Hair Relaxers Won't Boost Black Women's Breast Cancer Risk

(HealthDay News) -- Black women who routinely use hair relaxers can relax: The products will not increase their risk of breast cancer, a new study finds.

According to researchers reporting in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, millions of women use hair relaxers. However, no research had yet been done as to whether the products may boost cancer risk. This is the first such study to examine the issue.

In the study, a team led by Lynn Rosenberg, of Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center, analyzed 1997-2003 data from the Black Women's Health Study. That trial included 59,000 black women across the United States.

"In the present study of African-American women, increases in breast cancer risk were not associated with any categories of duration of hair relaxer use, frequency of use, age at first us, number of burns experienced during use, or type of relaxer used," Rosenberg noted.