The study, led by researchers at Rutgers University in New Brunswick (USA), concludes not only that certain types of hair articles such as dyes or chemical straightening products (such as keratin) increase the risk of cancer breast in women, but this effect is different between white and black women. The work has been published in the journal Carcinogenesis.
The risk of developing breast cancer is related to a number of factors , and with some of them nothing can be done about it (such as genetics or the age of the first menstrual period). However, there are others that we can avoid such as alcohol consumption, some forms of hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills.
There is currently conflicting evidence as to whether carcinogenic chemicals in some hair products can increase cancer risk. Part of the demonstrations come from animal experiments and part from human populations – mostly focused on hair dyes – but the results for the latter tests have been mixed.
To shed some light on this issue, the researchers analyzed data on 4,285 women from the Women’s Circle Health Study , which aims to understand breast cancer in black women.
Of the entire sample, in which the women were between 20 and 75 years old, 2,280 had breast cancer (1,508 black women and 772 white women) and 2,005 participants did not develop breast cancer (1,290 black women and 715 white). The ages of the women ranged from 20 to 75 years.
Study data included social and economic history, individual and family medical history, hormone use, alcohol use, smoking, vitamins, or use of hair products.
The scientists investigated the links between breast cancer risk and the use of hair products, with an emphasis on the use of dyes, hair straightening products and conditioners with cholesterol.
Examination of the data revealed some significant links between an increased risk of breast cancer and the use of hair dyes and chemical relaxers or straighteners, and that the pattern of risk differed between white women and black women.
For black women, the use of dark shades of hair dye was linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
For white women , using hair straighteners, either alone or with hair dyes, increased the risk of breast cancer.
The authors conclude that these findings support the idea of a link between the use of certain hair products and an increased risk of breast cancer. “It is clear that further examination of hair products as important contributors to breast cancer carcinogenesis is needed.”
Reference: Hair product use and breast cancer risk among African American and White women. Carcinogenesis. June 2017. doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgx060
