Key facts
- Arizona sued L'Oreal, alleging the company concealed evidence of cancer risks linked to its hair relaxer products.
- The lawsuit claims L'Oreal violated state consumer protection laws by marketing the products without warning of alleged ovarian and uterine cancer risks.
- Arizona is seeking penalties, damages, and a court order to force L'Oreal to warn consumers or stop selling the products.
- The state lawsuit alleges L'Oreal exploited discriminatory beauty standards while prioritizing profit over consumer safety.
- L'Oreal faces over 12,000 similar lawsuits consolidated in a Chicago federal court.
- A 2022 National Institutes of Health study found women using hair relaxers several times a year were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer.
Arizona has sued L'Oreal SA, alleging the cosmetics giant concealed evidence that its hair relaxer products could cause cancer in women. Filed late Thursday by Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes, the lawsuit is the first by a state over alleged cancer risks linked to hair relaxers. The suit claims L'Oreal violated consumer protection laws by marketing products predominantly used by African American women without warning of potential uterine and ovarian cancer risks.
Arizona is seeking penalties, damages, and a court order compelling L'Oreal to either warn consumers about the risks or cease selling the products. The lawsuit asserts that L'Oreal and associated companies exploited discriminatory beauty standards for profit over safety.
The legal action comes as L'Oreal faces over 12,000 similar lawsuits consolidated in a Chicago federal court. These lawsuits were spurred by a 2022 National Institutes of Health study that found frequent users of hair relaxers were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer. Revlon and other product makers are also named in these consolidated lawsuits, with Revlon denying a connection between its products and cancer. Court records indicate trials could begin in 2027.