An eleven-year NIH study found that frequent chemical hair relaxer users are more at risk of developing uterine cancer and other health complications. Now, affected consumers have begun to file lawsuits against the manufacturers – one of them being the largest cosmetic company in the world. Here’s what you need to know about hair relaxer lawsuits.
L’Oreal Most Prominent Defendant in Uterine Cancer Lawsuits
By January 2023, 23 hair relaxer lawsuits were filed in federal courts, most naming one defendant: L’Oreal. L’Oreal, worth nearly $225 billion, is the parent company of Softsheen Carson, Inc., which makes various hair relaxing products such as Dark & Lovely and Optimum. Now, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) has consolidated nearly 60 pending lawsuits into a new MDL class action litigation in the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.
Brands Named in Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
If you have used one of the following hair relaxer brands and have developed uterine cancer or other health complications such as ovarian or breast cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids, you may be entitled to compensation:
- Dark & Lovely, Ultra Sheet, Optimum, etc. (L’Oreal)
- Just For Me (TCB Naturals/Godrej Consumer Products)
- ORS Olive Oil Hair Relaxer (Namaste, LLC)
- Cantu Shea Butter Relaxer (Cantu Beauty/PDC Wellness & Personal Care)
- Motions (Strength of Nature Global, LLC)
- African Pride (Godrej Consumer Goods)
These products have been marketed as safe to use, while their manufacturers knew or should have known about their dangerous health effects.
Protecting the Consumers of The Carolinas
Manufacturers must ensure that the products they produce are safe and will not cause harm to users. When they manufacture unsafe products and fail to disclose potentially harmful side effects, they must be held accountable.
If you have regularly used hair relaxer products for five years or longer and developed cancer, the hair relaxer lawsuit attorneys at Grimes Teich Anderson are here to help. Speaking with an experienced lawyer right away is important to help protect your rights under the law. Contact us today by submitting a form below or calling our office at 800-533-6845 for a free legal consultation.