Lawsuit Information Center
According to a new NIH study released this year, chemicals in hair relaxer products used by African American women can significantly increase the risk of uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis. Just For Me is a popular brand of hair relaxer that is marketed specifically for children and manufactured by Strength of Nature Global, LLC. Women with uterine cancer and other conditions are now filing Just For Me hair relaxer lawsuits against Strength of Nature and other cosmetic companies.
This post will explain the new scientific evidence regarding hair relaxer use, and uterine cancer, and the lawsuits being brought against Strength of Nature involving it’s Just For Me brand.
About Just for Me and Other Hair Relaxers
Hair relaxers or hair straighteners force curly hair to lay flat and are mostly used by Black women in the U.S. These products contain potent chemicals that attack the natural protein structure of the hair. In most cases, these chemicals are not even fully identified or disclosed on the product labels. Just for Me and other relaxers are applied every 6 or 7 weeks either in a salon or at home.
Just for Me is one of the most popular at-home hair relaxer brands on the market. Just for Me hit the market in the early 1990s and it was one of the first relaxer products for young Black girls. Although marketed as a more gentle form of relaxer, Just for Me contains the same powerful chemicals as other brands. Just for Me is available at almost all major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Sally Beauty Supply, and Walgreens.
In the U.S., the Just for Me brand of relaxer products is manufactured and sold by a Georgia company called Strength of Nature Global, LCC. Strength of Nature is a wholly owned unit of a big international conglomerate called Godrej Group, which is headquartered in Mumbai, India. Godrej Group dates back to the late 1800s and today it owns and operates a wide range of subsidiary businesses in various sectors including real estate, appliances, furniture, and consumer products. Strength of Nature is essentially a Godrej Group division in the U.S.
New Evidence Regarding Just for Me Hair Relaxer and Uterine Cancer
Just for Me and all other hair relaxers contain a lot of very harsh chemicals that are classified as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are chemicals which disrupt the body’s endocrine system. The endocrine system handles hormone production and in women this includes estrogen.
Scientists and doctors have always suspected that regular exposure to the EDCs in hair relaxer products could have major health implications. Until this year, however, these concerns were never really backed up by any significant scientific studies.
This completely changed in October 2022 when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) finished a landmark clinical study which finally unveiled the serious health hazards of chronic exposure to the chemicals in hair relaxer products like Just for Me. The Sister Study included over 33,000 participants and covered over a decade of research.
The findings of the Sister Study made headlines when they were published in a major medical journal. The Sister Study found that women who used hair relaxer products like Just for Me 4 times per year or more had a significantly increased risk of uterine cancer. In fact, the study showed that women who used hair relaxer products increased their risk of uterine cancer by 150%.
The Sister Study, and other previous scientific studies, also showed evidence to indicate that using hair relaxers was associated with an increased risk of other hormone-related conditions such as uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.
Just for Me Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
The publication of the NIH Sister Study immediately prompted hair relaxer product liability lawsuits against Strength of Nature and other cosmetic companies. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits are women who allege that their uterine cancer was caused by long-term use of hair relaxer products like Just for Me. Hair relaxer lawsuits are also being filed for injuries such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids, which have also been linked to relaxer products.
According to the allegations in the hair relaxer lawsuits, manufacturers such as Strength of Nature knew or should have known that the chemicals in their products were harmful and could increase the risk of uterine cancer and other conditions. According to the plaintiffs, these marketed their products as completely safe for regular use despite knowing of this risk.
A group of plaintiffs in pending hair relaxer lawsuits have filed a motion with the JPML requesting that all hair relaxer product liability cases in federal courts be consolidated into a new class action MDL. The defendants filed a Response opposing the request for consolidation, but the MDL request will most likely be granted anyway.
Potential Settlement Value of Just for Me Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
We estimate that a successful Just for Me hair relaxer lawsuit involving uterine cancer as the primary injury could have a potential settlement payout between $300,000 to $1.75 million. Uterine cancer can present a broad range of circumstances, which is why this value range is so wide. Uterine cancer in an older, post-menopausal woman is much different compared to uterine cancer in a younger woman in her reproductive years. Uterine cancer in younger women tends to be more aggressive, and it can have devastating consequences including loss of reproductive ability.
For Just for Me hair relaxer lawsuits involving other injuries, such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis, our settlement value estimate is much lower for two reasons. First, uterine cancer is a more serious and potentially life-threatening injury, so it has a higher value. Second, the causation evidence linking uterine fibroids and endometriosis to hair relaxers is less compelling than the evidence for uterine cancer.
Contact Us About Filing a Just for Me Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
Our firm is currently investigating product liability cases alleging that chemicals in Just for Me hair relaxer caused uterine cancer, and other conditions. If you think you qualify for a lawsuit involving chemical hair straightener, contact our office today for a free consultation at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.