Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
This page is for people who are considering filing a hair relaxer lawsuit. If you were diagnosed with uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer after using hair relaxers, you may qualify for a lawsuit. The brands involved in the litigation are L’Oréal, Strength of Nature and Soft Sheen.
- Last update: May 30, 2025
Lawyers are currently investigating and accepting lawsuits for those who were diagnosed with cancer after using certain hair relaxer products. Our attorney partners are primarily filing lawsuits for people who:
- Were diagnosed with ovarian or uterine/endometrial cancer when they were 55 or younger
- Used hair relaxer products five or more times in a year
- Had more than four years pass between using hair relaxers and being diagnosed with cancer
These lawsuits are still in the early phases of litigation. Thousands of cases have been filed and grouped together before one judge, but there have not been any trials, verdicts or settlements yet.
There’s no cost to get a case review and see if you qualify to file a lawsuit. You may be eligible for a potential future settlement.
Hair Relaxer Lawsuit Updates
We are staying on top of the latest developments in the hair relaxer lawsuits. These updates are based on conversations with our vetted legal partners and reviews of all relevant court documents and filings.
As of May 2025, there were 10,168 hair relaxer lawsuits grouped together in federal court. These cases are moving through the legal process together as a streamlined multidistrict litigation, or MDL.
Check back here regularly to stay up to date with the progress of the litigation.
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May 23, 2025: Discovery Underway for 32 Potential Bellwether Cases
Today, we learned more about the progress of the hair relaxer lawsuits thanks to a joint status report. This report, which is usually published before a status conference, is where both sides provide an update on where the litigation stands. The good news from this status report is that the discovery process is progressing for the 32 cases in the bellwether trial pool.
The discovery process is when both sides collect information and evidence that will be used as part of the eventual trials. This week, defendants served their first sets of plaintiff-specific written discovery for the 32 cases. This is where the defendants request information and documents to be part of evidence.
Eventually, the 32 cases will be whittled down again to a small group that will go to trial. These bellwether trials can have a huge impact on all lawsuits.
The outcome of those trials will give both sides a sense of what may happen if more hair relaxer cases go to trial. Wins for plaintiffs could help convince the defendants to agree to a settlement for all cases. -
May 14, 2025: Document Production Debates Continue
A new order shows that parties continue sparring over document production.
There are disagreements, for example, over whether defendant Avlon should expand the scope of its document production to include some employees' personal emails. Plaintiffs think employees may have used their personal accounts to discuss work.
L’Oréal, one of the main defendants in the litigation, also continued to battle with plaintiffs over what documentation it needs to turn over. Plaintiffs are hoping to gain access to documents that the company submitted to regulatory agencies outside the U.S.
This could buoy the cases of people who have filed lawsuits if L’Oréal referenced a cancer risk tied to its products in other countries.
The court has ordered plaintiffs and defendants to provide a report on the status of the discovery process by May 22. -
May 9, 2025: Bellwether Selections Continue
The bellwether selection process continues in the hair relaxer MDL. As a reminder, bellwether trials are specific cases selected for trial that serve as tests for the overall litigation.
Since the thousands of hair relaxer cases are so similar, a handful of trials are held to give both sides an idea of what may happen if more cases go to trial. If people who claim to have been impacted by hair relaxers do well in the bellwethers, then defendants could be motivated to agree to a larger settlement.
Selecting cases to serve as bellwethers can be a contentious process, and that has been true at times for the hair relaxer lawsuits. But the list is finally being whittled down.
As planned, each side identified 20 possible cases to serve as bellwethers, for a total of 40. They then each got to strike four cases from the other side’s list.
That left a group of 32 cases that can move forward. -
May 7, 2025: L’Oréal S.A. Dismissed From the Litigation
L’Oréal S.A., the parent company of L’Oréal USA, has been dismissed from the hair relaxer litigation.
This update may sound significant, but in reality, it will not have much impact on the vast majority of the more than 10,000 active hair relaxer lawsuits in the MDL.
