Khaberni - A new study has concluded that chemical hair straightening and relaxing products may increase the risk of multiple types of cancer by 166%.
The study was conducted by researchers from Emory University in Georgia, United States, and its results were published in the National Cancer Institute's journal on September 30th, and reported by the British newspaper "Daily Mail".
The presence of the carcinogenic substance formaldehyde in chemical hair straightening treatments, such as keratin treatments and hair styling products, is causing concern among experts.
In an effort to understand the long-term health effects of this chemical, researchers from Emory University in Georgia analyzed data from a long-term health study that included more than 50,000 American women.
The study included participants aged between 35 and 74 years, who had no personal history of breast cancer, but had at least one sister diagnosed with the disease.
The study was registered between the years 2003 and 2009, and the participants were followed up until September 2021.
Significant Increase in Cancer Risk
The study focused on the types of cancer that recorded at least 100 cases during the follow-up period, and examined whether participants had used chemical hair straightening and relaxing treatments in the 12 months prior to joining the study.
The use of these products was linked to a significant increase in cancer risks, and women who used chemical hair straightening and relaxing treatments were more susceptible to pancreatic cancer by 166%, which is one of the most dangerous forms of the disease due to the lack of a specific screening test, complicating early detection.
Women who used chemical hair straightening and relaxing treatments were also more susceptible to thyroid cancer by 71%, and to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by 62%. The risk increased further among women who used the products more than four times a year.
This study adds to a growing body of evidence that raises concerns about the long-term health impacts of chemical hair treatments, especially among those who use them the most.
The European Union and at least ten US states have banned the use of formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing substances in personal care products.
