Chemical hair straighteners can be dangerous. Researchers have linked parabens, formaldehyde, bisphenol, and other chemicals commonly used in these products to various forms of cancer—and these cancers can be life altering (if not life-threatening) in many cases.
Due to these risks, if you are thinking about using a chemical hair straightener—or if you have used a chemical hair straightener in the past—it is important to consider the alternatives that are available. These include both alternative ways to straighten your hair and alternative ways to style your hair without straightening.
Alternative Ways to Straighten Your Hair
Using a chemical hair straightener (or hair relaxer) is not the only way to get smooth, shiny and straightened hair. There are several alternative—and safer—ways to straighten your hair as well. These include:
- Blow drying with cold air
- Wrapping your hair
- Using chemical-free hair straightening products
- Sleeping with your hair wet
- Using a hair mask
- Using essential oils
- Using an electric straightening iron
If you want to straighten your hair and don’t want to use a chemical hair straightener (which we strongly recommend against due to the potentially serious health risks involved), these are all options you might want to try. Keep in mind, different people’s hair responds to different forms of treatment in different ways, so you may need to experiment to find the hair straightening technique that works best for you. For more information about each of the techniques listed above, you can read: Protecting Yourself from Harmful Chemicals: Alternatives to Chemical Hair Straighteners.
Alternatives to Hair Straightening
If you are open to it, you also have other options besides straightening your hair. If you want to avoid using a chemical hair straightener (which, again, we strongly recommend against), here are some examples of recommendations we’ve seen online:
1. Brazilian Blowouts
As one styling salon explains, “[t]he Brazilian blowout is one of the most popular options for fighting frizz and managing curls to create a style you’ll love. . . . Brazilian blowouts sculpt wavy hair and bring out its shine.” Instead of a “pin-straight” look, a Brazilian blowout provides a smoothed out version of your hair’s natural texture—and it does so naturally without the dangerous chemicals used in many hair straightening products.
As the salon also explains, “[a] key difference between the Brazilian blowout and traditional straightening treatments is that a blowout works with your natural texture, not against it,” and, “[c]urly, coily, kinky, fine, or coarse . . . this treatment works well with any hair type or texture.” So, if you’re interested in trying something different but still want a tamed and refined look, a Brazilian blowout could be a good option.
2. Keratin Treatments
“Unlike straightening treatments, which alter the chemical composition of your hair, a salon-quality keratin treatment infuses naturally occurring keratin protein into the hair follicle to achieve silky perfection.” Additionally, like Brazilian blowouts, keratin treatments are not permanent—which means that you can try this method of straightening your hair for a while; and, if you decide it is not for you, you can try something else.
The human body naturally produces keratin, and keratin is already in your hair. As explained on Healthline.com, keratin treatments simply “help to smooth hair cuticles, which can give hair a shinier appearance.” Importantly, as Healthline.com also notes, some products marketed as keratin treatments still contain formaldehyde and other dangerous chemicals—so, if you decide to try this option, be sure to read the labels and make sure you are actually getting what you pay for.
3. Trying Out a New Hairstyle
A third alternative is to try out a new hairstyle. There is nothing wrong with straightening your hair—and there are plenty of ways to straighten your hair without using hair relaxers made with dangerous chemicals—but there is also nothing wrong with changing it up. If you are trying to stay away from chemical hair straighteners (which you should), it might be worth taking some time to explore all of the options you have available.
Why Is It Important to Consider Alternatives to Chemical Hair Straighteners?
Why is it important to consider alternatives to chemical hair straighteners? Over the past five years, multiple studies have linked the chemicals in these products to health risks including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. These are serious forms of cancer that can forever change people’s lives—and that can ultimately prove fatal in some cases. The companies that sell these products have failed to warn consumers of their risks, and their failures are now proving to have tragic consequences.
While chemical hair straightening products work, other options work too. As a result, if you want straight hair, there is no need to use a chemical hair straightener and put yourself at risk. Since we are actively representing numerous clients in chemical hair straightener lawsuits, we have seen the consequences first-hand, and we know just how severe they can be.
What if you used a chemical hair straightener previously? If you have used a chemical relaxer in the past, especially if you have used one over an extended period of time, we would urge you to get a diagnosis. With many forms of cancer, prompt intervention can be essential for mitigating the risk of long-term and serious consequences. We would encourage you to learn about the symptoms of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer as well—and to see a doctor right away if you have any concerns.
We Help People File Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuits at No Out-of-Pocket Cost
Unfortunately, the dangers of using chemical hair straighteners are very real. If you (or a member of your family) has been diagnosed with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer or any other medical condition which you believe may be linked to use of a chemical hair straightening product, we encourage you to contact us to learn about filing a chemical hair straightener lawsuit. To arrange a free, no-obligation consultation, please call 800-780-8607 or get in touch online today.
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