Arizona sues L’Oreal over alleged cancer risks in hair relaxers

Arizona has sued L’Oréal, accusing the cosmetics company of concealing evidence that its chemical hair relaxer products could increase the risk of cancer in women.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed the fraud lawsuit Sept. 10 in state court against L’Oréal USA, its parent company L’Oréal S.A. and SoftSheen. The lawsuit alleges the companies advertised and sold chemical hair relaxers without disclosing that the products contained chemicals that could cause cancer or had been linked to an increased risk of cancer, including ovarian and uterine cancers.

The lawsuit makes Arizona the first state to sue over alleged cancer risks associated with hair relaxers, according to Reuters. The state is seeking penalties and damages, along with a court order requiring L’Oréal to warn consumers about cancer risks if it continues selling the products.

The products have been marketed primarily to Black women and, in some cases, children. Arizona's lawsuit alleges the companies used longstanding beauty standards affecting people of African descent to market the products, while prioritizing profits over consumer safety.

Chemical hair relaxers are highly alkaline, hydroxide-based products designed to permanently straighten textured hair. According to the Arizona complaint, they work by breaking and reforming the disulfide bonds that give…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/