A lawsuit has been filed by a woman from Illinois who claims that Dark & Lovely Hair Relaxers caused her to develop endometrial cancer.
The lawsuit was filed by LaDonna M., a woman from Cook County, Illinois, who first used Dark & Lovely to straighten her hair in 1986, when she was just 9 years old.
She continued to use Dark & Lovely until 2007. In June 2022, she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer at the age of 36, which required her to immediately undergo a full hysterectomy.
In her lawsuit, she claims that her cancer caused by exposure to chemicals in Dark & Lovely products — specifically phthalates and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Endometrial cancer is the most common type of uterine cancer. It occurs when cells on the inner lining of the uterus (womb) begin dividing and growing uncontrollably.
Earlier this year, a landmark study found that women who reported using hair relaxers were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer. Other recent studies have also found higher rates of breast cancer.
Her case joins a growing number of lawsuits against L’Oreal and other beauty companies from women who developed uterine cancer, breast cancer, fibroids and/or endometriosis after using hair relaxers.
The lawsuit was filed on December 12, 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Eastern Division) — Case Number 1:22-cv-06978.