Synthetic braiding hair may have cancer-causing substance, Consumer Reports investigation finds

Does Braiding Hair Cause Cancer? Social Media Debates Safety Of Protective Styling

A new study found unsafe chemicals in synthetic braiding hair, however, some professionals share an opposing view.

Black Women Deserve Better Than the Carcinogens Found in Braiding Hair

Although significant progress has been made, the Black experience in America has always been limited — and the options for hair care are no exception. Before the rise of the natural hair movement, there were very few brands that catered to a Black woman's natural texture. Many were using methods like hair relaxers and straighteners to feel beautiful, but these practices were soon linked to uterine cancer. And though beauty companies have since e…

What’s Going on With Synthetic Braiding Hair?

‘Consumer Reports’ found that chemical braiding hair might be more harmful than you think. In a test conducted on ten popular brands of braiding hair, it found potentially harmful chemicals.

Synthetic braiding hair may have cancer-causing substance, Consumer Reports investigation finds

A new Consumer Reports investigation is raising concerns about synthetic braiding hair, something used by countless people, especially Black people, including children.

A New Study Finds Carcinogens In 10 Synthetic Braiding Hair Brands

Alena Frolova / Getty Images By India Espy-Jones ·Updated February 27, 2025 Last year, a class action lawsuit against relaxer brands—including L’Oréal’s Dark & Lovely and Ultra Sheen, Just for Me, and Motions, among others— was filed for allegedly causing almost 10,000 cases of cancer. Now, a new Consumer Reports study found carcinogens, a substance that can increase the risk of developing cancer, in synthetic braiding hair.From X-Pression Pre-S…