Lawsuit Filed Against L’Oréal Says Chemicals in Hair Relaxing Products Caused Uterine Cancer

CHICAGO –– A lawsuit has been filed in Illinois federal court against L’Oréal USA Inc., contending that the defendant’s hair straightener and relaxer products caused her to develop uterine cancer.

Plaintiff Jennifer Mitchell filed the underlying lawsuit on Oct. 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, contending that her use of the defendant’s hair care products caused her “regular and prolonged exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.”

Mitchell alleged that black people make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population, but by one estimate, “African-America spending accounts for as much as 22 …