This article provides educational information. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Consult with a qualified attorney regarding your specific situation.
For decades, chemical hair relaxers were widely marketed to Black and Latina women as routine personal care products. Most users were never told that the chemicals in these products may carry significant health risks, including elevated risks of uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. A 2022 National Institutes of Health study brought those risks into focus, and the lawsuits that followed have become one of the largest mass tort litigations in the United States.
What Are Chemical Hair Relaxers?
Chemical hair relaxers permanently alter the structure of curly or coily hair by breaking down protein bonds. They are applied directly to the scalp, typically every six to eight weeks, often using lye-based or no-lye formulations. Beyond the active straightening agents, many relaxers also contain endocrine-disrupting compounds that researchers have linked to hormonal disruption and cancer risk. Products named in the litigation include Dark and Lovely, Just for Me, Optimum, Motions, and ORS Olive Oil, among others. Defendants include L'Oreal USA, SoftSheen-Carson, Strength of Nature, and Dabur USA.
What the Science Shows
The pivotal 2022 Sister Study, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, found that women who used chemical hair straighteners more than four times per year were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to non-users. No similar risk was found with other hair products such as dye or bleach. Subsequent research has examined potential associations with endometrial and ovarian cancer as well. While scientific investigation continues, the volume and consistency of these findings has supported thousands of individual lawsuits.
How the Litigation Is Structured
These cases are not a class action. Each plaintiff files an individual lawsuit that is consolidated with similar cases into a multidistrict litigation, known as an MDL. The hair relaxer MDL, docket number MDL 3060, is pending in the Northern District of Illinois under Judge Mary M. Rowland. As of mid-2026, more than 11,700 cases are active, making it one of the largest active MDLs in federal court. A separate state-level consolidation is also active in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
Who May Be Eligible
General eligibility criteria include regular, long-term use of chemical hair relaxer products and a subsequent diagnosis of uterine, endometrial, or ovarian cancer supported by medical documentation. Hair stylists with occupational exposure may also have viable claims given the intensity and duration of their professional contact with these products. Wrongful death claims may be available to family members of those who died from qualifying cancers.
Where Things Stand
The litigation is in an advanced pretrial phase. The court has scheduled a Science Day to hear medical and scientific evidence, bellwether trial selections are underway with trials expected in 2027, and a mediator has been appointed to facilitate settlement discussions. No global settlement has been announced. Because statutes of limitations vary by state and can expire, individuals who believe they may have a claim should consult with a qualified attorney promptly.
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