When you hear about L’Oréal and its role in the hair relaxer litigation, this typically refers to L’Oréal USA. The American subsidiary was named in the initial master long form complaint for the MDL.
French-based L’Oréal S.A. was not named in a lawsuit in the MDL until more than a year later.
Damien Levy is the CFO of the company's Consumer Products Division. In a statement, he said that “L’Oréal S.A. has never manufactured hair relaxer products, or component parts or ingredients used in any hair relaxer products, for sale in the United States.”
The judge overseeing the lawsuits determined that arguments to include L’Oréal S.A. do not hold weight. Since the litigation involving L’Oréal is focused on the U.S.-based subsidiary of the company, this decision shouldn’t significantly change anything for the ongoing lawsuits. -
May 6, 2025: Motion to Dismiss Some Cases
The defendants in the hair relaxer MDL have filed a motion that could dismiss a small group of lawsuits from the litigation.
But regardless of the judge’s decision on this issue, the impact on the overall lawsuits should be minimal, as it comes down to a procedural issue.
Defendants claim that the cases in question missed a recent deadline to file their plaintiff fact sheets. This is a questionnaire that plaintiffs or their representatives must fill out early in the process to provide basic information on their case.
The fact sheets were supposed to be submitted by April 28, and defendants have identified a group of lawsuits that didn’t meet that deadline.
This does not apply to the vast majority of the thousands of active cases. Only a small group of lawsuits are affected. -
May 1, 2025: MDL Breaks 10,000 Cases
A milestone was hit this month, with the number of active cases in the MDL breaking 10,000. This has grown into a massive, nationwide litigation.
The 10,168 active cases represent an increase of about 200 over the last month, making this one of the largest product liability litigations in the nation.
This growth shows just how widespread this problem may be. -
April 22, 2025: Settlement Master Appointed in MDL
According to the latest case management order, a settlement master has been appointed in the hair relaxer MDL.
This person will assist with coordinating any settlement negotiations or discussions without favoring either side.
According to the document announcing this appointment, the hair relaxer settlement master will have the power to order plaintiffs and defendants to meet “and engage in serious and meaningful negotiations.”
We caution that this move does not mean that a hair relaxer settlement is imminent. But it does provide the framework for those negotiations to eventually take place. -
April 17, 2025: Progress Made in State Cases
While thousands of hair relaxer lawsuits are consolidated in federal court, many others have also been filed in individual state courts.
According to newly filed court documents, there are at least 815 lawsuits filed across six states, with 400 of those in Illinois court.
Some of those state cases are heading toward trial. In Illinois, trials have been scheduled for November of this year as well as in January, March and May of next year. That November date could be the first hair relaxer lawsuit to go to trial anywhere, and its outcome could give us a good idea of the direction of the overall litigation. -
April 16, 2025: Status Hearing Approaches
The next status hearing in the hair relaxer MDL is scheduled to take place on April 24. The parties in the MDL are set to discuss a number of disputes between plaintiffs and defendants.
Contention is coming through from the court documents. In a dispute involving the bellwether discovery process, the lawyers representing plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits claimed to be caught off guard by defendants saying the sides were at an impasse over key issues.
“Defendants belatedly drafted their below position and shared it with the [plaintiffs] for the first time mere hours before the [status report] was due,” plaintiffs claim. -
April 11, 2025: Update on Second Wave Defendants
A new status report has been filed specifically involving second-wave defendants. These are companies like Wella or Advanced Beauty who were not named in the initial wave of hair relaxer lawsuits but have since become part of the litigation.
The report mainly involves updates to the discovery process and where each second-wave defendant is in that process.
More than 700 cases have been filed against second-wave defendants, with 444 of those filed against Advanced Beauty, Dudley Beauty and RNA. -
April 1, 2025: Hair Relaxer Growth Continues
The hair relaxer litigation has continued to steadily grow. At the start of this month, 9,936 cases were pending in multidistrict litigation. This is an increase of nearly 150 cases from this time last month.
