Breast Cancer: It's in the Hair

By Editorial Staff

A startling one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. That statistic makes finding a cure imperative, but it also means we should continue to investigate ways to prevent the disease from manifesting in the first place – either by pursuing healthy behaviors or avoiding / minimizing behaviors that increase cancer risk.

Enter hair care products, specifically dark hair dye and chemical hair straighteners, which may increase breast cancer risk according to a new study. Who's at risk? Based on the study population, African-American and Caucasian women, although any woman of any skin color / ethnicity may want to take these findings to heart. Compared to non-users, breast cancer risk was higher among African-American women who used dark hair dyes, but not relaxers; while in Caucasian women, use of relaxers alone, and use of both relaxers and hair dyes, increased breast cancer risk compared to non-users.

In their conclusion, the study authors emphasize: "As use of various hair products and other cosmetics continue among women in the US as well as in other countries, improved awareness of the potential effects of exposures to their chemical ingredients are needed."

The bottom line: Chemicals can cause cancer! Click here to read the entire study, which details the specific chemicals associated with specific types of breast cancer as revealed in the study; and look for natural hair care (and other lifestyle) products to replace chemical ones. Your health is worth the effort.