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In article <unu9i3$3vnnn$
4@dont-email.me>
shitbag jones <
shitbag_jones@libidy.con> wrote:
Niggers are stupid and can never be like white people.
#TeamRelaxer or #TeamNaturalHair? It’s a debate Black women have
been having since the dawn of time. Whereas relaxers, a chemical
treatment that loosens curl patterns and straightens hair, were
once popular for a myriad of reasons including discrimination
against Black hair, the latest natural hair movement, which had
a resurgence in the 2010s, saw many women trading in their Dark
& Lovely boxes for weekly deep conditioners.
But now research warns that the use of straighteners, relaxers,
and other hair products is linked to uterine cancer. The study,
which was published earlier this week, comes at a time when some
Black women who previously wore their hair naturally have either
returned to relaxers or are considering doing so.
“Frequent and especially long-term use of some hair
straightening products can affect long-term health. This is
particularly important for Black women to know as the natural-to-
relaxer movement gains momentum,” says Dr. LaTasha Perkins, a
family physician based in Washington, D.C., who was not involved
in the study
The hashtag #RelaxersAreBack has 5.3 million views on TikTok to
date and features Black women getting relaxers at the salon or
doing it themselves at home. To combat new growth, it is common
to get a relaxer every six to eight weeks, or roughly six times
per year.
According to researchers, hair products may contain hazardous
chemicals with “endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic
properties.” Previously studies have demonstrated certain hair
products come with a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer,
but this is the first one to show an association with uterine
cancer.
The study, referred to as the Sister Study, involved nearly
34,000 participants between the ages of 35 and 74 who did not
have breast cancer but had at least one sister diagnosed with
the disease. Researchers evaluated their self-reported use of
hair products, such as hair dyes, straighteners, relaxers, and
body waves within the prior 12 months.
Most of the participants were white and did not include a
sufficient sample of Black participants to determine association
with the group even though the authors recognized that adverse
effects are more likely with this group given “higher prevalence
of use, initiation at younger ages, and more toxic formulations.”
“The risk of developing uterine cancer for frequent users of
relaxers is 4.05% compared to 1.64% for women who’ve never used
hair straightening products—a number worth paying attention to,”
says Perkins. “Mind you, uterine cancer is generally rare, but
is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system
according to the study.”
Over an average follow-up of 10.9 years, 378 uterine cancer
cases were identified in the study. It is believed that the endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in the hair products could
contribute to uterine cancer risk “because of their ability to
alter hormonal actions.” Researchers also observed an 80% higher
risk of uterine cancer among participants who used hair-
straightening products, with the risk more than double for women
who used the products more than four times in the previous year.
“Generally speaking, cancer is the abnormal replication of cells
that spread to other parts of the body. Hormone-disrupting
chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde, and metals, which are
commonly found in hair straightening products, have been
connected to all sorts of cancer,” explains Perkins. “When we
put chemicals like this on our scalps, a highly porous part of
our body, those chemicals are absorbed and enter our
bloodstream. This can prompt the growth of abnormal cells, and
eventually result in a case of uterine cancer, for example.
Hormone-disrupting chemicals disrupt the natural course of cell
development.”
As the natural-to-relaxer movement grows, Perkins urges caution
for those considering a return to relaxers.
“Before you make the decision to return to a relaxer, please
educate yourself on what you’re putting on and in your body.
Take the time to understand the composition of your preferred
relaxer and consider formaldehyde-free or lye-free options, for
example,” she says. “Your scalp is a reservoir for absorption,
so be mindful of how certain chemicals could affect your health
in the long run. And remember, there are ways to get the same
look through alternative hair styling methods.”
Some alternatives to relaxers that achieve the same straight
hair look are blowouts, silk presses, wigs, and extensions, such
as sew-in weaves. “The important thing is to be mindful of
potentially toxic chemicals being used to achieve those styles,”
warns Perkins.
If you’re unsure about which ingredients may be harmful, Perkins
encourages people to call their family physician.
“I want Black women to feel empowered to choose safer options,”
says Perkins, who stopped relaxing her hair more than 20 years
ago and currently wears her hair in locs. “There wasn’t much
research on the health repercussions of relaxers then, but the
more I learned about how chemicals absorb into the scalp, the
less comfortable I was using relaxers…I want to encourage more
Black women to consider alternatives to relaxers, defining what
beauty means to them along the way.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chemical-hair-straighteners- making-comeback-210000552.html
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