Fact-check: Study finds that parabens hair relaxing products have side effects on African Women

Several researchers have found out some evidence suggesting that heavy use of paraben-containing hair relaxers is linked to an increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

Reports that a study has found out that toxic chemicals used in hair products for black women can fuel breast cancer are true.

The new study was conducted by City of Hope, a cancer hospital and research center in Southern California, US and presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta — found hair care products mostly marketed to Black women contain parabens, a class of hormone-disrupting chemicals.

The study says that these chemicals not only raise women’s chances of getting breast cancer, but also disproportionately fuel the spread of cancer cells in Black women.

The study was widely reported on the internet as can be seen here, here and here.

Screenshot of the headline doing the rounds

What are parabens?

Parabens have been used as artificial preservatives in hair care and beauty products since the 1920s. Parabens can interfere with the normal function of hormones and cause skin irritation. 

The rapid spread of cancer cells in the parabens sulfates is more prevalent in black women.

Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, and Isobutylparaben are the most common parabens.

Breast cancer affects black women disproportionately. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the demographic has a 41% higher death rate from breast cancer, and black women under 50 have twice the cancer mortality rate as white women.

What are doctors saying about the side effects of hair relaxing creams?

Lejju Benjamin Modi, a medical doctor in Juba explains to 211 Check in detail how beauty creams affect black women, “…and I found that there is some evidence to that effect. Like skin bleaching agents, most of these beauty chemicals contain a lot of cancer-causing agents, especially with prolonged/heavy use…’’

“Black/African American women’s hair relaxers, leave-in conditioners, and oils may contain estrogens or estrogen-disrupting compounds. As a result, their use may increase the risk of breast cancer. The findings of the few previous studies on this topic are contradictory. The Black Women’s Health Study, a nationwide prospective study of Black women, was used to examine the relationship between hair relaxer and leave-in conditioner use and breast cancer incidence. From 1997 to 2017, 2311 incident breast cancers occurred in 50,543 women.…,” a study published in May 2021 has this abstract

“Results of this study were largely null, but there was some evidence that heavy use of lye-containing hair relaxers may be associated with increased risk of ER+ breast cancer. Consistent results from several studies are needed before it can be concluded that use of certain hair relaxers impacts breast cancer development,” the study said.

Conclusion:

211 Check has looked into a research study on the side effects of beauty creams and found out that several researchers discovered some evidence suggesting that heavy use of paraben-containing hair relaxers is linked to an increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.

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