Hair Straightening Chemicals Linked To Cancer — But Which Chemical ?
By Chelsie Green
For many centuries , societal beauty standards have dictated trendy styles in fashion , cosmetics , and , especially , hair care for women . As early as the 1900s , one trend in particular targeted manageability of thicker , coarse , and / or textured hair . More specifically , black women ’ s hair was deemed unkempt , unprofessional and , overall , just not welcome in society . From that centuries-old mantra that straighter hair was the acceptable manner of wear , stemmed the creation of a line of hair care products geared to “ tame ” curly / coiled texturized hair . These products being chemical hair straighteners , also known as hair relaxers .