New study links chemical hair straightening products to increased cancer risk

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --- Doctors have a health warning for women that could impact your beauty routine. A new research study found that chemical hair straightening products are a cancer risk.

More than 33,000 women between age 30 and 70 were followed for 11 years to collect this information. The study found that women who used chemical hair straightening products more than four times a year were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer.

"What this tells us is there is something in these products linked to uterine cancer," said Dr. Janelle Sobecki, assistant professor of gynecologic oncology at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

Doctors say while the new information is alarming, more research needs to be collected to pinpoint the cause.

"I think this is enough to tell us that decreasing how often we're using these products is probably warranted. I don't think this data is strong enough to say stop using these products all together," said Dr. Sobecki.

Dr. Sobecki says those who use these products frequently should talk to a doctor about the risks and consider decreasing use.