Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

What to Know About Lawsuits for Hair Relaxers

Women with curly hair trust chemical hair relaxers to change up their style, only to be put at risk of serious illnesses like cancer later in life.

The chemicals used in hair relaxers may sometimes disrupt a women’s endocrine system. This manages how the body uses and stores hormones. Other toxins have been found, too.

Here’s what every woman should know about hair relaxer lawsuits:

• Which toxic chemicals are in hair relaxers? Bisphenol A (BPA), endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including phthalates and parabens, formaldehyde, and heavy metals have all been found in hair relaxers.
• What are some hair relaxer health risks? Endometrial cancer and uterine cancer are the two main types of cancer associated with the products.
• Who is at risk? Any woman who used chemical hair straighteners is at risk, but particularly Black women who were marketed to, according to Harvard Chan School researchers.
• How can a lawsuit help? Chemical hair relaxer lawsuits allow women to get financial compensation for the harm done and a sense of justice.
• Which brands are involved? L’Oréal®, Revlon®, Strength of Nature®, Namaste®, and more have all been named in product liability lawsuits related to hair straighteners and relaxers.

Women had more than double the risk of uterine cancer from using chemical hair straighteners compared to those who didn’t according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). And, 6 out of 10 of the study participants were Black women, who may be at a higher risk as they may use chemical straighteners more frequently.

Her Case Matters is ready to support women harmed by chemical hair straighteners. A hair straightener lawsuit can help women recover compensation for medical bills and hold companies accountable. Find out your eligibility with a free case review.

Hair Relaxer Side Effects & Cancer Risks

Multiple chemicals, including BPA, EDCs, and formaldehyde, used in hair straighteners are all correlated with a potential higher risk of cancer, per the NIH.

Here’s how cancer could develop from using hair relaxers:

1. Cancer-causing materials used in hair relaxers enter a woman’s body through the scalp (especially if there are open wounds or cuts)
2. The endocrine disruptor chemicals affect a woman’s natural hormones
3. Over time and chronic exposure, women may develop uterine or endocrine cancer

Women who used chemical hair relaxers more than four times within 1 year ran a greater risk of developing cancer than those who didn’t, the NIH study found.

In particular, instances of uterine cancer — which is normally rare — are on the rise in the U.S., particularly among populations of Black women. It’s suspected that long-term or routine use of chemical hair relaxers are to blame.

In some cancer cases, women required major procedures such as a hysterectomy after diagnosis.

Hair Relaxer Lawsuit Update (2026)

More and more hair relaxer claims continue to be filed by women facing serious cancers after a diagnosis. In fact, as of 2025, over 10,000 lawsuits are currently pending as part of a hair relaxer multidistrict litigation (MDL) that was first set up in 2023.

Here are the latest updates on hair relaxer lawsuits:

• More than 10,000 cases pending: As of early 2026, thousands of hair relaxer cases have been filed in the hair relaxer MDL by women and families affected.
• MDL centralized in Illinois: The litigation is consolidated in the Northern District of Illinois.
  Bellwether trials expected: Early bellwether trials are being prepared to test evidence and guide future outcomes.
• New cases continue to be filed: The number of plaintiffs (those suing) continues to grow as awareness spreads.

States are also continuing to pass new laws requiring warnings on chemical hair relaxers and straighteners moving forward. Yet this won’t help women already dealing with chemical hair straightener cancers.

The hair relaxer MDL is currently one of the largest in the country. If you’re suffering, you may be able to join it, too.

Hair Relaxer Side Effects & Cancer Risks

Multiple chemicals, including BPA, EDCs, and formaldehyde, used in hair straighteners are all correlated with a potential higher risk of cancer, per the NIH.

Here’s how cancer could develop from using hair relaxers:

1. Cancer-causing materials used in hair relaxers enter a woman’s body through the scalp (especially if there are open wounds or cuts)
2. The endocrine disruptor chemicals affect a woman’s natural hormones
3. Over time and chronic exposure, women may develop uterine or endocrine cancer

Women who used chemical hair relaxers more than four times within 1 year ran a greater risk of developing cancer than those who didn’t, the NIH study found.

In particular, instances of uterine cancer — which is normally rare — are on the rise in the U.S., particularly among populations of Black women. It’s suspected that long-term or routine use of chemical hair relaxers are to blame.

“Because Black women use hair straightening or relaxer products more frequently and tend to initiate use at earlier ages than other races and ethnicities, these findings may be even more relevant for them.”

