Mass Tort & Environmental Litigation
The NAACP Hair Relaxer Case: Why This Litigation Is a Landmark for Women’s Health
There are moments in a legal career when a case is about more than one client, more than one community, and more than one verdict. The hair relaxer litigation Singleton Schreiber brought in partnership with the NAACP in 2024 is one of those moments.
For decades, millions of women — disproportionately Black women — used chemical hair relaxer products that contained endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to serious, life-altering health conditions. The science connecting these chemicals to uterine fibroids and cancer had been building for years. The manufacturers knew, or should have known. And yet these products remained on shelves, marketed aggressively to a demographic that trusted them.
That is what this case is about. Not just compensation — though compensation matters deeply — but accountability.
What Are Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals?
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, are substances that interfere with the body’s hormonal systems. They can mimic, block, or alter the production and function of hormones in ways that have serious downstream health consequences, particularly with long-term or repeated exposure.
Hair relaxer products have been found to contain EDCs including parabens, phthalates, and bisphenol A (BPA). These are not trace amounts — they are present in products applied directly to the scalp, a highly absorbent part of the body, often beginning in childhood and continuing for years or decades.
Scientific studies have found associations between regular use of chemical hair relaxers and:
- Uterine fibroids
- Uterine cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Breast cancer
- Other hormone-sensitive conditions
A landmark 2022 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that women who used chemical hair straightening products more than four times in the previous year were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to women who did not use these products. That finding was a turning point.
Why Black Women Have Been Disproportionately Harmed
This is not just a product liability case. It is an environmental justice case.
Chemical hair relaxers have been marketed primarily to Black women, who have historically used these products at significantly higher rates and from a younger age than other demographics. The cumulative exposure over a lifetime — beginning sometimes in early childhood — is far greater than the average consumer of other personal care products.
The NAACP’s decision to partner with Singleton Schreiber on this litigation reflects that reality. This is a community that was specifically targeted by these products, specifically harmed by them, and that deserves a legal partner with the resources and commitment to take these cases all the way.
What the Manufacturers Knew
One of the central questions in this litigation is what the manufacturers knew, and when. Internal research, regulatory filings, and scientific literature have made the risks associated with EDCs increasingly clear over the past two decades. The companies that made and marketed these products had access to that science. The decision to continue selling products containing these chemicals without adequate warning was not an oversight — it was a choice.
Holding manufacturers accountable means demanding answers to those questions in court, in depositions, and in the documentary record. That is what our team is doing.
Who May Be Eligible to File a Claim
If you are a woman who used chemical hair relaxer products regularly over a period of years and have been diagnosed with any of the following, you may have a viable claim:
- Uterine fibroids requiring medical intervention or surgery
- Uterine cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Breast cancer
- Other hormone-related conditions linked to chemical exposure
Claimants may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical care, and punitive damages against the manufacturers responsible.
Why This Case Matters Beyond the Courtroom
Cases like this one change industries. When manufacturers face real financial consequences for putting dangerous products on the market, they reformulate. They add warnings. They fund safety research they previously had no incentive to conduct. The ripple effects of a successful outcome here extend far beyond the women who file claims today — they protect the women and girls who will use personal care products tomorrow.
That is the bigger picture I keep in mind when our team is deep in discovery, preparing depositions, and building the evidentiary record. Every deposition is a step toward accountability. Every document produced is a piece of a story that deserves to be told.
If you or someone you love has been affected, please reach out. These cases take time and resources to litigate properly, and the sooner we can evaluate your situation, the better we can protect your rights.