Study Shows Relaxers May Be Linked to Tumors

Recently, a very interesting article appeared on my blog feed via Natural Hair Rules!!! titled Study Shows That Relaxers May Be Linked to Fibroids.

Before posting this article I had to do some research to make sure that this was a true study and not another urban legend floating around the world wide web. It seems that Boston University has indeed been conducting studies focused on hair relaxer use but this particular study being discussed on numerous sites is yet to be cited. I will keep looking for the actual Boston University publication but until it is found please check out the other studies conducted by Boston University:

Other Hair Relaxer Studies done by Boston University

Rosenberg L, Wise LA, Palmer JR.  Hair relaxer use and risk of preterm birth in the Black 
Women’s Health Study [abstract].  Am J Epidemiol 2004;159:S91. 
We assessed whether hair relaxer use is associated with preterm birth (baby born at least 3 weeks
early) in the BWHS. We compared 497 babies born preterm because of premature rupture of
membranes or premature labor for no known reason with 5633 full-term babies, whose births
were reported on the 1997, 1999, and 2001 health questionnaires. There were no differences in
hair relaxer use between mothers of the preterm and full-term babies, suggesting that hair relaxer
use does not influence the occurrence of preterm birth.


Rosenberg L, Wise LA, Palmer JR. Hair-relaxer use and risk of preterm birth among 
African-American women. Ethn Dis 2005;15:768-72.  
Black babies are born preterm (premature) more frequently than white babies and known causes
do not explain the difference. Hair relaxers are often used by black women, and these
preparations contain unknown substances that might be harmful and possibly lead to premature
birth. Based on reports of babies born to BWHS participants from 1995 to 2001, we assessed
whether hair relaxer use was related to the occurrence of preterm birth. We found that use was
not related to preterm birth, even use that had lasted many years and was frequent.


Rosenberg L, Boggs DA, Adams-Campbell LL, Palmer JR.  Hair relaxers not associated with 
breast cancer risk: evidence from the Black Women's Health Study.  Cancer Epidemiol 
Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(5):1035-7. 
Hair relaxers have been used by millions of African American women, often at young ages and
for many years. Because these products may contain unknown harmful ingredients, we studied
their use in relation to the occurrence of breast cancer. Based on information provided on relaxer
use on the 1997 BWHS heath survey and and follow-up through 2003, we found no increases in
breast cancer incidence among users, regardless of the length of use, the intensity of use, or the
age at starting use. These findings indicate that hair relaxer use does not affect the risk of
developing breast cancer.





Sources
Study Causes Hair Scare About Tumors
Boston University │ Black Women's Health Studies

If you have found this publication or study abstract from Boston University, please share the link below

--UPDATE--

The journal has been found, shout-out to "b" for the notification:

Here's a link to the abstract: http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/01/10/aje.kwr351.short

Abstract

Hair relaxers are used by millions of black women, possibly exposing them to various chemicals through scalp lesions and burns. In the Black Women’s Health Study, the authors assessed hair relaxer use in relation to uterine leiomyomata incidence. In 1997, participants reported on hair relaxer use (age at first use, frequency, duration, number of burns, and type of formulation). From 1997 to 2009, 23,580 premenopausal women were followed for incident uterine leiomyomata. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals. During 199,991 person-years, 7,146 cases of uterine leiomyomata were reported as confirmed by ultrasound (n = 4,630) or surgery (n = 2,516). The incidence rate ratio comparing ever with never use of relaxers was 1.17 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.30). Positive trends were observed for frequency of use (P_trend < 0.001), duration of use (P_trend = 0.015), and number of burns (P_trend < 0.001). Among long-term users (≥10 years), the incidence rate ratios for frequency of use categories 3–4, 5–6, and ≥7 versus 1–2 times/year were 1.04 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.19), 1.12 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.27), and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.31), respectively (P_trend = 0.002). Risk was unrelated to age at first use or type of formulation. These findings raise the hypothesis that hair relaxer use increases uterine leiomyomata risk.