ArticleEnvironmental research2023
Hair relaxer use and risk of uterine cancer in the Black Women's Health Study.
Article in Environmental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Examining the Associations of Altered Metabolism in Black Women with Endometrial Cancer.Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities · 2026Article
- Use of Chemical Hair Straighteners and Menstrual Disturbances.Journal of women's health (2002) · 2026Article
- Chemicals of Concern in Chemical Hair Straightening Products: A Scoping Review.Current environmental health reports · 2026Article
- Exploration of familial genetic test result communication among Black women within an academic safety net hospital.Familial cancer · 2026Article
- Use of hair straighteners and chemical relaxers and incidence of non-reproductive cancers.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2026Article
- Mapping, dynamism, thematic evolution of the scientific production on Make up or Beauty products and cancer: A scientometric study.Journal of education and health promotion · 2026Article
- Feasibility and Acceptability of Assessing Personal Care Product Use and Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Among Black and Hispanic Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Prevalence and clinical impact of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) in critically ill children with sepsis.BMC pediatrics · 2025Article
- Article
- Identifying differences in U.S. exposure to ubiquitous carcinogens.International journal of hygiene and environmental health · 2025Article
- Chemicals of concern in select packaged hair relaxers available on the Kenyan market: an examination of ingredient labels and measurement of pH.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Hair Straightener Use in Relation to Prevalent and Incident Fibroids in the Sister Study with a Focus on Black Women.Environmental health perspectives · 2025Article
- Asking Why Is Necessary to Address Health Disparities: A Critical Approach for Solution-Oriented Environmental Epidemiological Research.Environmental health perspectives · 2024Article
- Hair product use and urinary biomarker concentrations of non-persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals among reproductive-aged Black women.Chemosphere · 2024Article
- From knowledge to advocacy: Bridging the gap between research and action.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundChemical hair relaxers, use of which is highly prevalent among Black women in the US, have been inconsistently linked to risk of estrogen-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer, and other reproductive health conditions. Whether hair relaxer use increases risk of uterine cancer is unknown.
methodsIn the Black Women's Health Study, 44,798 women with an intact uterus who self-identified as Black were followed from 1997, when chemical hair relaxer use was queried, until 2019. Over follow-up, 347 incident uterine cancers were diagnosed. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for age and other potential confounders, to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of hair relaxer use with risk of uterine cancer.
resultsCompared to women who never used hair relaxers or used them infrequently (<4 years and ≤1-2 times/year), the HR for uterine cancer associated with heavy use (≥15 years and at least 5 times/year) was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.71). However, among postmenopausal women, compared to never/light use, the HR for moderate use was 1.60 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.53), the HR for heavy use was 1.64 (1.01, 2.64), and the HR for ≥20 years of use regardless of frequency was 1.71 (1.08, 2.72). Results among premenopausal women were null.
conclusionsIn this large cohort of Black women, long-term use of chemical hair relaxers was associated with increased risk of uterine cancer among postmenopausal women, but not among premenopausal women. These findings suggest that hair relaxer use may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for uterine cancer.
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