Hair Dye and Breast Cancer

While there isn’t enough research to definitively say hair dye causes cancer, some studies show that the use of permanent hair dye may increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Further, results indicate that the chances of developing breast cancer increase with more frequent use and that Black women are at the greatest risk. 

Chemicals in hair products might play a role in the development of breast cancer. Here’s a breakdown of the key findings in studies linking hair dye and breast cancer.

Semi-permanent dye, when not applied by a professional, has also been associated with increased breast cancer risk.

Lawyers are investigating hair dye lawsuits on behalf of people who developed breast cancer after coloring their hair. 

Types of Hair Products Involved (Dyes vs. Relaxers)

Dye isn’t the only hair product linked to breast cancer; studies have found permanent chemical hair relaxers may also increase breast cancer risk. 

In one study published in the International Journal of Cancer, people who used chemical relaxers had an 18% increased risk of breast cancer overall. Those who used chemical relaxers every five to eight weeks were at a 31% greater risk of breast cancer compared to those who didn’t use straighteners. 

As with semi-permanent hair dyes, chemical straighteners were correlated with a higher cancer risk if not applied by a professional.

Chemical relaxers are also linked to other cancer risks. Using chemical straighteners four or more times in a year has been associated with more than twice the risk of uterine cancer. 

After studies linked these hair products to cancer, some people filed hair dye and hair relaxer lawsuits against the manufacturers.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) consists of cancer cells that lack the proteins or receptors that cancers typically need in order to grow and spread. It accounts for only about 15% of all cases of breast cancer and is difficult to treat.

These cancers are more likely to affect women who are Black, younger than 40, or have a BRCA1 mutation.

How TNBC Differs From Other Breast Cancers

TNBC is different from other breast cancers because it doesn’t have the three receptors usually found in other breast cancers: estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2). 

Why It’s More Aggressive and Harder to Treat

TNBC is more aggressive and harder to treat because it doesn’t have ER or PR and lacks HER2, so it doesn’t respond to hormone therapies or HER2-targeted therapies like other cancers. Chemotherapy, surgery and radiation are the main treatment methods for TNBC, though other options are being developed, including immunotherapy and PARP inhibitors. 

Because it’s harder to treat and grows quickly, it can also have a worse survival rate than other types of breast cancer. If TNBC hasn’t spread past the original cancer site, it has a 92% survival rate at five years. But if it spreads far past the breast, that rate drops to 15%.

Overall, TNBC is rare, but some studies have found an association between permanent hair dye, hair relaxers and TNBC. None of the studies have been able to prove without a doubt that hair dye causes hormone-negative breast cancers, however.

One study in BMJ found that a history of personal permanent hair dye use was positively associated with the risk of TNBC and ovarian cancer.

Another study in Carcinogenesis found that White women who used hair relaxers had more than a two-fold greater risk of ER– disease.

If you were diagnosed with TNBC and you used hair dye or chemical hair relaxers, you may qualify to file a hair dye lawsuit or a hair relaxer lawsuit. Drugwatch’s legal partners are investigating cases on behalf of individuals diagnosed with TNBC after using these hair products. 

You can sign up with us for a free case review, and you have no obligation to file a lawsuit or hire an attorney. Even if you don’t want to file a lawsuit yet, it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer and learn about your options.

If you used hair dye and were diagnosed with TNBC, you should understand your treatment options and seek the advice of a team of cancer professionals. Here are some steps to take.

Seeking emotional support from your family, friends or other cancer patients can be a big help during your treatment. Connecting with a counselor, social worker or patient advocacy group can help you feel less alone before, during and after cancer treatment.