The damage chemical hair relaxers can have on Black women is coming under intense scrutiny. Several landmark studies have been published in the last year highlighting the link between chemical hair relaxers — which break down proteins in hair to straighten it — and increased rates of uterine cancer. Last week the FDA said it would propose a ban on hair-smoothing and hair-straightening products containing formaldehyde, an ingredient known to cause cancer. As research continues to reveal potential dangers, hundreds of Black people have filed lawsuits against big-name beauty and cosmetic retailers like L’Oreal and Revlon, blaming their chemical hair straighteners as causes of uterine cancer, fibroid tumors and infertility. The latest research on the effects of hair relaxers was published by Boston University. In following 44,798 Black women for up to 22 years, researchers found a higher rate of uterine cancer among postmenopausal Black women who reported having used chemical hair re...