wish they had given the actual numbers of cases, to put it in perspective. It’s a 30% higher risk *for people who use relaxers SEVEN times per year for 15 years.* That is every 7 weeks; new growth barely has a chance to show up. I personally do not know anyone who ever relaxed their hair that frequently. Additionally, lye relaxers weren’t *widely* produced or available until around 1970; pressing and/or rollersetting hair was more common until the 1970s. Almost everyone I know has taken a break from relaxers at some point. I just cannot fathom that they are millions of women who consistently relaxed their hair every 7 weeks for 15 years or more. I don’t doubt that *some* harm must occur from long-term use of lye relaxers, but I need to see the actual numbers of cases involved in this study to better understand the actual risk factor.

It actually doesn’t apply to me at all, since I haven’t relaxed my hair in over 30 years, but I am so fascinated by all the studies that seek to find explanations for breast cancer, particularly in the U.S., when, many years - even a few centuries - ago, breast cancer (in Western societies) was considered something that most frequently occurred among spinsters and nuns… and when even today, breast cancer rates vary wildly around the world, in a way that seems rather obvious.

 

[GettingKinky]

I wish they had given the actual numbers of cases, to put it in perspective. It’s a 30% higher risk *for people who use relaxers SEVEN times per year for 15 years.* That is every 7 weeks; new growth barely has a chance to show up. I personally do not know anyone who ever relaxed their hair that frequently. Additionally, lye relaxers weren’t *widely* produced or available until around 1970; pressing and/or rollersetting hair was more common until the 1970s. Almost everyone I know has taken a break from relaxers at some point. I just cannot fathom that they are millions of women who consistently relaxed their hair every 7 weeks for 15 years or more. I don’t doubt that *some* harm must occur from long-term use of lye relaxers, but I need to see the actual numbers of cases involved in this study to better understand the actual risk factor.

It actually doesn’t apply to me at all, since I haven’t relaxed my hair in over 30 years, but I am so fascinated by all the studies that seek to find explanations for breast cancer, particularly in the U.S., when, many years - even a few centuries - ago, breast cancer (in Western societies) was considered something that most frequently occurred among spinsters and nuns… and when even today, breast cancer rates vary wildly around the world, in a way that seems rather obvious.

I relaxed my hair every 6 weeks for 30+ years. I didn’t like have any new growth. There may have been periods of time when I wasn’t quite that regular, but 6 weeks was my standard interval.

I dropped down to every 16 weeks for another 2 years before I went natural.

All my stylists used to recommend every 6-8 weeks for a touchup so I don’t think 7 weeks is that uncommon of an interval.

 

[secretdiamond]

I relaxed my hair every 6 weeks for 30+ years. I didn’t like have any new growth. There may have been periods of time when I wasn’t quite that regular, but 6 weeks was my standard interval.

I dropped down to every 16 weeks for another 2 years before I went natural.

All my stylists used to recommend every 6-8 weeks for a touchup so I don’t think 7 weeks is that uncommon of an interval.

I agree.

 

[discodumpling]

Mindful and deliberate quarterly applications are what would work for me if I ever decided to relax again.

 

[classychic1908]

Growing up it was common for me and my friends to get relaxer touch ups every 2-4 weeks. Stylists would commonly put a little relaxer on your hair to smooth the hair out, almost like a conditioning treatment even if you'd recently had a relaxer. I had very puffy resistant to relax hair, so every two weeks, root to tip was my norm until I left for college.

 

[LivingInPeace]

I got my touch-ups every 6-8 weeks for about 30 years. That’s what my stylists always said to do so that the new growth would never be seen, so my hair wouldn’t break off at the demarcation line, so they could keep their bills paid etc lol. I didn’t start getting concerned about it until I noticed my temple’s thinning then I went natural.