Expect that growth to continue in the coming months as lawyers identify more people who may have been impacted by these serious issues. -
March 28, 2025: Procedures for Dismissed Cases
The court has released a new order outlining some procedures for cases that have been dismissed from the hair relaxer MDL.
There is nothing groundbreaking here, but cases that face dismissal now have more clarity on how they can move forward if they attempt to have their cases reinstated in the MDL.
Cases can be dismissed for numerous reasons, but that isn’t always the end of the road. As outlined in the order, some cases simply need to comply with certain obligations, like turning in a fully completed plaintiff fact sheet. -
March 5, 2025: Updates to the Bellwether Process
A new case management order has set some guidelines for which of the thousands of cases within the MDL may be eligible to serve as a bellwether trial.
Bellwether trials are a big part of the MDL process. A handful of cases deemed representative of the overall litigation go to trial to serve as tests. The outcome of those trials helps both sides understand what may happen if more active cases go to trial.
The court has narrowed the options for bellwether trials to cases that submitted certain documentation by a set deadline and that allege uterine cancer, endometrial cancer or ovarian cancer.
Both sides are still set to exchange their lists of possible bellwether cases by the end of April. -
March 1, 2025: Active Cases Drop Slightly
There has been a slight dip in active hair relaxer cases in federal court over the last month. At the start of March, there were 9,788 active lawsuits pending in the MDL.
This was a dip of 75 cases from this time a month ago. -
February 19, 2025: Judge Denies Motions to Dismiss from Several Defendants
In a big win for plaintiffs, the court has denied motions to dismiss from several defendants, preserving the litigation. John Paul Mitchell Systems, Advanced Beauty and Wella had all been pushing to dismiss their involvement in the lawsuits.
These defendants were later additions to the litigation, becoming involved over a year after the initial complaints were filed, as multiple new plaintiffs named them in lawsuits.
It’s commonplace for companies named as defendants to file motions to dismiss to try to remove themselves from the litigation before it gets started.
But Judge Rowland did not find their arguments convincing, and these three defendants will not be dismissed from cases involving them. -
February 1, 2025: Moderate Growth in the MDL This Month
There has been a modest jump in active cases in the MDL over the last month. At the start of February, there are 9,863 lawsuits pending in the MDL. This is an increase of 44 cases from this time a month ago.
Since the hair relaxer MDL was first established, over 11,000 cases have been filed at some point. -
January 31, 2025: Bellwether Process Finally Back on Track
After failing to reach an agreement for months on how to move forward, a new order has finally laid the groundwork for the bellwether selection process to proceed.
Judge Rowland has determined that each side will select 20 potential bellwether cases for a total of 40. The plan is to whittle the list down from there, for an eventual total of 12 cases picked to be part of the trial pool.
This is a noteworthy jump from where we thought the bellwether process was headed in the MDL. Plaintiffs and defendants had been planning to select just 16 cases to start before narrowing the list to five trial options.
“Preparing only five cases for trial runs the risk of these cases resolving short of trial or being subject to a dispositive motion and, thus, not being available to serve as representative bellwether cases,” Judge Rowland stated.
Both sides have until Apr. 30 to make their 20 bellwether picks and exchange those lists. This is much-needed progress after the litigation stalled for much of last year due to various disputes.
“Given the extensive time the parties had over the past year to review PFSs, this deadline is firm—no extensions will be granted,” Rowland said in her order. -
January 1, 2025: Nearly 10,000 Active Cases at the Start of 2025
To start off the new year, there are 9,819 active cases in the hair relaxer MDL. This is an increase of nearly 2,000 cases from this time last year as the litigation continues to expand.
Expect 2025 to be a key year for the hair relaxer lawsuits, with significant progress likely to be made as the litigation heats up. -
December 2024: Roadblocks to Bellwether Trials Persist
Despite repeated meetings, the parties in the hair relaxer MDL say that they have been unable to reach an agreement on a bellwether process.
Defendants claim that the plaintiffs are attempting to “force an immediate selection of bellwether cases for trial” while plaintiffs blame the months-long delay on the defendants.
