Tabnie Dozier was in kindergarten when she started getting her hair straightened with chemical relaxers that often contained the same ingredients used to unclog drains.
The U.S. market of hair straighteners and relaxers, of which Black women are about 60% of the customers, is dwindling due to evolving beauty standards and health concerns about the chemical ingredients. “Our findings suggest that women should consider their use of hair products in light of the fact that the chemicals in straightening products may influence their risk of developing uterine cancer,” said Alexandra White, a NIEHSHair stylists and beauty supply store owners said they’re not using or selling nearly as many relaxing and straightening products as they were a decade ago. Several doubt the trend will reverse.
Racism