Multiple cases have recently been added to the recent class action lawsuit as 3 Georgia women file lawsuit who believed that they were diagnosed with cancer due to the Hair relaxer products that they were using. One Georgian woman realized this after her friend had died from cancer, and later, she read a report describing the carcinogenic effects of these products.
The most prominent names from this lawsuit are Strength of Nature and L’Oreal, whose products are alleged to cause uterine fibroids, breast cancer, and even endometrial cancer.
Read the article here for the latest information and developments about this case.
Overview of Hair Relaxer Product Companies Class Action MDL
While 3 Georgia women file lawsuit against these companies, let’s start with Pamela, who has been using these Hair relaxer products for over 40 years. She started thinking about what these products had to do with how she got cancer. Her research sped up when her friend, who was also diagnosed with cancer, died. When her research brought up facts, she filed a lawsuit in Georgia district court and stopped using all these products altogether.
Pamela’s attorney wants to work harder now that more people are bringing up similar stories, and she wants to hold these companies as much accountable as possible.
It started with one of the plaintiffs, Pamela, who was recently diagnosed with Breast cancer and who, for 40 years, was regularly using these hair relaxers. She was shocked about the diagnosis as she is cautious and meticulous about her health. Upon her diagnosis, she couldn’t believe it as she said, “It’s crazy because I am a stickler about my health, and I get mammograms every year.”
She has been now seven years clear of breast cancer and loves the new natural life, but she can’t say that for her friend who died of cancer and who also used hair relaxers. “I started thinking like I wonder if this really does have something to do with, you know, as having cancer,” Pamela said after she read more about different issues. She continues, “Everything they were saying in the ad, I was like, oh my god, endometriosis, fibrosis, cancer, that’s me. So, I really started paying attention at that point, and I stopped using the relaxer”.
Hair Relaxer Companies and Their Statements
At the start of February 2024, 191 cases were filed against companies whose hair relaxer products were scrutinized. Thousands of women have come forward and started filing separate lawsuits against these companies.
Following is the statement they made during this fiasco when it all started in November 2023, “L’Oréal’s highest priority is the health and wellbeing of all our consumers. Our products are subject to a rigorous scientific evaluation of their safety by experts who ensure that we strictly follow all regulations in every market we operate. While we understand the desire of each plaintiff to find answers to and relief from their personal health concerns, we are confident in the safety of SoftSheen-Carson’s products and believe the allegations made in these lawsuits have neither legal nor scientific merit.”
Reduced Quality of Life with These Health Problems
When Pamela filed a class action lawsuit, 3 Georgia women file lawsuit after her. They were Kiara Burroughs, Toya Dickerson, and Erica Latimer. Burroughs, at the age of 29, got uterine fibroids, and she has been using these relaxers since the age of 6. She finally had to get her fibroids through a surgical procedure when her pains got too much from heavy bleeding during her periods.
“It really gave me something to hang my hat on,” Burroughs said. “There’s this product. I used it for an extended period of time so that it could have a significant impact on my health.”
The Societal Issue of Straigthing Black Hair
The issue of African American hair being not straight dates back to the 1700s and beyond when they were told to cover their hair. It showed they are beneath those with straight, smooth, silky hair. This idea has stayed with many black women, even today, who are the primary consumers of these Hair relaxer products.
“How people reacted to natural hair, it wasn’t something I would have been brave enough to do,” one of the lawsuit filers said. “And I’m ashamed of victimizing someone who had natural hair.”
She follows her dream to allow black women not to take society’s pressure and straighten their hair. With more demand, more products come into the market, most of which should be better-tested.
Recent Updates about 3 Georgia Women File Lawsuit and Hair Relaxers
Currently, 8,000+ MDL cases are pending, of which almost 200 were filed in just January last month for the Hair relaxer company issues. The plaintiff filed the first case in the collection of instances of Grinston v. L’Oreal USA. The plaintiff was also diagnosed with uterine cancer.
There are many cases, but the main issue is the linkage between these hair-relaxing products with which and how many diseases. Lawyers and attorneys are confident they can fight and win on the following three case types.
- Uterine Cancer – This is the most prevalent cancer in this case and is diagnosed the most in black women. This is the strongest point that they are sure they can win.
- Endometrial Cancer – For this type of cancer, they are targeting Type 1 cancer as it has more chances of getting linked with the products. The Type 2 cases aren’t that strong in this category.
- Ovarian Cancer – Many cases might link with cancer patients and Hair relaxer products, but the lawyers are concerned with serious vs nonserious cases here.