Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
Chemical hair relaxers and straighteners — including brands such as Dark & Lovely, Just for Me, Optimum, Soft & Beautiful, ORS Olive Oil, and Motions — were marketed for decades primarily to Black women and girls, often beginning in childhood. Lawsuits allege these products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates and formaldehyde-releasing agents, that are absorbed through the scalp — particularly through burns and lesions relaxers commonly cause.
The Science Behind the Litigation
In October 2022, researchers with the NIH’s Sister Study published findings in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute from a cohort of more than 33,000 women: those who used chemical hair straighteners more than four times per year had roughly two and a half times the rate of uterine cancer of never-users, with estimated incidence by age 70 rising from 1.64% to 4.05%. A 2024 analysis from the same federally funded cohort reported an elevated ovarian cancer risk among frequent users as well. Plaintiffs allege that L’Oréal, SoftSheen-Carson, Revlon, Strength of Nature, Namaste Laboratories, Godrej, and other manufacturers knew or should have known of these risks and failed to warn. The defendants deny the allegations.
MDL 3060: Where the Litigation Stands
In February 2023, federal hair relaxer lawsuits were consolidated into MDL 3060 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois before Judge Mary M. Rowland. It has grown into one of the largest active MDLs in the country, with more than 11,000 cases pending as of mid-2026. The court held a Science Day in January 2026, a bellwether pool has been selected and deposed, and Daubert and summary judgment motions are due in November 2026, with the first trials expected in 2027. A special master is overseeing settlement discussions. An emerging wing of the litigation involves salon professionals — stylists and cosmetologists with years of occupational exposure.
Injuries in the Hair Relaxer Litigation
The core injuries are uterine (endometrial) cancer and ovarian cancer. Some claims also involve uterine fibroids requiring hysterectomy. Many plaintiffs used these products regularly for a decade or more, often starting as children.
Who May Qualify?
You may qualify for a free case review if you used chemical hair relaxers regularly — typically several times a year for a year or longer — and were later diagnosed with uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, or ovarian cancer. Being able to identify the brands you used, along with pathology confirming your diagnosis, are the key case elements. Salon workers with occupational exposure may also qualify. Deadlines vary by state and are running now.