The United States has seen its first state-level lawsuit against cosmetics company L’Oréal over a possible link between hair straightening products and cancer. Arizona is behind the case. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Who filed the lawsuit
The lawsuit was filed by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. The defendants are French company L’Oréal and its US subsidiary. The news was reported by Reuters.
What prosecutors allege
According to prosecutors, the manufacturer sold permanent hair straightening products for years without warning buyers about the alleged risk of developing uterine and ovarian cancer. Authorities believe the company violated Arizona’s consumer protection law.
What the state demands
Arizona is seeking fines and compensation from L’Oréal. Authorities also want to ban the sale of the products without warnings about possible cancer risks.
Arizona is the first state
Arizona became the first US state to go to court with such allegations. At the same time, more than 12,000 lawsuits have been filed against L’Oréal and other manufacturers by women and their relatives. The cases were consolidated into a single multidistrict proceeding before a federal court in Chicago. The first trials could begin in 2027.
Which brands are named
The lawsuits mention products sold under the Dark and Lovely, Optimum and other brands. Such products are designed for chemical straightening of textured hair and are especially popular among African American women.
What the research found
The wave of lawsuits began after the US National Institutes of Health published a study in 2022. Scientists found that uterine cancer was detected more than twice as often in women who regularly used chemical hair straighteners. The study showed a statistical association but did not prove that the products caused the disease.
The company’s response
“We are confident in the safety of our products and believe the allegations are unfounded from a legal and scientific standpoint,” the company said.
A L’Oréal representative also stressed that the study did not establish a direct causal link between the use of the products and the development of cancer.