Hair Straightener Use in Relation to Prevalent and Incident Fibroids in the Sister Study with a Focus on Black Women.

Summary

In a prospective cohort analysis of 4,162 Black women from the Sister Study, hair straightener use—particularly during ages 10–13 and in the year before enrollment—was evaluated against both prevalent young-onset and incident uterine fibroids. Over 70% reported use, and the authors conclude that hair straightener use may be positively associated with fibroid risk, with parallel analyses conducted in 40,782 non-Hispanic White women.

Key Findings

• Over 70% of Black women in the cohort reported hair straightener use.
• Straightener use in early adolescence (ages 10–13) and within 12 months before enrollment was analyzed against prevalent young-onset and incident fibroids using logistic and Cox regression.
• Authors conclude hair straightener use may be positively associated with fibroid risk; complementary analyses were performed in 40,782 non-Hispanic White women.

Clinical Implications

Clinicians should discuss potential uterine fibroid risks when counseling patients—especially Black women and adolescents—on hair straightener use, and consider recommending safer alternatives while research clarifies causal pathways.

Limitations

• Fibroid diagnosis and product use are partly self-reported, raising potential misclassification.
• Formulation changes over time and residual confounding may influence associations; detailed ingredient-level exposure was not provided in the abstract.

Future Directions

Incorporate ingredient-level exposure assessment, biomonitoring, and repeated measures to better define dose–response and causality; evaluate formulation changes across birth cohorts and assess differential risks.