Did you know that chemical hair relaxers have been linked with bringing about changes in hormones and contributing to some of the biggest health issues, including ovarian and uterine cancer? Several women worldwide have filed a hair relaxer lawsuit against companies that invent and sell hair relaxers.
Hair relaxer lawsuits – Why are they filed?
As mentioned above, hair relaxers often lead to severe injuries that demand monetary compensation. This is when lawyers intervene in the matter and file hair relaxer lawsuits to help the clients obtain money from the producers of hair relaxers. Despite being aware of the health risks associated with hair relaxers, the products continue to be sold. Keep reading to learn more about the common injuries caused by hair relaxers.
Hair relaxers and a few common injuries
Both women and men often use hair relaxers for softening and smoothening kinky or curly hair. No matter what, these treatments can cause injuries, if not applied properly.
- Chemical burns
Chemical burns usually occur when the hair relaxer is mistakenly applied to hair that is already damaged or when it is left switched on for too long. Symptoms of chemical burns include itching, redness, swelling, or stinging feeling near the ears and scalp. In case of a more serious burn, blistering can also lead to permanent scarring.
- Loss of hair
When someone has been using hair-relaxing products for a long time, this can also lead to loss of hair. Hair relaxers contain harmful chemicals and toxins, overusing which can lead to brittle and dry hair. Shedding of too much hair can lead to bald patches over your scalp.
- Allergic reactions and irritation in the scalp
Alkaline (lye-based) and non-alkaline (non-lye) formulations are the two primary categories of hair relaxants.
Sodium hydroxide, an active component in lye-based products, aids in the breakdown of proteins in your hair to provide the greatest amount of straightness. But because of its high alkalinity level, it also presents more substantial hazards of irritation or injury if not applied properly or left on for too long.
Guanidine carbonate, which is used in no-lye solutions, has less likelihood to irritate your scalp than lye-based formulas, but it may need to be applied more frequently because it doesn’t penetrate as deeply into the protein structures of your strands.
- Few types of cancers
Research indicates that women who regularly and overly use hair relaxers may be more susceptible to several types of cancer. Experts in the medical field believe that hair relaxer treatments are a major cause of ovarian, endometrial, uterine, and breast malignancies.
Things that you shouldn’t do before using hair relaxants
- Don’t shampoo your hair
Consider how recently you’ve shampooed your hair before opening your relaxer kit and combining your chemicals. According to Kimble, “Getting a relaxer after washing your hair can irritate your scalp. Additionally, you shouldn’t use a lot of hair product right before obtaining a relaxer.”
As a result of your scalp not having had enough time to “rest” since your last shampoo, cleaning, or even just moisturizing your hair and scalp before you go to bed may cause burning when the chemicals are applied.
- Don’t skip detangling your hair
If you want the hair relaxer to work in an ideal way, it should reach your new hair growth. If this is a virgin application, all your hair should reach the hair relaxer. To let the hair spread equally through your hair, it is crucial to detangle your hair. In case of matting or tangling, chemicals won’t be able to touch every possible area.
- Don’t use big chunks of hair strands
While you work in large chunks, the relaxer cannot cover every area, much like while detangling. You should work thoroughly but swiftly. Don’t make distinct divisions; instead, gently separate areas with the tail end of a fine-tooth comb. Utilize the comb solely for lifting portions so that you may apply the relaxer to newly growing hair. It should not be difficult for you to divide little parts of hair into 1-inch sections if it is detangled.
- Don’t comb the relaxant, smoothen them
Make sure you smooth the chemicals over your hair rather than combing them through it when you first start relaxing it. While relaxing their hair, some people persist in rubbing a comb over it, which could cause breakage.
- Don’t forget to set a timer
We can’t stress this enough: Make sure to keep track of the amount of time the relaxer is in your hair. The recommended times are provided in each relaxer kit, and you should follow them. It is better to process your hair for a shorter amount of time than advised rather than using the relaxer for a longer duration of time.
There are steps you may take to prepare for a potential lawsuit if you think your usage of a hair relaxer product has caused your injury. Even though you may believe you have a case, only a skilled lawyer can determine this. Look for a lawyer who specializes in mass torts and has experience with both civil law and product liability and personal injury cases.