Brazilian Blowout Cancer Lawsuit Filed by Missouri Hair Stylists Over Exosure to Toxic Chemicals

Lawsuit includes a claim for a child who developed cancer from in-utero exposure to Brazilian Blowout chemicals, while the mother worked as a hairstylist.

A group of Missouri-based hair stylists have filed a lawsuit against Brazilian Professionals, LLC, claiming that prolonged and repeated exposure to hazardous chemicals in Brazilian Blowout hair smoothing products directly resulted in the development of cancer.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Amanda Garavaglia and Megan Matson in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri, claiming that their cancer diagnoses were directly caused by years of exposure to Brazilian Blowout products, which they used regularly throughout their careers as licensed cosmetologists.

Brazilian Blowout is a hair smoothing treatment known for its ability to eliminate frizz and promote shine, by creating a protective protein layer around the hair shaft to smooth the cuticle. The product is manufactured by Brazilian Professionals, LLC, and has been popular in professional salons for years, with many cosmetologists trusting these products to be safe.

However, research has suggested that Brazilian Blowout treatments frequently include the known carcinogen formaldehyde, or compounds that release formaldehyde during application, which are essential for bonding proteins to the hair through heat processing.

Hair Product Cancer Lawsuits

In recent years, a large body of medical research has raised concerns over the hidden cancer causing side effects from exposure to multiple types of hair products, including hair relaxers and hair dyes.

As a result, thousands of hair relaxer lawsuits are now being pursued by women across the U.S. who claim their long term exposure to the chemicals in hair relaxing products such as Just For Me, Dark and Lovely and other products, have caused them to develop uterine cancer, ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer.

In addition, studies have also linked hair stylists’ repeated exposure to hair dye chemicals to an increased risk of bladder cancer and breast cancer, resulting in a growing number of hair stylists and cosmetologists now filing hair dye cancer lawsuits against product manufacturers for failing to warn about the side effects from routine exposure.

Garavaglia and Matson’s lawsuit raises similar allegations to those presented against manufacturers of hair relaxer and hair dye products, indicating that despite the well-documented link between chemicals in Brazilian Blowout and cancer risks, manufacturers prioritized profits over consumer safety by failing to reformulate their products or warn hair stylists about the potential dangers.

According to the complaint, Amanda Garavaglia, a professional hairstylist, was frequently exposed to chemicals in Brazilian Blowout products over the course of her career, which include but are not limited to formaldehyde, which is a Group 1 human carcinogen as classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

As a result of her routine exposure to these chemicals, Garavaglia has been diagnosed with both uterine and ovarian cancer, which required extensive medical intervention including a double mastectomy and subsequent reconstructive surgeries. These medical issues have had a profound impact on her life and well-being. Her husband, John Garavaglia, has also filed a loss of consortium claim, highlighting the personal and emotional strain placed on their family due to Amanda’s health battles.

The complaint details how formaldehyde and other chemicals in Brazilian Blowout products contribute to cancer through biological mechanisms. For example, formaldehyde is metabolized in the liver, transforming into a highly reactive derivative that binds to DNA, causing genetic mutations that can lead to cancer.

Despite evidence about the increased risk of cancer from Brazilian Blowout chemicals, Garavaglia indicates that the manufacturers marketed these products as safe, without providing necessary warnings that could have protected cosmetologists from the potential health risks.

In-Utero Exposure to Brazilian Blowout Caused Childhood Cancer

Megan Matson, also a hairstylist, claims she was similarly exposed to Brazilian Blowout products while pregnant with her daughter, who is identified with the initials M.M. in the complaint. During this time, Megan claims she used these products regularly in her salon work, unaware of the risks posed by the Brazilian Blowout chemicals.

The complaint alleges that the exposure to carcinogenic chemicals in the Brazilian Blowout treatments during pregnancy led to her daughter developing childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Matson claims scientific studies have suggested that exposure to certain toxic chemicals during pregnancy can transfer harmful agents to the fetus, potentially causing developmental and genetic disorders that manifest as cancer in early childhood.

The lawsuit indicates that M.M.’s cancer diagnosis is a direct consequence of her prenatal exposure to the hazardous chemicals in Brazilian Blowout products, underscoring the severe implications of the manufacturer’s failure to warn of the product’s risks.

The lawsuit also asserts that the manufacturers could have used safer alternative ingredients but instead continued to sell products with harmful chemicals.

Garavaglia’s lawsuit presents claims of strict liability for failure to warn, strict liability for design defect under both the risk-utility test and the consumer expectations test, negligent failure to warn, deceit by concealment, and violations of Missouri’s Merchandising Practices Act.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for plaintiff’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from the cancer diagnosis. They are also pursuing punitive damages, arguing that the companies acted with reckless disregard for consumer safety.

2025 Brazilian Blowout Cancer Lawsuits

As additional research continues to emerge supporting the link between Brazilian Blowout products exposure and cancer risks, licensed cosmetologists and hair stylists are now pursuing Brazilian Blowout cancer lawsuits against product manufacturers for their failure to adequately inform and protect users from the potential health risks associated with these hazardous substances.

Hair stylist cancer lawyers are investigating lawsuits for cosmetologists, hair stylists, hairdressers or other licensed salon professionals that were routinely exposed to chemicals in hair dyes and/or Brazilian Blowout products and later diagnosed with cancer.