Olive Oil Relaxer Lawsuit

ORS Olive Oil hair relaxer is manufactured by Dabur Ltd. and Namaste Laboratories, LLC. It’s a hair-relaxing product used primarily by Black and Brown women. ORS Olive Oil relaxers are marketed as natural, “no-lye” hair straightening products.

Lye hair relaxers use sodium hydroxide, a harsh chemical that can burn the scalp during application. No-lye products, like ORS Olive Oil, still contain a mixture of strong chemicals – including those classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are known to disturb the endocrine system’s functionality. The endocrine system consists of glands throughout the body that are responsible for releasing hormones vital for human health.

ORS Olive Oil relaxer lawsuits are included in multidistrict litigation (MDL) No. 3060. MDL 3060 claims that numerous chemical hair relaxer companies manufactured, marketed, sold and/or distributed toxic hair relaxer products containing chemicals that caused people to develop ovarian cancer, uterine cancer or endometrial cancer.

People are filing olive oil relaxer lawsuits to obtain compensation for their product-related injuries, including uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. Plaintiffs in the ORS relaxer lawsuit allege that Dabur and Namaste misrepresented the safety of their products in marketing and promotional materials.

The plaintiffs also say Dabur and Namaste didn’t use reasonable care when they manufactured, designed, researched, tested, produced, supplied and inspected their products. The oversight allegedly continued when they marketed, labeled, packaged, sold and distributed their hair relaxer products. Plaintiffs also claim the companies should have removed, recalled or replaced the unsafe and/or defective hair relaxer products.

Dabur and Namaste allegedly had knowledge or should have been aware that their hair relaxer products contain carcinogens. Carcinogens are chemicals that can cause cancer. Plaintiffs allege they didn’t warn consumers of the potentially dangerous side effects of their products. 

Companies that market olive oil hair straightening products often use deceptive and harmful marketing tactics targeting women of color. These companies use deceptive language in their marketing materials to make their products seem safe. Words like “organic,” “safe,” and “natural” appear on product packaging and in advertisements featuring Black and Brown women with straight hair. 

Namaste and Dabur advertise their hair relaxers as “olive oil” products containing “built-in protection,” which implies that the products are natural and safe when they may not be.

According to the Namaste and Dabur website, their hair relaxer products contain “rich olive and avocado oils” that “moisturize and condition” and include “Aloe Vera to help protect the skin and scalp” of children. However, Namaste and Dabur fail to warn that toxic chemicals contained within the products may dramatically raise the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer.

Namaste and Dabur’s hair relaxer products claim they “use the latest technology to safely elongate tight coils.”

ORS Olive Oil hair relaxer may come with dangerous health risks. These products are alleged to contain toxic chemicals, including EDCs, which can block hormone production by changing the DNA or the structure of cells. Natural and synthetic EDCs in some hair relaxer products are disguised as “fragrances” and “perfumes.” When products containing EDCs — such as phthalates — are applied to the hair and scalp, they can get into the body and cause harm.

The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that companies list ingredients on retail cosmetic products. However, the listing of the individual fragrance or specific ingredients isn’t required. As a result, when consumers read labels, they can’t determine whether the hair relaxer products they use contain EDCs or other toxic chemicals.

Studies suggest that women who frequently use chemical hair straightening products may be at higher risk for uterine cancer and ovarian cancer than women who don’t use these products.

Uterine and endometrial cancer

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) evaluated the results from its Sister Study and found a new connection between hair relaxers and uterine cancer. The Sister Study followed more than 50,000 women aged 35 to 74.

The NIH evaluated information from about 34,000 participants in the study to explore a possible connection between hair products and uterine cancer cases. The evaluation indicated that women who used hair straightening products more than four times in the previous year were more than twice as likely as non-users to develop uterine cancer. 

Research suggests that women who used the products less frequently are still at risk of developing uterine cancer. Frequent use of hair straightening products doubled the risk of developing cancer in study participants. Other self-care products, like hair dyes and perms, didn’t have an association with uterine cancer.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that 67,800 new cases of uterine cancer will emerge by the end of 2024. The ACS also reports that uterine cancer impacts Black women more often than White women.

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is believed to be hormonally driven. This means that when hormone-disrupting chemicals enter the body, they change a woman’s hormonal balance — which may lead to ovarian cancer.

A 2021 NIH study found a connection between continual use of hair relaxers and ovarian cancer. The risk of ovarian cancer doubled with frequent use (more than four times per year) of chemical hair straighteners/relaxers in the previous year. Given how many Black women use these products, the impact of these results is concerning.

People suffering health conditions, including endometrial, ovarian or uterine cancer from the use of olive oil hair relaxer products, may be eligible to file an olive oil hair relaxer lawsuit. Contact a hair relaxer attorney to learn more about your eligibility.

Many women have been impacted by ovarian, uterine or endometrial cancer allegedly caused by their use of chemical hair relaxers. If you believe you’ve been adversely affected, consider discussing your options with an attorney who has experience in multidistrict litigation (MDL).

Recent research has found a link between the chemicals in hair relaxer products and endometrial, ovarian and uterine cancer. People who have suffered significant health problems because of frequent use of hair relaxers may be entitled to seek compensation through a hair relaxer lawsuit. Our attorneys have a depth of experience supporting women and families facing life-altering health problems. They have the knowledge to help you weigh your legal options during a difficult time.

Learn more about our hair relaxer litigation experience.