Black women’s hair products are killing us. Why isn’t more being done? | Tayo Bero

Black women who use lye-based hair relaxers at least seven times a year for 15 or more years have a 30% increased risk of breast cancer

A new study reveals what some scientists and researchers have suspected for years - that frequent and long-term use of lye-based hair relaxers may have serious health effects, including breast cancer. Published in Oxford University's Carcinogenesis Journal, the study found that Black women who used these products at least seven times a year for 15 or more years had a roughly 30% increased risk of developing breast cancer compared with more infrequent users.

The research team also analyzed survey data from Boston University's Black Women's Health Study, which followed more than 50,000 African American women for more than 25 years and observed their medical diagnoses and any factors that could influence their health. The results? Of the women followed from 1997 to 2017, 95% reported using lye-based relaxers, and ultimately 2,311 developed breast cancers.