– Che-Jung Chang, Ph.D., co-author of NIH hair relaxer study

In some cancer cases, women required major procedures such as a hysterectomy after diagnosis.

How Do You Qualify for a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit?

Women across the country may be eligible to file hair straightener lawsuits after using products that turned out to be toxic.

You may be eligible to file a hair relaxer lawsuit if:

• You regularly used chemical hair relaxers or chemical hair straighteners over time
• You were later diagnosed with uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, or ovarian cancer
• You used products from L’Oréal, Strength of Nature, Namaste, Revlon, or another hair relaxer company

You may also qualify if a loved one passed away from a hair relaxer cancer but didn’t have a chance to file while they were alive.

Call (877) 895-5426 to find out your eligibility for hair relaxer lawsuits. We’ll listen to what happened and determine if a lawsuit is right for you.

Which Hair Relaxers Are in the Lawsuit?

Many notable brands have been named in ongoing chemical hair relaxer lawsuits. These are brands that women trusted, sometimes for years, only to find out that they could lead to a serious diagnosis directly as a result.

Hair relaxer brands named in lawsuits include:

• Advanced Beauty
• John Paul Mitchell Systems
• L’Oréal
• Namaste Laboratories
• Revlon
• Strength of Nature
• Wella Operations

This isn’t a complete list. Many other chemical hair straightener brands were trusted by women, only to have directly contributed to a serious cancer diagnosis.

Women expect hair products like these to be safe. If you or someone you love is facing endocrine or uterine cancer and ever used these straighteners or relaxers, you may be eligible to take legal action.

How to File a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

Filing a hair relaxer lawsuit is much easier when you work with experienced attorneys. At Her Case Matters, we’ve partnered with top hair relaxer lawyers who’re ready to assess your situation and will fight to file a claim on your behalf, if eligible.

The hair relaxer attorneys will handle the bulk of the work on your behalf, from gathering evidence to actually find the lawsuit, while you stay focused on what matters most: Your health and your family.

Here’s how to more easily file a hair relaxer lawsuit:

• Start with a free consultation from our team to determine your eligibility. If you qualify, we’ll help you find experienced hair relaxer lawyers.
• Gather evidence related to your diagnosis, history of using chemical hair straighteners, and more. Your attorney will do this to build the strongest hair relaxer lawsuit possible, and show why the companies that made the products you used are to blame.
• File a hair relaxer lawsuit with your attorney’s help. They’ll typically be able to file for you, making the process less stressful.
• Negotiate payouts from the hair relaxer manufacturers in question. Your lawyers typically will want to negotiate a hair relaxer settlement out of court, but may need to take the case to trial in the rare event it can’t be settled. Either way, they’re still handling the bulk of the legal work for you.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before reaching out about a hair relaxer lawsuit. Take the first step now with a free case review.

How Long Do You Have to File a Hair Relaxer Claim?

Each state has a statute of limitations, which sets a deadline for filing lawsuits centered on dangerous products like hair straighteners.

Filing deadlines range from 1-6 years depending on the state. The time starts ticking from when you’re diagnosed with hair relaxer cancer.

Statutes of limitations for hair relaxer lawsuits are subject to change and can be complicated to understand on your own. That’s why many women have found it helpful to work with an attorney.

Experienced hair relaxer lawyers can clearly determine which deadlines apply to your case and make sure your lawsuit is filed before time runs out.

What’s the Average Hair Relaxer Settlement Amount?

Currently, the vast majority of hair relaxer lawsuits are still ongoing, and have not reached legal settlements or gone to trial.

With that said, there’s a potential for hair relaxer lawsuits to reach settlements anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of dollars depending on the facts in each case, the companies involved, and the severity of the harm that women have suffered.

The Her Case Matters team is closely monitoring ongoing hair relaxer litigation and will provide updates as specific settlement amounts are released to the public.

Get Help With Your Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

Across the country, women are now facing rare cancers like uterine or endometrial cancer from using hair relaxer products that they believed were safe.

A cancer diagnosis changes your life forever, and the worst part is that it may have been preventable if companies that made hair relaxers disclosed the dangers. But, a hair relaxer lawsuit can help right some of the wrongs.

Through a hair relaxer lawsuit, you can potentially:

• Access compensation for medical expenses
• Get a sense of justice
• Protect your family moving forward

You didn’t deserve to get sick. At Her Case Matters, we’re ready to help you explore legal options right now. Call (877) 895-5426 or get a free case review.