A new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found a link between chemical hair straightening products and uterine cancer.
The study, released Monday, followed 33,947 racially diverse women between the ages of 35 and 74 for an average of about 11 years. Her 378 women who participated in this study developed uterine cancer.
“It was estimated that 1.64% of women who had never used a hair straightener would develop uterine cancer by age 70, but frequent use increased the risk to 4.05%.” Environmental Health Safety (NIEHS).
The presence of so-called endocrine-disrupting chemicals in hair straighteners may be responsible for this association. Fragrances, parabens, and phthalates can affect the endocrine system’s ability to regulate hormones.
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Previous studies have associated endocrine disruptors with increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
A newly published study found that women who had used chemical correction products four or more times in the previous year were 2.5 more likely to develop uterine cancer after accounting for other individual risk factors.
“But it’s important to put this information in context. Uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer,” White added in the statement.
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Additionally, researchers found that infrequent use of hair straighteners in the past year was also associated with a higher risk of uterine cancer. However, the difference was not statistically significant. In other words, it could have been a coincidence.
NIEHS researchers concluded that hair straightener use and cervical cancer do not differ by race, but black women may be at higher risk.
Che-Jung Chang of NIEHS said, “These findings are significant because black women tend to use hair straightening and relaxer products more frequently and start using them at an earlier age than other races and ethnicities. may be even more important to them.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States. Although rare, it is more common than cervical and ovarian cancer.
Reuters contributed to this report.