Hair relaxer - carcinogenic

[notanaturalmum]

I'm in a bit of a quandary.
Has anybody been following these stories.

www.bumc.bu.edu/camed/2023/10/11/first-large-study-of-hair-relaxers-among-black-women-finds-increased-risk-of-uterine-cancer/

www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/21/loreal-urged-to-withdraw-hair-relaxers-after-studies-find-cancer-risk

Here's the thing.
I've been using dark and lovely about 5/6 times a year on average for the past 35 years. I like having relaxed hair. I feel smarter with it (I know this is sad but I guess this is due to years of believing the narrative that natural afros are unprofessional )
We are where we are.

Now, I'm not sure I can just stop having relaxed hair and go natural to reduce my risk of getting cancer.
If I continue to relax my hair and I end up getting ill then I'm always going to wonder if it was the relaxer that caused it.
But if I stop, then what am I going to do with my hair going forward. I don't want to wear wigs or weaves and wearing it natural isn't an option.

How seriously should I be taking these news articles. Is anybody else worried?

I appreciate this may be a first world problem but I'm due to relax my hair soon and I'm now having second thoughts about it.
But also my hair is well overdue and currently I'm just scraping it back in a bun with a massive headband and hoping nobody will see my regrowth.

Please be kind.

@4cHairhelp it's bad enough having to check every product. Now we have to worry about the hair itself.
I was due to head to London today to reload on braiding hair, but I've decided to cancel/postpone until I can find a better option.

Hi guys it's been a while and I thought I'd update you.
I stayed strong and didn't relax my hair and just did basic puff balls for a while.
And then my husband decided to surprise me with a date night tonight. And I was stressed!!
But I went onto TikTok and found a style to copy. I've shared a pic below and it's the first time in a long while that I've been genuinely proud of the hair that grows out of my head.
I'm sure the purists will say that my edges are rough but I'm still learning all this stuff.
If I can find a selection of "office appropriate" looks then I think I'll be fine.

Your hair is beautiful OP, that style looks lovely.

Afro hair isn't meant to lie flat, so I wouldn't give a moment's thought to anyone who talks about "laying edges".

We don't know each other, but want to say I'm proud of you OP, well done 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

It looks so nice OP and I’m so glad you found a style you like. Hope you had a great date night!

Loves this style. Don't feel the need to style your edges, unless you want to. I never do much to mine. I think my children would faint if I gelled them. Hope you had a great evening.

I personally think long hair routines are a myth. Yes it takes a while to find what works for your natural hair. I found a decent hair dresser that specialises in curls and booked in for monthly natural treatment and sometimes blow dry which would leave my hair soft and easy to do - it was natural and they didn’t damage my hair. I did this until I found my own routine which is to wash my hair with a shampoo and conditioner, and then I use hair food for scalp and natural Shea butter for my ends which I wrap and sleep in, I will wake up to shiney soft Afro hair. No other product has compared to this. I also find when I use too much it builds. I also started washing my hair in the shower which cut down on the wash routine.

I used to relax my hair but it was so thin and unhealthy and I’ve been natural for almost 10 years.

The transition is hard. Would you go short again?

An alternative could be a silk press.

Yhe good thing is so many women are now wearing their natural hair in professional places. Allow yourself to go on the journey and don’t feel bad. Just try different hairstyles.

Love that! 🖤🖤

Your hair looks great in that pic 😍.

Sorry if I've missed it @notanaturalmum but have you used hair straighteners before? I haven't relaxed my hair for 10+ years now but when I want straight hair, I use high heat hair straighteners. I feel it's much less harmful than relaxers and all the chemicals in them. It's also more flexible as, when I want the oomph back in my hair, I just need to wash it and it curls back up.

Just highlighting that as I know you said you'll go back to relaxers eventually but maybe straighteners could be an option.

Personally I do not like the swooped edges look anyway, it just ties in with the ideas that afro hair is not acceptable until it is laid flat etc. The pic that you have posted of your hair is really nice, healthy looking, and elegant.

Just posting a couple of IG accounts that might be useful

About shortening wash days to wash hour

www.instagram.com/iamblackgirlcurls?igsh=eG5ueXlqZ255ZXpn

My hairdresser

www.instagram.com/hairkingcallum?igsh=bzNlcHU0ODhnNzZ2

I was contemplating relaxing my hair and came across this thread. I've now changed my mind. I'm opting for braids to help my hair grow and I'm recommitting to taking a bit more time in the evenings to rehydrate and moisturise my hair.

I'm saying all this to say, thankyou op for starting this thread annnnddd your hair looks lovely, shiny and healthy.

Lovely to see this, well done op! The more you wear your natural hair your confidence will grow and you will see that its is absolutely ok to love your hair just as it is!

Looks fabulous and elegant😍! Hope you had a lovely date night!

I'm onto my third retie for micro locs in a couple of weeks, started off as twists and so far am loving the ease in my daily routine. Quick spritz with water and oil and off I go! Hoping that once they mature and I'm less sleep deprived I can do more myself but there are a lot of them 😅

Hi,

(I am sharing my own experince and personal view point)

Your hair needs some tender loving care with science and not leaving it unloved with braids. No amount of quick fixes can fix your hair if you do not have a great hair routine. ( This is said with the utmost respect, kindess and love Sis)

Please consider using Olaplex NO 0 & 3.

THIS IS A BONDING TREATMENT FORTHE HAIR. There is no protien in the treatment.

Direction Take time to put your hair into four braided sections.

Place Olaplex No: 0 all over your unwashed hair strands and work the formula very well into all strands of your hair. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Do not wash out and place Olaplex No: 3 all over your hair, again working the formula into each hair strand.

Note: If you are high prorosity keep both formulas on for 20 to30 mins
If you are low prorosity, keep both formulas on for 30 to 1 hour with a cling film wrap/ plastic bag on your head then sit under a low heat hairdryer to open up the hair shaft to recieve the formula.

Try to wash your hair standing upright to give your hair directions and not to confuse/ tangle your hair strands.

Gently wash your scalp with the pads of your fingers only. working the lather into the scalp for 1 full minute in each section. Repeat your wash again if you feelthe saclp is not clean enough.

Deep condition your hair after for 20 minutes, wearing cling film or plastic bag under the hairdryer. wash all of that out. The lastly, pop some leave-in-conditioner and Blow dry immediately on a low setting.

Do not oil or grease your scalp. Allow your scalp to breath and remain as clean as possible in between wash days.

Wash your hair the same as above once a week or every 10 days for a whole month.

If you can drink Feugreek tea every day (If on medications, Consult GP, if allow the herb tea) then try to do so as the herb is essential for hair growth and hair health. Your hair will begin to feel amazing within the month you will see and feel a significant quality increase with your hair. You will begin to love your hair agin because it will be on its journey to maximum health.

Hi all.
Can you believe I've been relaxer free for a year now. It's definitely been hard and somedays I miss my old hair but I'm getting used to my new hair life.
I thought you would all like to see a recent hair do from a party i went to last night.
Hope this post continues to help people xx

Wow, your hair looks amazing 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

Your hair looks really lovely. Such an elegant looking style. There is so much beauty in the texture of natural hair.

Some vintage photos.

Queen Ohan Akenzua, royal wife of Oba Akenzua II (Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo), on trip to London, England Photographer unknown, c. 1956. Chief S.O. Alonge Collection. “Alonge copied historic photographs by other photographers on glass...

All reactions:
11

Absolutely gorgeous!

I can't wait for my locs to be long enough to do a similar thing:)