Hair Relaxer & Breast Cancer
- New research from Boston University has found that moderate use of hair relaxers does not increase the risk of breast cancer in Black women. However, women who heavily use hair relaxers that contain lye (a metal chemical) may have an increased risk of developing ER+ breast cancer.
- Even though Black women and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at the same rate, Black women are 40% more likely to die.
- On average, Black women are diagnosed with breast cancer much later than white women, which is a large contributor to the death rate.
Hair relaxer is a beauty product commonly used by Black women, which comes in the form of a lotion or cream and chemically straightens hair. While examining the link between this product and breast cancer risk in Black women, Boston University researchers found that women who use an average amount of hair relaxer did not have an increased risk of developing the disease. However, their results also found that women who heavily use hair relaxers that contain lye (a metal chemical) may have an increased risk of developing ER+ breast cancer.
According to Consumer Reports, as of Spring 2025, thousands of women, “10,100 and counting, have filed lawsuits against hair relaxer companies to claim the chemicals in their products put them at risk.”
Dr. Elizabeth Comen breaks down risk factors linked to breast cancer
Black Women & Breast Cancer
Although progress has been made over the years, there are still significant racial disparities in cancer care. This is especially prevalent in breast cancer, where Black women face a much higher risk of dying if diagnosed with breast cancer compared to white women. In fact, according to Linda Tantawi, the CEO of Susan G. Komen, New York City’s affiliate, while Black women and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at the same rate, Black women are 40% more likely to die.
A few factors come into play with this startling statistic, including genetics, socioeconomic issues, and systemic bias. On average, Black women are diagnosed with breast cancer much later than white women, which is a large contributor to the death rate. That’s why regular screening is so critical. Fortunately, now statistics show that Black women and white women receive mammograms at about the same rate, but that hasn’t always been the case. Due to socioeconomic issues and disparities in health care, it can be more difficult for minority women to get screened regularly for cancer. Not being able to cover breast cancer screening can lead to more women delaying their mammograms and ultimately missing an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Anita Johnson explains how we can close the gap in racial disparities in breast cancer
Genetics and biology can also play a huge role in not only your risk of breast cancer but also treatment options. Black women are more likely to get triple-negative breast cancer than women of other races and ethnicities. This is the hardest breast cancer to treat. There are fewer treatment options for this type of cancer. These tumors can also be more aggressive than other types and frequently become resistant to chemotherapy.
Not only are Black women more likely to get the more aggressive triple-negative breast cancer, but triple-negative breast tumors in African American women may be quite different from those that develop in white women. This could explain why, even when comparing women who all have triple-negative disease, Black women still tend to fare worse than other women.
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