L’Oréal sued over alleged cancer risks linked to hair straightening products
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal USA, its parent company and Softsheen, accusing them of withholding information about the potential risks of chemical hair straightening products, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the lawsuit. According to her office, the companies advertised and sold the products without warning consumers that they contained likely carcinogens or had been linked to an increased risk of cancer, including uterine and ovarian cancers.
The products are highly alkaline, hydroxide-based hair relaxers that straighten hair by altering chemical bonds within its structure. The Attorney General’s Office alleges that they contain substances that can be toxic or form toxic compounds when applied to the scalp. These include endocrine-disrupting chemicals, phthalates and parabens.
The office cites epidemiological studies linking the use of these products to an increased risk of several types of cancer.
“L'Oréal knew or should have known about the dangers associated with these toxic hair straightening products,” said Mayes. “Yet, instead of warning their consumers, they put profits over the safety of women and children. That is unacceptable and we will hold them accountable for it.”
According to the office, the products were primarily marketed to African American women, with some also marketed to children.
The statement does not include a response from the defendants.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Johnson & Johnson had proposed a $5.5 billion settlement to resolve remaining lawsuits alleging that its talc products caused ovarian cancer.