Hair Dye Bladder Cancer Lawsuit Indicates Salon Products Contributed to Cosmetologist’s Diagnosis

Career cosmetologist says manufacturers knew for decades that hair dye chemicals caused bladder cancer, yet failed to remove them from their products.

A New Jersey cosmetologist is pursuing a hair dye lawsuit claiming that decades of exposure to toxic chemicals in L’Oreal, Redken, Clairol and other products led to the development of bladder cancer.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Leonardo Rocco in the Supreme Court of the State of New York on May 29. It was later removed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by the defendants, which include Wella Operations US LLC, L’Oreal USA Inc., L’Oreal USA Products Inc., Joico, Clairol, Henkel Corporation and Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

According to the complaint, Rocco began working as a cosmetologist in 1998 and has worked at several hair salons throughout New Jersey for nearly 30 years. However, the link between hair dye exposure and the risk of bladder cancer has only come to public attention in the last couple years.

Approximately 83,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with bladder cancer every year, and about 16,000 die from the malignancy.

Hair Dye Cancer Risks

Concerns over the safety of hair dye products began to arise following recent studies that raised long-term exposure cancer risks. One large meta-analysis of dozens of occupational studies found that hair dressers and salon workers faced a 30% higher overall risk of bladder cancer, which increased to 70% higher for hairdressers who have worked in the field for a decade or more.

Rocco’s claims join those of other cosmetologists who have filed hair dye bladder cancer lawsuits, each alleging that manufacturers knew, or should have known, that the chemicals in their hair dye products could cause bladder cancer with long-term exposure, yet failed to warn cosmetologists and salon workers to take proper precautions.

Hair Dye Cancer Allegations

According to his complaint, Rocco worked with hair dye products including Wella Color Grey, Majirel, Matrix – So Color, Miss Clairol and Igora Royal for years, yet he was unaware he was being exposed to potentially cancer-causing chemicals. Rocco indicates that if he had known about the risks he would have either used different products or taken proper precautions.

In June 2023, Rocco was diagnosed with bladder cancer, which the lawsuit argues was caused by the unreasonable formulations of the hair dye products.

“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. Plaintiff was repeatedly exposed to 4- Aminobiphenyl and Ortho Toluidine as a direct and proximate result of his use of the products described above.”

– Leonard Rocco v. Wella Operations US LLC et al.

Rocco alleges cosmetologists were never warned about the cancer risks, even though manufacturers knew, or should have known, about the dangers since at least 1975, when a study found that “nearly 90% of commercially available hair dyes were mutagenic indicating a potential to cause DNA damage which could lead to cancer development.”

At the time, manufacturers claimed they had taken the carcinogenic ingredients out of their products. However, studies conducted since then have found that many of the cancer-causing chemicals are still there.

Rocco’s lawsuit presents claims of failure to warn, design defect, negligent failure to warn, fraud, fraudulent concealment, and violation of consumer protection statutes. He seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

Hair Dye Bladder Cancer Lawsuits

Individuals like Rocco who have been diagnosed with bladder cancer after years of working with permanent hair dye chemicals may be eligible to pursue financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.

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

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

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