It may take more time for a bellwether plan to be sorted out given how far apart the respective parties are at this time. -
November 2024: Big Growth in the MDL
Hair relaxer lawsuits are growing at a rapid rate, with more than 1,000 new cases added to the MDL over the last month. There are now nearly 9,500 active lawsuits in the MDL.
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August 2024: Motions to Dismiss Process Still Playing Out
The plaintiffs in the MDL have submitted responses to motions to dismiss from several defendants, including John Paul Mitchell Systems’ renewed motion to dismiss from July. Plaintiffs say that the JPMS motion is “based on a gross misunderstanding of the master complaint” and that it is entirely meritless.
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July 2024: FDA Postponed Formaldehyde Ban
The Food and Drug Administration again postponed its proposed ban on formaldehyde in hair care products from July to September. This delay follows multiple rescheduled target dates and highlights concerns over formaldehyde's cancer risks. Advocates have urged the ban to safeguard consumers and salon workers.
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June 2024: Defendants Lose Appeal in Georgia
L'Oréal, SoftSheen-Carson and Strength of Nature lost an appeal to dismiss Kiara Burroughs' lawsuit in Georgia. Her lawsuit claims defendants failed to warn the public about toxic chemicals in their products that can cause uterine fibroids.
According to our review of the decision of the appeals court, the issues defendants brought up included whether the claim should be preempted by federal law and whether the statutes of limitations and Georgia statutes of repose prohibited Burroughs' claim from moving forward.
The Georgia trial court denied the defendants' original motion to dismiss, and defendants appealed. The Georgia Appeals Court ruled that the case could proceed, in part, with claims including the fraud and negligence counts and it remanded the case back to trial court for further rulings.
From our experience reporting on these motions to dismiss, it's not uncommon for the Court to dismiss some counts but allow the case to proceed on others where it deems the law applies. This is a Georgia state case and isn't a part of the MDL in Illinois. -
May 2024: Special Master Appointed
The judge appointed Professor Maura Grossman as special master. Attorneys for defendant Revlon and related companies filed their notice of appearance. Discovery continued.
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February 2024: Lawsuits in Discovery Phase
The consolidated hair relaxer lawsuits are currently in the discovery phase of the litigation. This is the step in the process where both sides gather the information and documents that will be used for trials.
Because there are thousands of active lawsuits, we don’t expect a trial in the near future. The discovery phase can last for months if not years. -
November 2023: Exponential Growth to the Hair Relaxer MDL
The number of active hair relaxer lawsuits has exploded, with thousands of cases filed into the MDL over the last few months.
At the start of November, there were 7,967 active lawsuits pending in the Northern District of Illinois.
In just a few short months, the hair relaxer lawsuits have become one of the largest litigations in the country. -
July 2023: Hair Relaxer Litigation Grows
When the hair relaxer MDL was established several months ago, it initially consolidated just a handful of cases in federal court.
But the litigation has continued to expand rapidly since then. As of this month, there were more than 230 active cases in the MDL. -
February 2023: Hair Relaxer MDL Established
An MDL for hair relaxer cases has been established in the Northern District of Illinois. MDLs, or multidistrict litigation, are used when there is an expectation that a number of similar lawsuits are going to be filed.
These lawsuits can then be grouped together into an MDL, allowing them to move through the legal process together and prevent duplication of efforts.
MDLs can lead to faster results for both sides and usually culminate with bellwether trials. These trials are essentially test cases, where a few lawsuits from the litigation are picked to go to trial.
The outcome of those cases helps both plaintiffs and defendants understand what may happen if more cases go to trial. If plaintiffs do well in the bellwethers, the defendants may decide to negotiate a settlement for all pending cases instead of risking taking more to trial. -
November 2022: Motion to Create MDL
Lawyers have filed a motion to consolidate hair relaxer lawsuits into multidistrict litigation (MDL). This would be a significant step for the lawsuits and could lead to faster, more streamlined results for plaintiffs.
