Judy: Several women diagnosed
with uterine cancer are now
suing L'Oreal and other cosmetic
companies after a recent study
tied the illness to chemical
hair straightening products.
We have more on the study and
the concerns it has raised.
Reporter: The study conducted by
the national institution of
environmental health safety
found that women that reported
frequent use of hair
straightening products were more
than twice as likely to develop
uterine cancer than those who
did not.
We spoke with several women who
have been chemically
straightening their hair since
childhood and who are now
concerned for their health.
>> For as long as I can remember
I have had my hair in some sort
of perm or relaxer.
I believe I got my first perm
super early, like six or seven
years old.
>> I was probably 10 or 11 years
old.
That was a parental decision.
My mother had a chemical or lax
or put in my hair.
She was a single mother, a
working parent and I'm sure her
thought process was a chemical
relaxer would make it easier for
her to care for my hair.
>> I think for a black women
especially to assimilate into
corporate America or white
America as a whole we were told
we had to straighten our hair.
It is a tough decision but we
think about everything.
We are considering all of the
factors.
It is not an easy decision.
And it has so many layers.
I have heard the risk growing
up.
It is scary.
Hearing about cancer risks, I
think I've heard breast cancer
risk over the last few years.
Just having those chemicals in
our bodies for decades.
>> It is sad to know it is a
risk that myself, my mother and
other black women could have.
It on the others everything we
do in life seemingly can cause
cancer.
It is another thing added to the
list.
>> I do think it is really
important for these companies
and also any federal agencies
like the fda that might have
oversight over the production of
these types of chemicals to put
really clear warning labels on
all such type products.
>> If you had the opportunity to
stop it and prevent it. You
should.
I do appreciate the research on
the tests coming out to bring
more awareness.
>> I hope it gets better and I
do think it is getting better
but we have to go through a lot
to get to where we are now.
And it is, to be frank, it is
not fair at all.
Reporter: We take a closer look.
The doctor is an associate
professor of obstetrics and
gynecology at the university of
Washington school of medicine
and she joins us now.
Dr. Dole, thank you for joining
us.
You heard those women and what
they had to say and we should
point out this is just one study
that looks at the connection.
What are the limits of a study
like this and what does it tell
us for sure?
>> There are a few things to
know about it being a survey
study.
We had women reporting what they
have been exposed to.
We do not have information on
what kind of straighteners are
used and how long they were on
the scalp.
We do not really have an
understanding of the strength or
the chemical makeup of the
straighteners that women
reported using.
The other thing that is
important about the study is
that it was originally created
to study breast cancer so every
woman had to have a sister who
had breast cancer.
That is not necessarily as
similar to the general public.
It raises some questions as to
how generalizable it is.
There are limitations.
On the other hand, this is an
important study and it asks an
important question.
It starts to have us have more
focus around the idea of
understanding what is driving or
causing uterine cancer in this
country.
Reporter: I want to point out
that we used the word frequent
in the frequent use of strength
-- straighteners.
That is defined as four times in
a year.
How worried should any woman be
who is watching this report?
>> I want women to know that
this study is the beginning of
the question.
There are many more questions to
answer about the link and if it
is something that is a causal
link or is it an association.
But most importantly women need
to know the risks of uterine
cancer and the signs of uterine
cancer.
Regardless of whether you use
hair straighteners or not, the
risk of uterine cancer in this
country is one in 32 women by
age 80.
The symptoms that allow us to
diagnose it early is when there
is postmenopausal bleeding or
Reginald bleeding after the time
of menopause.
Knowing that and being aware of
your symptoms is what is going
to make the difference in terms
of getting a uterine cancer
diagnosis and your outcome.
Reporter: Are the rates the same
for everyone across all groups
of women?
Would you recommend that people
stop using these products if
they are concerned?
>> Great question.
The rates by race -- the
likelihood of getting uterine
cancer is similar which is why
the study is interesting because
black women use hair
straighteners much more
commonly.
We don't see black women having
twice the rate of uterine cancer
in this country.
However I would say to a woman
using hair straighteners, if you
are already looking for a reason
to stop using straighteners, I
think this is a great reason to
pause and say of something else
works for me, let me stop using
hair straighteners.
If it is something really
important to you and your sense
of beauty, I would say you want
to be really aware of what kind
of chemicals are in the her
straighteners used on your head.
And then you can use -- do some
research to see if they have
been related to cancer or not.
Some have and some have not.
I think that is responsibly what
we can say now.
It is reasonable to have
concern.
If you can stop and -- and
desire to do so anyway, it is ok
to go natural.
Reporter: You heard some of the
women mentioned the beauty
standard pressures and the
pressure to conform to
traditional European beauty
standards.
We do find a firm connection to
a structural racism if you talk
about maternal mortality or pain
management.
Do you see that connection here?
>> Absolutely.
Is what we are seeing hair
straighteners used in this study
a proxy or a sign of women who
are more at risk to be pressured
in their environments to
conform.
Women that did not have a choice
as to whether they have natural
hair or not who are more likely
to be in the scenarios where
straightening their hair made a
tangible economic difference.
Those women are probably more at
risk of the pressure of
structural racism.
Are those pressures causing
weathering or stress on the body
or is it the hair straightener
itself?
I think it is related and it has
to do with why we need more
studies that focus on what is
going on with black women in
particular.
The experiences we have are
different.
We know we have the diseases and
the outcomes can be different.
Asking these questions are so
critical.
Reporter: That is Dr. Dole from
the university of Washington
medical school winning us
tonight.
Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you so much.