Popular Hair Perms and Relaxers in Africa linked to Cancer

Scientific research has linked chemicals known as  endocrine disruptors in hair relaxers to uterine and breast cancer.

In October 2022, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) found women who used hair relaxers more than four times a year were at higher risk of developing uterine cancer.

In the USA, many Black women are now rejecting these chemical straighteners and they are suing the manufacturers as a result of the research results.

Despite criticism for the use of potentially harmful chemicals, the companies involved – like Dark & Lovely, TCB Naturals and Namaste Laboratories LLC – are still selling the products around the world. In some African countries however, sales are actually increasing.

Kenya, Cameroon, Tunisia, South Africa, and Nigeria are among the countries where sales for perms and relaxers from 2017 to 2022 grew, according to Euromonitor, a market research firm.

Said Seyi Falodun-Liburd, co-director of Level Up, a gender justice organization in London:

“We understand that Black women use hair relaxers for a range of reasons, some within their control, some not. And so, for us, it’s not about shaming any Black woman about making whatever choices she makes.”

Falodun-Liburd, led a campaign to get L’Oreal, one of the world’s largest beauty and cosmetics companies, to remove its hair-straightening products from the market following research in 2021 linking relaxers to an increased risk of breast cancer.

Even in Zimbabwe, a cursory check by Pindula via Google Search and listings on social media marketplace websites shows that perms and relaxers are still very popular in the country. Some are sold by large retailers such as Ok Zimbabwe