Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

Plaintiffs allege that manufacturers failed to warn about the health dangers of their products and, in some cases, misrepresented them as safe. The lawsuits generally claim:

• Negligent design and formulation: Manufacturers used ingredients known to disrupt hormones and pose health hazards.
• Failure to warn: Companies did not disclose the risks of cancer or reproductive harm despite scientific evidence suggesting a connection.
• Deceptive marketing: Relaxers were advertised as safe for women and children, despite risks.
• Targeting vulnerable consumers: Lawsuits argue manufacturers exploited cultural and social pressures, particularly within the Black community, to increase sales of products that carried hidden dangers.

Women may qualify to file a lawsuit if at any point they:

• Used chemical hair relaxers consistently for several years
• Were later diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer
• Experienced related reproductive harm believed to be linked to relaxer use

Motley Rice attorneys are reviewing claims from women who meet these criteria.

Statute of limitations for hair relaxer lawsuits

The statute of limitations is the time individuals have to file a lawsuit for the harms they experienced. This deadline varies by state, making it important to seek legal advice as soon as possible if you believe you may have a case. If the statute of limitations has passed in your state, you may not be able to pursue legal action for the harms you experienced.

Motley Rice attorney Fidelma Fitzpatrick was appointed co-lead counsel for In re: Hair Relaxer Marketing Sales Practices And Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3060 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Motley Rice attorney Tope Leyimu was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, while Mike Daly was appointed as one of two plaintiffs’ liaison counsels in the Philadelphia hair relaxer mass tort.

Motley Rice attorney Carmen Scott serves as co-lead of the Leadership Development Committee for the MDL.

Hair relaxers, a type of chemical hair straightener, are products designed to permanently change the natural texture of hair. By breaking down the protein bonds in curly or textured hair, these products create straight hair that lasts until new growth appears. Because results are temporary, many women use chemical relaxers repeatedly, often beginning at a young age and continuing for years.

These relaxers are available both as salon treatments and as over-the-counter kits marketed for home use. Despite being promoted as safe, lawsuits now allege that the repeated use of these products has exposed women to harmful chemicals. These relaxer products are capable of disrupting hormones and increasing the risk of cancers such as uterine, ovarian and endometrial cancer.

Chemicals found in hair relaxers

Most hair relaxer products contain a combination of strong chemical compounds. These include lye-based formulations (sodium hydroxide) and “no-lye” alternatives, such as guanidine hydroxide.

In addition, relaxers often include a range of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The endocrine system is a network of glands that produce and secrete hormones to regulate diverse bodily functions, including metabolism, growth and reproduction.

Common chemicals found in hair relaxers include:

• Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing agents: Colorless gases classified as carcinogens and often used as preservatives. In October 2023, the FDA proposed a ban on the use of formaldehyde in hair relaxers. The ban is not yet finalized.
• Phthalates and parabens: Compounds and chemicals commonly added as stabilizers but associated with hormonal disruption.
• Cyclosiloxanes (D4, D5, D6): Compounds found in many cosmetics, with evidence suggesting links to reproductive toxicity.
• Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane: Another siloxane compound associated with endocrine interference.
• Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP): A plasticizer that can enter the body through scalp absorption.

When these chemicals penetrate the scalp, especially if burns or abrasions occur during treatment, they can enter the bloodstream and interfere with hormone function. Research cited in the hair relaxer lawsuits indicates this disruption may help explain higher rates of uterine cancer, ovarian cancer among frequent users.

People who developed cancer after using hair relaxers may be able to file a hair relaxer lawsuit.

Products and brands that may cause cancer and have been cited in hair relaxer lawsuits include:

• Dark & Lovely (L’Oréal USA, Inc.): One of the most widely used relaxers, marketed heavily to women of color since the 1970s. Lawsuits claim the brand was central to long-term exposure.
• Soft & Beautiful (Strength of Nature Global, LLC): Frequently sold in drugstores and beauty supply shops, often promoted as safe for home use despite chemical risks.
• Optimum (L’Oréal USA, Inc.): Another L’Oréal brand, marketed as a “gentle” relaxer but alleged to carry similar health hazards.
• Just For Me (Strength of Nature/previously Procter & Gamble): Marketed toward children, raising concerns about early and prolonged exposure to harmful chemicals.
• Motions (Strength of Nature): Marketed as a salon-quality relaxer line, frequently used in professional settings.
• Other brands named in lawsuits include: Olive Oil Girls, TCB Naturals and more.

These products were often promoted as safe, even for long-term or repeated use, while minimizing or ignoring health risks.

Predatory marketing and targeted demographics

A central allegation in hair relaxer lawsuits claims that these companies directed their marketing toward Black women and young girls. Studies show that Black women are two to three times more likely than white women to use chemical relaxers, often starting use at earlier ages. Plaintiffs argue that manufacturers exploited cultural pressures to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards, while downplaying or concealing potential health risks.

Emerging medical research has connected long-term use of chemical hair relaxers to a range of serious side effects and health issues, particularly cancers and reproductive system disorders.

Key risks include:

• Uterine cancer: A 2022 National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found that women who regularly used hair relaxers were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to non-users.
• Endometrial cancer: Similar hormonal disruption may contribute to endometrial (lining of the uterus) cancers.
• Ovarian cancer: Exposure to EDCs has been linked to higher rates of ovarian cancer in women who used chemical relaxers.
• Hysterectomies: Some women who used hair relaxer products and developed cancer may have needed a hysterectomy procedure to properly treat their cancer.

These risks disproportionately impact Black women, who have historically been the primary demographic targeted by manufacturers of chemical relaxers.

What brands are named in hair relaxer lawsuits?

Major brands like L’Oréal and Revlon have been named in hair relaxer cancer lawsuits. Other brand names mentioned in claims include Strength of Nature, TCB Naturals and others.

What is the average hair relaxer lawsuit settlement amount and payout?

No official payout framework exists yet. If hair relaxer settlements or verdicts are reached, compensation could include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and wrongful death damages. Early trial outcomes will help shape possible settlement amounts.

When will the hair relaxer lawsuit be settled?

Hair relaxer lawsuits are still in early stages, so there are no settlements yet. The timeline depends on scientific evidence, bellwether trials and whether defendants negotiate or fight claims. It may take years before the first payouts occur.

How do I qualify for a hair relaxer lawsuit?

Individuals may qualify to file a hair relaxer lawsuit if they used chemical hair relaxers consistently for several years, were later diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer and experienced related reproductive harm believed to be linked to relaxer use.

A hair relaxer lawyer at Motley Rice can review specific case details and determine eligibility based on medical records and product history.

Is there a hair relaxer class action lawsuit?

Hair relaxer cancer lawsuits are not a single class action. Instead, they are consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3060) in the Northern District of Illinois. This allows federal courts to manage thousands of similar cases more efficiently. In 2025, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas also consolidated hair relaxer lawsuits into a state-level mass tort.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer after using chemical hair relaxers, contact us today. Motley Rice is committed to helping those who have suffered life-altering health problems after using dangerous products.

Our attorneys have led toxic exposure litigation brought by thousands harmed by defective products. This includes people who developed ovarian cancer after using talc-based baby powder, those who suffered breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma caused by Allergan implants and more.

Read more on our women's health litigation experience.