Most of us feel the need to resort to chemical straightening to make our hair smoother and softer, but at what risk? Frequent use of chemical hair straightening products can double the risk of uterine cancer, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The troubling results prompted scientists to follow 33,947 women of different races, ages 35 to 74, across the United States for more than a decade. During this time 378 women developed.
They found that the rate of uterine cancer was 4.05 percent in women who used four or more straightening products a year, and 1.64 percent in those who didn’t.
“We assumed that 1.64% of non-users would develop uterine cancer by age 70, but for frequent users, the risk increases to 4.05%,” said Alexandra White, head of research at the US National University. The US Institute for Environmental Health and Safety (NIEHS) said in a statement.
“However, it is valuable to put this information in context. It is a relatively rare type of cancer,” he added.
Although small, uterine cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with about 66,000 new cases each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and rates are rising, particularly among women. black women.
Previous research has shown that chemical hair straighteners contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Artifacts have previously been associated with a higher chest and risks. Scientists believe these enter the bloodstream through the scalp and in turn travel to the uterus, increasing the risk of cancer.
“These findings are the first relevant epidemiologic evidence in the midst of uterine cancer using applanation artifacts,” White and colleagues wrote in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. “Further research is needed to identify the exact chemicals driving this observed interest.”
However, Che-Jung Chang of the NIEHS said in a statement: “These findings may be even more relevant to them, as they use black hair straighteners or conditioners more often and start using them at a younger age than other races. and ethnicities”.