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October 2022: First Lawsuit Filed After New Study Released
Jenny Mitchell became one of the first women to file a hair relaxer lawsuit against L'Oréal and other companies after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer.
This comes after an NIH-funded study found women who use hair relaxers have an increased risk of uterine cancer, breast cancer, fibroids and other serious conditions.
Studies Linking Chemical Hair Relaxers to Cancer
Questions surrounding hair relaxers and cancer first took off following the release of an NIH study in 2022.
The study evaluated data from more than 33,000 women spanning a wide range of ages. It uncovered alarming evidence that the use of these popular products could heighten the risk of cancer.
Researchers determined that women who frequently used hair relaxers were more than twice as likely to eventually develop uterine cancer as women who didn’t regularly use those products. Frequent use was defined as more than four times a year.
“We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners would go on to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70; but for frequent users, that risk goes up to 4.05%,” Alexandra White, lead author of the study, said in a release. “This doubling rate is concerning. However, it is important to put this information into context – uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer.”
A 2019 NIH study had previously linked chemical hair relaxers to an increased risk of breast cancer. Researchers found a 30% higher risk of breast cancer in women who used chemical hair relaxers every five to eight weeks.
The concerns over uterine cancer were also reinforced when a 2023 study published in Environmental Research uncovered similar results.
That study looked at chemical relaxer use in 44,798 Black women from 1997 to 2019. Researchers found that “long-term use of chemical hair relaxers was associated with increased risk of uterine cancer among postmenopausal women, but not among premenopausal women. These findings suggest that hair relaxer use may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for uterine cancer.”
Mass torts and product liability attorney Ashleigh Raso, partner at award-winning firm Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn, answered three important questions if you are thinking of filing a chemical hair straightener lawsuit.
- When clients contact you for a chemical hair relaxer evaluation, what should they expect?
They can expect that we will gather some information from them, such as when and how often they used the products, which products they used and what types of injuries they have experienced. If we believe they have a case, we will order medical records.
Unfortunately, the science is still developing in these cases, so not everyone who used hair relaxers and was impacted will be a part of this litigation. However, our consultations are free and it is better to contact us sooner … as many states have a two-year statute of limitations.
- What is the status of these lawsuits?
These cases are currently consolidated in the Northern District of Illinois as well as various state courts. The case is currently in discovery. Discovery is the process by which the parties exchange and collect information from each other and build their case. This process takes a long time and in this case with many defendants and millions of pages of documents, it will take some time.
- How have your clients been affected by cancer and chemical hair relaxers?
Many of our clients have lost loved ones far too soon. Some clients are dealing with cancer and sickness, and they try to navigate life as fully as possible. These women are remarkable, and what they have been through is awful.
Injuries Alleged in Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
Hair relaxer lawsuits are focused on claims that these popular products are tied to the development of certain types of cancer.
Much of the litigation involves uterine or endometrial cancer, but some lawsuits allege that hair relaxers are connected to ovarian cancer as well.
These injuries are also the centerpiece of the thousands of lawsuits grouped together in an MDL. The judge overseeing the litigation has said that cases must involve one of those three cancers in order to be eligible to be selected as a bellwether trial.
Uterine and Endometrial Cancer
There is an overlap between uterine and endometrial cancer, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.
According to Cleveland Clinic, endometrial cancer is a type of uterine cancer that forms in the inner lining of the uterus and makes up 95% of all uterine cancer cases. It’s one of the most common types of gynecological cancer.
But uterine cancer may also refer to uterine sarcoma, which forms in the muscle wall of the uterus.
To be eligible for a lawsuit, you must have been diagnosed with uterine cancer when you were 55 or younger and have used hair relaxer products five or more times in one year.
Four years or more must have gone by between when you first used the product and when you received your cancer diagnosis.
Ovarian Cancer
You also may be eligible to file a hair relaxer lawsuit if you developed ovarian cancer after using these products. These cases make up a smaller part of the overall litigation, but a bellwether trial could involve a case with these allegations.
Ovarian cancer forms in the ovaries. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 20,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year.
