Hair Extension Chemicals May Be More Harmful Than Previously Thought: Study

Out of 43 different hair extension products sampled, 41 released chemicals listed as hazardous to human health, such as benzene, styrene and phthalates.

A recent analysis of hair extension products found that many appear to contain a variety of harmful chemicals, which have been linked to several different types of cancer, birth defects and other health problems.

Researchers with the Silver Spring Institute (SSI) published a study in the science journal Environment & Health on February 11, warning that numerous brands of synthetic and bio-hair extensions could be exposing women worldwide to pesticides, phthalates and flame retardants, without listing those substances on the label. 

The team warned that when hair extensions are heated during styling or disturbed through brushing and combing, chemicals embedded in the fibers may be released into the air and inhaled.

The study, led by Dr. Elissia Franklin, notes that the global hair extension market, which largely targets Black women, is projected to surpass $14 billion annually by 2028, with the United States serving as the largest importer. Despite that growth, manufacturers often do not disclose the chemicals used in their products, even as many market the extensions as flame retardant, environmentally friendly or “non-toxic.”

These findings come amid a growing concerns about the safety of various different hair products widely used by Black women, including thousands of hair relaxer lawsuits now being pursued over the development of ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, uterine cancer and other injuries linked to endocrine disrupting chemicals in widely used hair straighteners.

In this new study, Franklin said that despite the widespread use of hair extensions, very little research has examined their potential health risks. The limited studies that do exist have detected the release of volatile organic compounds, as well as metals and other chemicals, suggesting the products may be a meaningful source of chemical exposure.

For the analysis, SSI researchers purchased 43 commercially available hair extension products from online retailers, as well as brick and mortar stores. They then categorized the items as either synthetic fibers or bio hair, meaning products made from human hair or other natural materials such as banana silk, and documented any marketing claims, including whether they were labeled flame retardant, water repellent or non-toxic.

The researchers also looked at how the products were marketed, and to whom, whether they touted themselves as being inexpensive, and other attributes.

Most Hair Extensions Contain Hazardous Chemicals

According to the findings, 41 out of 43 products sampled contained hazardous chemicals. The two that did not were both labeled as being non-toxic or toxic-free. They discovered that 48 of the chemicals could be found on major hazard lists, while 36 of the samples contained chemicals linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, as well as four different flame retardants.

The team noted that many of the chemicals they identified violated California’s Proposition 65 list, meaning those products were required to have hazardous exposure risk warnings if sold in that state. These included styrene, naphthalene, benzyl chloride, benzene and others.

“Chemical exposures from hair extensions pose a growing public health concern due to their poorly characterized composition and limited regulatory oversight. Extensions are commonly made of human hair, other natural fibers, or synthetic fibers that may be treated with dyes, flame retardants, waterproofing agents, pesticides, antimicrobials, and conditioning agents with hazardous properties.”

– Dr. Elissia Franklin, Identifying Chemicals of Health Concern in Hair Extensions Using Suspect Screening and Nontargeted Analysis

The researchers called for more detailed assessments to better quantify specific hazardous chemicals and determine amounts of exposure. They also called for policies that require disclosure of ingredient lists to allow consumers to be better informed about the products’ potential risks.

Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuits

Franklin’s research mirrors similar concerns involving hair relaxers in recent years, which are also heavily marketed toward Black women and other women of color.

In October 2022, a study was published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences that found women who regularly used hair relaxers face a 156% increased risk of uterine cancer compared to women who did not use them. Other studies have also linked exposure to chemical hair straighteners to ovarian cancer, as well as other injuries.

Since then, cosmetic manufacturers like L’Oreal and Revlon have faced more than 11,000 hair relaxer lawsuits filed nationwide, each alleging that the manufacturers failed to provide warnings of cancer risks linked to chemical straighteners like Just for Me, Dark & Lovely and Optimum.

Since the claims involve similar products, facts and claims of injury, a hair relaxer lawsuit multidistrict litigation (MDL) was formed in the Northern District of Illinois in 2023, with U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland presiding over coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings. Last year, Judge Rowland directed the parties to select a group of 32 hair relaxer lawsuits to serve as bellwether cases, several of which will be selected for a series of early trial dates in the MDL. These trials are designed to give plaintiffs and defendants a sense of how juries are likely to respond to evidence and testimony that would be repeated throughout the litigation.

While the results of the bellwether trials will not be binding on other cases, they will be closely watched, as the outcomes could help the parties reach a hair relaxer lawsuit settlement agreement. If no such agreement is reached, Judge Rowland is likely to remand the claims back to their originating districts for individual trial dates.

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