Hair Color Lawsuit Filed Over Salon Worker’s Bladder Cancer Diagnosis

Hairdresser’s bladder cancer lawsuit claims Wella, Henkel, Clairol and L’Oréal failed to disclose risks associated with exposure to chemicals in their professional hair dye products.

A New Jersey woman, who has spent her career as a professional hairdresser, indicates in a recently filed lawsuit that years of working with toxic chemicals in hair coloring products caused her to develop bladder cancer.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Debra Matarazzo in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on March 6, naming several cosmetic manufacturers as defendants, including Henkel AG & Co, Wella International Operations Switzerland S.A.R.I., Clairol and L’Oreal.

Each of the companies manufacture and sell permanent hair dyes products, which have been a staple in professional salons for decades. Although the hair color dyes have been widely marketed to hairdressers and hair stylists as safe, the lawsuit indicates that studies dating back to 2001 have shown that using hair dye just once a month can more than double the risk of bladder cancer. 

With mounting evidence linking the chemicals in hair dyes to certain cancers, Matarazzo’s lawsuit is among the first of what could become a wave of hair coloring cancer lawsuits to be filed against cosmetics manufacturers, as more stylists become aware of the potential health risks associated with long-term exposure.

The lawsuit indicates that Matarazzo became a licensed cosmetologist in 1988, working with hair dyes for 11 years on a near-daily basis. She was diagnosed with bladder cancer in October 2017, at the age of 50.

“For each hair dye used, Ms. Matarazzo mixed and applied the product in accordance with the instructions provided on the product’s label or contained within its packaging,” her lawsuit states. “None of the Defendants’ hair dyes that Ms. Matarazzo used and applied contained any warning that long-term occupational exposure to Defendants’ products could cause bladder cancer or increase the risk of developing bladder cancer.”

According to the complaint, Matarazzo has experienced significant pain and mental distress as a result of the cancer, the resulting chemotherapy treatment, and extensive and painful surgical procedures to rid herself of the malignancy.

The lawsuit indicates Matarazzo still has to undergo a procedure where a scope is sent into her bladder every six months to make sure her cancer has not worsened.

Matarazzo presents claims of failure to warn, design and manufacturing defect, negligent failure to warn, gross negligence, fraud and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law. She seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

2025 Hair Dye Cancer Lawsuits

As additional research continues to emerge supporting the link between hair dye exposure and cancer risks, licensed hairdressers are now pursuing hair color bladder 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 dye cancer lawsuits are being investigated for cosmetologists, hair stylists, hairdressers, hair colorists or other licensed salon professionals that were routinely exposed to chemicals in permanent hair dye, and later diagnosed with bladder cancer.

To help hairdressers and stylists determine if they may be eligible for financial compensation or settlement benefits, hair color lawyers are providing free consultations and claim evaluations for individuals throughout the U.S.