In general, to be eligible to file a hair relaxer lawsuit after developing ovarian cancer, you must have been diagnosed no later than age 55 and have used hair relaxer products five or more times in a year. Four years or more must have passed between when you first used hair relaxers and when you received your diagnosis.
People Impacted by Hair Relaxers
Jenny Mitchell was one of the first women to file a hair relaxer lawsuit in October 2022 after doctors diagnosed her with uterine cancer. She was 32 when she filed the lawsuit, but was only in her 20s when she was diagnosed with cancer.
Her lawsuit claimed that her uterine cancer “was directly and proximately caused by her regular and prolonged exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals found in Defendants’ hair care products.”
Since then, thousands of women have filed claims against chemical hair relaxer manufacturers. Many of these women are in their 20s and 30s, according to product liability attorney Daniel Nigh.
“We have one client who developed endometrial cancer. And as a result, had to have certain surgeries and certain treatment, and was unable to have children because of it. Maybe she could have had a child before the age of 25. But she wouldn’t have known that she needed to have a child before that. So, she’s 25. Huge emotional impact to have to discover that. And what she had planned for her life, she had talked about having three children, and things of that nature. And she’s not going to be able to do that,” Nigh said.
Mike, who is omitting his last name for privacy, told Drugwatch about his late wife’s experience with chemical hair relaxers.
“If there were a warning on those products, my wife Michele Lynn wouldn’t have kept using them. She would have stopped immediately. These companies put money before people’s lives, and all they care about is what’s hitting their bank account,” he said.
Cosmetic Brands Included in Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
L’Oréal, along with other popular products and brands such as Soft & Beautiful and Dark and Lovely, are included in hair relaxer lawsuits. These are permanent hair relaxers.
“The Defendants marketed their hair relaxer products without ever disclosing known health risks of the toxic chemicals contained in these products,” according to lawsuits.
- Advanced Beauty
- Avlon
- Dermoviva
- Dudley Beauty
- House of Cheatham
- John Paul Mitchell Systems
- L’Oréal
- Namaste
- Revlon
- SoftSheen-Carson
- Strength of Nature
- Wella
These brands are popular among Black women, who are more likely to use chemical hair relaxers.
“Sixty percent of the participants who reported using straighteners were Black women. The bottom line is that the exposure burden appears to be higher among Black women,” said Chandra Jackson, one of the NIH study’s co-authors.
Chemical Relaxer Marketing Controversy
Lawsuits claim that straightening products by L’Oréa, Strength of Nature and Soft Sheen were heavily marketed to Black women, who are more likely to use chemical hair relaxers.
“Essentially, the idea was to have more of a European look with straightened hair. [Companies] heavily targeted Black women, and obviously other communities of color, as well, for a long period of time, and from a very young age,” said Nigh.
Hair Relaxer Lawsuit Settlement Amounts
Current industry-wide estimates suggest that the individual payout from a hair relaxer lawsuit settlement could range from $100,000 to $1.75 million. Factors that affect payout amounts could include the type of injury suffered by the plaintiff as well as the severity of the injury.
Payouts will likely differ depending on the type of cancer each plaintiff was diagnosed with.
It’s important to remember that, at this early stage in the litigation, these estimates are fully speculative. No hair relaxer settlement has been agreed to, and no cases have gone to trial so far.
Payouts from a potential settlement down the road will also vary from case to case, with the individual factors of each situation playing a role.
How to File a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
If you believe you have been impacted by hair relaxers, Drugwatch can connect you with an experienced product liability attorney who can help you learn more about your options. We’ve vetted law firms and resources to connect you with empathetic and trusted attorneys who can guide you through the legal process.
Drugwatch partners with Simmons Hanly Conroy, a law firm that has offices across the nation and a team of more than 70 lawyers.
Their team has helped 4,000 families like yours win more than $5 billion in verdicts and settlements. The firm holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
If you’ve been diagnosed with uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer after using hair relaxers, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Get a free case review through Drugwatch to see if you qualify.
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