Chemical Hair Straighteners May Double Risk Of Womb Cancer
An official study reveals that the usage of chemical hair straightening products by millions of Americans may double the risk of womb cancer.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a study that followed 33,000 women for more than ten years across the US.
Those who used straightening products four or more times per year had a 4.05 percent uterine cancer rate compared to women who didn’t use them at a rate of 1.64 percent.
According to scientists, the cream’s ingredients enter the bloodstream through the scalp and proceed to the womb.
Only 3% of all cancer diagnoses in American women are for uterine cancer each year, making it a rare disease.
But researchers warn rates have been rising in the US in recent years, particularly among black women.
Chemical Hair Straighteners May Double Risk Of Womb Cancer
Chemical hair straighteners may double risk of womb cancer, an official study suggests
Womb cancer is the most frequent cancer of the female reproductive system in the US, with over 66,000 new cases reported each year.
Between-period bleeding, pelvic pain or cramps, and a white or clear vaginal discharge are all warning signals.
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 81% of patients survive for at least five years following their diagnosis.
However, the rate drops to 63% for black women, which experts attribute to the fact that they are more likely to receive an aggressive form of the diagnosis.
Uterine cancer: What is it?
Three percent of all instances of cancer in women each year are of the uncommon uterine variety.
It describes two types of cancer: uterine sarcoma, which develops in the muscle wall of the uterus, and endometrial cancer, which affects the uterus’ lining.
Normal screenings for this cancer do not include women, but early detection of the endometrial kind can help to stop its spread.
What signs are present?
- Bleeding from the vagina between periods;
- Vaginal bleeding after the menopause;
- Pain or cramps in the pelvis;
- Thin, white or clear discharge.
How is it diagnosed?
Uterine cancer is diagnosed through a combination of blood tests and scans of the uterus area.
How is it treated?
Treatment options include chemotherapy and radiotherapy to destroy the cancer cells.
Surgery may also be offered in some cases of endometrial cancer.
What is the survival rate?
The American Society of Clinical Oncology — cancer research experts — says that 81 per cent of women diagnosed with the cancer live for more than five years.
But for black women the five-year survival rate is six per cent.
They say this is because it tends to be more aggressive in these individuals, although it is unclear why this is the case.
Source: Cleveland Clinic
Women between the ages of 35 and 74 were tracked for nearly 11 years in this pioneering study.
378 incidences of uterine cancer were reported throughout that time.
Out of 1,572 users of chemical straighteners four or more times annually, 26 developed cancer.
And out of 30,329 diagnoses, 332 were never used.
After that, researchers made adjustments for cancer risk factors like age, poverty, alcohol usage, and smoking.
Analysis showed people who used the hair products were 155 per cent more likely to develop the disease.
About 60 per cent of women who used hair straightening creams were black, the scientists said, suggesting this group may be more at risk.
Dr Alexandra White, an epidemiologist at the NIH who led the study, said: ‘The doubling rate is concerning. However, it is important to put this information into context — uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer.
‘More research is needed to confirm these findings in different populations, to determine if hair products contribute to health disparities in uterine cancer and to identify the specific chemicals that may be increasing the risk of cancers in women.
She added: ‘To our knowledge this is the first epidemiological study that examined the relationship between straightener use and uterine cancer.’
All hair is made of a protein called keratin, which contains molecules called sulfides.
Sometimes these form pairs between each other, or disulfide bonds, which create curls in hair.
Chemical hair straightening works by breaking these bonds and altering the structure of the hair.
This leads to it becoming ‘relaxed’ and straightened.
It contains chemicals including sodium hydroxide which forces the outer layer of the hair to open, and ammonium thioglycolate, which breaks the disulphide bonds.
The creams can also contain formaldehyde — which acts as a preservative — despite it being a known carcinogen for humans.
When it heats up this can then be released into the air as a gas, sparking irritation to the skin and eyes.
Creams are applied to strands of hair for about 20 minutes after which they are washed off before heat — such as that from machine straighteners — is applied to ensure when the hair sets it is straight.
They can be put on by a hairdresser, at a cost of up to $1,000, or at home using products bought on Amazon for around $48.
Hair altered in this way normally remains straight for several months, or until enough new hair has grown through.
Due of the greater curvature of their hair, black ladies utilize it more frequently. According to one survey, 62% of the women in this demographic utilize the goods.
The researchers in the publication hypothesized that the chemicals in hair straighteners might be absorbed into the bloodstream through the scalp.
They would then proceed to the uterus, increasing the likelihood of cancer.
Brands or particular chemicals weren’t looked at in the study.
However, researchers cautioned that the usage of metals, bisphenol A, formaldehyde, and other chemicals in chemical hair straighteners may increase the risk of cancer.
Burns and lesions can exacerbate the rate at which it was absorbed, they added.
The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
It was based on 33,497 women who took part in the Sister Study, which is researching factors that may raise the risk of certain cancers in women.
Participants were recruited from 2003 to 2009 and monitored for about ten years.
