Lawsuits have been filed by women who claim that Optimum Hair Relaxer kits caused their cancer, fibroids, endometriosis (heavy bleeding and pain), and other health problems.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Optimum Hair Relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know used hair relaxers and was diagnosed with uterine cancer, breast cancer, fibroids, or endometriosis, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is the problem?
Optimum® Hair Relaxers contain chemicals that are linked to serious health problems for women, such as:
What is the Risk?
The risk of side effects is especially serious for women who use hair relaxers every few weeks or months, because they are routinely exposed to the chemicals, and absorb more chemicals over time.
Unlike many other hair treatments, the harsh chemicals in hair relaxers commonly burn the scalp and cause sores or irritated skin. These areas of broken skin may provide a pathway for chemicals to be absorbed into the body, researchers believe.
Lawsuits Filed by Women Who Used Optimum Hair Relaxers
In November 2022, multiple lawsuits were filed by women who were diagnosed with cancer and other health issues after using hair relaxers to straighten their hair.
Beauty companies like L’Oreal and SoftSheen-Carson were sued by women who accused them of selling toxic hair-care products, aggressively marketing hair relaxers to African American women, and failing to warn women about the life-threatening health risks.
What Do Lawsuits Allege?
Lawsuits claim that hair relaxers contain carcinogens like formaldehyde, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates and parabens. These chemicals can mimic hormones like estrogen, which may explain why phthalates are linked to uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and other hormone-sensitive women’s health issues.
Types of Optimum Hair Relaxers
Optimum® is a brand-name for hair relaxer kits that are made and sold by Soft Sheen-Carson. These popular hair relaxer kits include:
- Optimum Salon Haircare
- Optimum Smooth Professional Optimum Multi-mineral Relaxer Regular
- SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Salon Hair Care Defy Breakage No-Lye Relaxer
- SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Salon Haircare Optimum Care Defy Breakage No-Lye Relaxer, Regular Strength for Normal Hair Textures
- SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Normalizer Post Relaxer Conditioner Treatment
- And more
Studies Link Hair Relaxers and Cancer
In recent years, studies have found higher rates of cancer among women who reported using hair relaxers at least every 4 months.
In October 2022, researchers published a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute estimating that 4% of women who used hair relaxers were expected to develop uterine cancer by age 70, which was more than double the rate of uterine cancer for women who did not use hair relaxers.
In 2019, another study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that women who said they used hair straightening products every 5 to 8 weeks were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Do I have an Optimum Hair Relaxer Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Optimum Hair Relaxer induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know used hair relaxers and was diagnosed with uterine cancer, breast cancer, fibroids, or endometriosis, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
