Active lawsuitConsumer productsMDL No. 3060

Hair relaxer cancer lawsuits

Chemical hair relaxers and straighteners are used at home and in salons to straighten curly or textured hair. After a 2022 National Institutes of Health study reported that women who frequently used these products had a higher risk of uterine cancer, many women filed lawsuits alleging that the products contain chemicals that harm the reproductive system and that the companies did not warn them. Our legal team reviews these cases. If you used chemical hair relaxers and were diagnosed with one of the conditions below, you can ask for a free case evaluation.

Last reviewed October 12, 2026 · Sources: JPML, NIH

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This page summarizes what pending lawsuits allege, based on court records and official sources. Allegations in a lawsuit are not findings by a court. It's general information, not legal advice about your situation. Last reviewed October 12, 2026.

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At a glance

Chemical Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuits

Litigation
In re: Hair Relaxer Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3060
Court
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Judge
Judge Mary M. Rowland
Centralized
February 6, 2023
Companies named
L'Oreal USA, Inc. and L'Oreal USA Products, Inc.; SoftSheen-Carson LLC and SoftSheen-Carson (W.I.), Inc.; Strength of Nature, LLC, Strength of Nature Global, LLC and Godrej SON Holdings, Inc.; Dabur International Ltd. and Namaste Laboratories, LLC; House of Cheatham; and, in certain actions, PDC Brands and Parfums de Coeur, Ltd.

What the lawsuits allege

  • Chemicals. Plaintiffs allege that hair relaxer products contain phthalates, including di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), or other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
  • Injuries. Plaintiffs allege that using these products caused or increased the risk of uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids or other injuries to the reproductive system.
  • Knowledge and testing. The cases raise whether and when the companies knew or should have known of the alleged risks, and whether they did adequate testing and safety monitoring after the products were on the market.

An MDL means many people have filed similar lawsuits. It does not mean any court has decided that these products caused anyone's illness.

Who may be eligible

You may be eligible for a free case evaluation if you used chemical hair relaxer or straightening products and were diagnosed with uterine, ovarian or breast cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids.

See If You’re Eligible

Our attorneys look at

  • Which products you used, at home or in a salon, and the brands if you remember them
  • About when you started, how often you used them, and for how many years
  • What you were diagnosed with, when, and the treatment you needed

What to gather for your free evaluation

You don't need everything on this list to ask for an evaluation. Gather what you can.

  • The names of the relaxer brands you remember using
  • Any product packaging, receipts, photos or salon records you still have
  • The names of salons or stylists who applied relaxers
  • Medical records for your diagnosis, including pathology reports and surgery records
  • The names of your doctors and treating facilities
  • A short timeline: when you started relaxers, how often, and when you were diagnosed

Where the litigation stands

As of October 2026

  • LitigationMDL No. 3060
  • CourtU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • JudgeJudge Mary M. Rowland
  • CreatedFebruary 6, 2023

As of October 2026, lawsuits allege that chemical hair relaxer products contain phthalates or other endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and that using them caused or increased the risk of uterine, ovarian or breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids or other injuries to the reproductive system. The MDL is pending before Judge Mary M. Rowland in the Northern District of Illinois and remains in pretrial proceedings.

What researchers have reported

On October 17, 2022, the National Institutes of Health reported findings from its Sister Study: women who frequently used hair straightening products had a higher risk of uterine cancer than women who never used them. The study found an association; it did not prove that the products cause cancer. The JPML cited the study when it centralized these cases.

Status checked October 12, 2026. This MDL is listed as pending on the JPML report of pending MDLs dated October 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Court dockets change; each page shows the date it was last checked.

Questions

I don't remember every brand I used. Can I still ask?

Yes. Many people used several products over many years, at home and in salons. Tell us what you remember, and our attorneys will review it.

I used relaxers as a child. Does that count?

Tell us about it. Our attorneys look at your whole history of use, including when it started.

Is this a class action?

No. In an MDL, each person keeps an individual lawsuit. The cases are grouped before one federal judge for pretrial work.

Is there a deadline?

Yes. Each state sets its own filing deadline, called a statute of limitations, and an MDL does not pause it. The deadline that applies depends on your state and when you learned of your diagnosis, so it's best to ask early.

More questions in the FAQ

Official sources

Each link opens the original record in a new tab.

Used hair relaxers and were diagnosed with one of these conditions?

Tell us what happened in a few sentences. Our legal team reviews every request, and we will contact you about your free case evaluation.

See If You’re Eligible

a few sentences is enough

A free case evaluation does not create an attorney-client relationship, does not file a claim and does not pause any deadline. We represent a client only after we both sign a written agreement.

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