The research was done on 34,000 women, of which 378 were diagnosed with uterine cancer
Using hair straightening products can significantly increase the risk of uterine cancer in women who use them frequently, according to a major new US scientific study.
The researchers, led by Dr. Alexandra White of the US National Institute for Environmental Health Safety (NIEHS), who made the relevant publication in the journal of the National Cancer Institute, according to Reuters and the New York Times, analyzed data for almost 34,000 women aged 35 to 74 over approximately 11 years, during which 378 were diagnosed with uterine cancer.
It found that women who had used hair straightening products more than four times in the previous year were about two and a half times more likely to develop this cancer. Less frequent use of such products was associated with only a marginally increased risk of cancer.
“We calculated that by the age of 70, 1.64% of women who had never used hair straighteners developed uterine cancer, but the percentage was increased to 4.05% for frequent users. However, it is important to consider that this cancer is relatively rare,” said White.
Previous research has shown that hair-straighteners contain chemical substances that disrupt endocrine function. In the past such products have also been associated with a greater risk of breast, ovarian and other hormone-sensitive cancers.
“Our findings represent the first epidemiological evidence of a link between the use of straightening products and uterine cancer. Further research is needed to identify specific chemicals responsible for this relationship,” the researchers said. Substances such as parabens, bisphenol A, certain metals and formaldehyde found in hair straighteners may contribute to an increased risk of cancer
However, other hair products such as dyes or perms did not appear to increase the risk of uterine cancer. This gynecological cancer generally shows an increasing trend in recent years, especially in its most aggressive form.
According to the US National Cancer Institute, in 2022 approximately 66,000 new cases of uterine cancer are expected, making up 3.4% of all new cancer cases in the country this year. This cancer is also projected to account for approximately 12,550 deaths, or 2.1% of all cancer deaths in the US in 2022. African-American women are proportionally more likely to use hair straightening products and are therefore at greater risk, according to the scientists.
See the scientific publication here:
RES-EMP
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