All I ever wanted was for my ponytail to swing when I walked.
For curly hair influencer Penny (@pennyfroreal), the pressure to straighten her hair was overwhelming. In a predominantly white swimming environment, she often felt out of place because of her natural hair. “[After quitting swimming] at 13, the first thing I did was go and get my hair relaxed. I think I got my hair relaxed twice and the second time, I felt a massive chunk of my hair just break off from my scalp.”
Penny’s experience is more common than many would think. Across the curly hair community, Black women are increasingly questioning the treatments that have been sold to them for decades. Chloé Elliott (@curlygalchlosalon), a curly hair educator and salon owner, said: “There is shock and disappointment, because now what? If the product isn’t good for me, yet it’s being promoted to someone like me, then what am I supposed to use?”
Many women have turned to keratin treatments instead. But some experts say they may not be as different as they appear. Keratin treatments are marketed as “formaldehyde-free” yet contain ingredients that can release formaldehyde during the straightening process. Chloé said: “Everyone’s up in arms about formaldehyde being used in relaxers. It’s just been rebranded, because keratin treatments use a derivative of formaldehyde, although it’s not (technically) formaldehyde. It’s the equivalent of saying something is sugar-free and then putting aspartame in there. It … sounds better on the label, but it’s the same thing in different packaging.”
A toxic history of hair care
For decades, Black women have faced societal pressure to straighten and relax their hair, whether to avoid discrimination or fit the beauty standard. However, growing scientific research has raised questions about the long-term health effects of some of the ingredients in straightening products. Relaxers use strong alkaline chemicals to permanently alter the hair’s structure and texture, whereas keratin treatments are semi-permanent and marketed as a less damaging alternative. They coat the hair with proteins and other smoothing agents before heat is applied to create a straighter, shinier finish.
Multiple studies, including environmental research published in Science Direct, identified endocrine-disrupting chemicals in some hair care products commonly used by Black women, including relaxers. These chemicals can interfere with the body’s hormonal system, and researchers continue to investigate their health effects. Research has also explored a link between endocrine-disrupting chemicals in products and the increased risk of breast cancer in young Black women. While these products are available to anyone, researchers say Black women are disproportionately exposed to them, because they are more likely to use chemical straightening treatments from a young age.
So, what’s actually in these hair care products?
One of the main ingredients in traditional relaxers is sodium hydroxide, also known as “lye”, a chemical that can cause damage through skin and eye contact. It works by aggressively raising the hair’s pH, opening the outer cuticle, and breaking the internal protein bonds responsible for the hair’s natural curl pattern. Despite the UK Health Security Agency labelling it as a “highly corrosive alkali”, sodium hydroxide is still permitted in cosmetic products and hair relaxers.
A Boston University study found lye-based relaxers are associated with a 30% increase in breast cancer risk for Black women, as well as a higher risk of uterine cancer, compared to women who did not use chemical-based hair-straightening products. Meanwhile, a 2021 study by the National Institutes of Health found that there was a further risk of uterine cancer among women who used formaldehyde-based hair-straightening products at least four times a year. The study said the rates of uterine cancer among Black women have been increasing in the U.S. and that because Black women use hair straighteners more frequently, they may be more affected.
A call for better standards in hair care products
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a ban on certain chemical-based hair-straightening products. And here in the UK, the debate is beginning to reach Westminster. In December 2025, The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee launched an inquiry to investigate the potential harm hair and beauty products and treatments can have on consumers, and how to tackle it.
For the first time in a mainstream inquiry, MPs have acknowledged that some marginalised groups may be at risk from toxic beauty products. Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the committee, said: “Throughout the inquiry, we’ll also look at the existing regulations for products and treatments used by some marginalised groups, like relaxer creams for afro-type hair. There’s evidence to show that these groups may be the most at risk from unsafe beauty products, and we’ll be investigating how to best tackle this.”
De-toxifying the hair care industry
The rise of natural hair influencers, specialist salons and Black-owned brands has made it easier for women to access information and products designed specifically for textured hair.
And as consumers become more ingredient-conscious, calls for greater transparency across the beauty industry are only likely to grow. For women like Penny, this is not just about beauty; it is about ensuring that products marketed to them are safe.
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