A Missouri woman has filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal involving the company’s Chemical Hair Straighteners. The lawsuit alleges that women who use L’Oréal’s hair straightening products may face an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.

The lawsuit against L’Oréal was filed on behalf of Jenny Mitchell, a 32-year-old Missouri resident, as well as several other defendants. Mitchell, an African-American woman, alleges that she used Hair Straighteners manufacturers including L’Oréal for roughly 20 years before she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and undergoing a full hysterectomy in 2018.

Lawsuit Alleges Chemical Hair Straighteners Linked to Uterine Cancer

Mitchell’s attorneys said in a statement that the lawsuit was a “watershed moment” for women of color, who face social pressures to use chemical relaxers or chemical straighteners in order to conform with Western beauty standards.

Mitchell herself echoed these sentiments in a press conference announcing her lawsuit against L’Oréal. “Society has made it a norm to look a certain way, in order to feel a certain way,” Mitchell said. “And I am the first voice of many voices to come that will stand, stand up to these companies, and say, ‘No more.’”

After nearly 20 years of using chemical relaxers manufactured by L’Oréal, Mitchell was diagnosed with uterine cancer in August 2018. The following month, she underwent a full hysterectomy in Missouri. She alleges in her lawsuit that her family has no history of cancer, including uterine cancer.

Mitchell’s lawsuit is seeking $75,000 in damages from L’Oréal over allegations that the company’s hair straighteners increase the risk of developing uterine cancer.

In addition to Mitchell’s lawsuit, two other cases involving Chemical Hair straighteners have already been filed against L’Oréal or other cosmetic companies by women who were diagnosed with cancer after using chemical hair straighteners.

Attorneys representing the Missouri woman says that they expect that more lawsuits will be filed against the beauty company by women who developed uterine cancer after using the company’s chemical hair relaxers or hair straighteners.

Study Links Chemical Hair Straighteners to Increased Cancer Risk

Mitchell’s lawsuit against L’Oréal was filed less than a week after a study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute linked the use of chemical hair straighteners to an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.

According to the study, women who are regular users of chemical hair straighteners have a 4% risk of developing uterine cancer by the time they are 70 years old. In comparison, women who did not use these products faced only a 1.6% of being diagnosed with cancer of the uterus.

The study also found that the link between chemical hair straighteners and uterine cancer was most pronounced among African-American women. Researchers noted that Black women comprised only 7.4% of the participants in the National Cancer Institute study, but represented nearly 60% of those who reported having used hair straightening products.

Free Legal Consultation for Users of Chemical Hair Straighteners with Cancer

If you or a loved one used chemical hair straighteners made by L’Oréal or other manufacturers and were diagnosed with uterine cancer or other types of cancer, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. The first step in taking legal action is to talk with an attorney about your case.

For more information about filing a chemical hair straightener or hair relaxer lawsuit and to find out if you qualify to file a case, contact the lawyers at Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or by filling out our free case evaluation form on the right side of this page.

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