Cosmetologist Bladder Cancer Lawsuit Alleges Hair Dye Exposure Risks Withheld From Salon Workers

Lawsuit claims manufacturers knew of bladder cancer risks at least a decade before the plaintiff began her career as a cosmetologist.

A Texas cosmetologist has filed a lawsuit alleging that decades of occupational exposure to hair dye products led to her bladder cancer, citing hazardous chemicals and inadequate warning labels.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Gloria Estrada in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in New York County on April 10. However, it was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York two days later by the defendants, who include Kao USA Inc., Clairol, L’Oreal USA Inc., Henkel, Joico, Pravana, and John Paul Mitchell Systems.

Estrada indicates that all of the defendants took part in the sale and manufacture of defectively designed and inadequately tested hair dye products.

Hair Dye Exposure Risks

Cosmetics companies, like those listed as defendants in Estrada’s case, have marketed hair coloring products and professional hair dyes as safe for cosmetologists, salon workers and consumers for decades. However, recent research has revealed that regular exposure to hair dye chemicals can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, and carry an increased risk of causing bladder cancer, despite the use of protective equipment like gloves and masks.

An estimated 83,000 new bladder cancer diagnoses are made in the U.S. each year, and the malignancy claims about 16,000 deaths annually, making it the ninth most common cancer in the U.S.

Estrada and other cosmetologists who have filed hair dye exposure risk lawsuits indicate they were frequently exposed to hair coloring product chemicals, sometimes multiple times per day. These salon workers and professional stylists all raise similar allegations that the cosmetics companies were aware of hair dye exposure risks but chose not to warn the public to keep their sales and profit margins high.

Hair Dye Bladder Cancer Allegations

According to her complaint, Estrada began working as a cosmetologist in 1985 at a Texas salon, where she was exposed to hair dye chemicals while mixing, applying, cleaning, inhaling and removing hair color products. She was also exposed through residue left behind on bowls, brushes, towels, sinks and countertops on a daily basis, the lawsuit indicates.

During her career she used several hair coloring products on a regular basis, including:

In April 2023, Estrada was diagnosed with bladder cancer, but at that time was unaware of a potential link between cancer and hair dye exposure risks, the lawsuit states. She suggests that information on those risks were intentionally concealed or downplayed by cosmetics companies.

“Plaintiff was exposed to hair dyes frequently as part of her occupation and therefore was exposed to carcinogens now known to have been a component of the hair dyes she used. Specifically, as a result of Plaintiff’s repeated, prolonged use of the products described above, Plaintiff was unknowingly exposed to carcinogenic compounds, including, but not limited to, 4-Aminobiphenyl and Ortho Toluidine.”

– Gloria Estrada v. Kao USA Inc. et al

The chemical 4-Aminobiphenyl, which has been used as a dye intermediate and rubber antioxidant, is known as a strong bladder cancer-causing chemical, and is now primarily used only in scientific research. Ortho Toluidine, also used in dyes, pigments and pesticides, is also considered a probable human carcinogen with links to bladder cancer. It is also highly toxic and should only be handled with protective clothing, gloves and proper ventilation.

The lawsuit alleges that cosmetics manufacturers have known about these cancer risks since the mid-70s, about a decade before Estrada began working as a cosmetologist, but neither added adequate warnings nor reformulated the products to be safer by the time she began her career.

Estrada presents claims of failure to warn, design defect, negligent failure to warn, fraud, fraudulent concealment, and violations of the New York Consumer Protection Statute. She seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

Hair Dye Cancer Lawsuits

The lawsuit joins a number of similar claims filed by salon workers, hair stylists and cosmetologists in courts nationwide, indicating they have suffered cancer and other health problems due to hair dye exposure risks.

Hair dye bladder cancer lawyers are reviewing claims for those who were routinely exposed to chemicals in permanent hair dyes while working in salons or other professional settings, particularly among individuals working as:

• Hairdressers
• Cosmetologists
• Hair stylists
• Hair colorists
• Hair technicians
• Other salon professionals who regularly handled hair dye products

Individuals diagnosed with bladder cancer after years of occupational exposure to permanent hair dye chemicals may be eligible to pursue financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.

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