Hair today, gone tomorrow
Hair relaxers and dyes are used by many women to maintain good-looking hair, but are they aware of the possible risks?
Recent research on hair relaxers and dyes has revealed the potential hazards of these products, and that they put women at risk of a number of diseases.
Many women of colour use hair relaxers to straighten their hair or to make it easier to manage, while hair dyes are used to achieve a desired colour, for fashion trends or to conceal grey hair. Over the years, some women have ditched hair relaxers and decided to keep their hair in a natural condition for various reasons such as the hidden dangers brought to light by Adana Llanos, the author of a study from the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. These hair products allegedly contain risky chemicals which lead to breast cancer, fibroids and leukaemia.
Ntombenhle Mthi from Magaliesburg cut her hair after frequently enduring scalp burns when relaxing her hair.
“I have a sensitive scalp. The hair relaxers I used growing up did not cause damage to my scalp, but after I changed to more effective relaxers for straighter hair, my scalp got burned and I had wounds which took weeks to heal – for me, the scalp burn was the deal-breaker,” said the 32-year-old.
Llanos said findings pointed out that black women who use dark hair dyes have a greater chance of developing breast cancer, but added that the risks are higher in white women who use relaxers.
“Realistically, we experience dangerous exposures on a regular basis, and we don’t have control over them.
Our study does not suggest that using hair dyes and relaxers will cause cancer in women, but having said that, women should reduce or limit the chance of harmful exposure when they are able to do so,” said Llanos.
The popular products that women use on their hair at home and in hair salons include chemical relaxers, and conditioning creams made with cholesterol, which are reportedly good for hair, according to the Balance Me Beautiful website, although they can be too heavy and weigh your hair down if it is not dry or brittle.
A study into uterine fibroid embolisation, which is a medical process used to treat uterine fibroids, revealed that black women stand a higher chance of developing fibroids due to chemical exposure through scalp burns resulting from the use of hair relaxers. Furthermore, the study indicated the early onset of menstruation could also be connected to the chemicals in hair relaxers, although there is no specific evidence demonstrating that either the use of hair relaxers or the early onset of puberty causes fibroids.
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