I’d like to thank everyone who has promptly signed and shared this petition, and to ask others who haven’t yet done so to please take action! Just think about it -- by sharing -- you’ll be helping a new generation of hair product users learn about the marketplace for hair dyes and chemical straighteners, while pressuring the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban harmful chemicals from those products. 

The consumer must be aware of the dangers linked to the majority of hair products used to dye or straighten hair, and the younger generation deserve to be protected before they embrace a potentially deadly habit. Children are taken to salons for highlights and straighteners, or use these hair products at home, and awareness of the potential risks is paramount. 

For now, what can be done? We demand that the industry clearly display cancer-risk warning labels on the packaging of toxic hair dyes and chemical straighteners/relaxers, just as they are on tobacco products.

The issue of toxic hair dyes and straighteners has long been of concern for activists, salon workers, health professionals and consumers alike. Renewed attention was brought to the issue earlier this month following the publication of the scientific results of a research study overseen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to the study, there is a 45% higher risk of breast cancer among Black women who use hair dyes and straighteners, and a 7% higher risk among white women. These numbers must be brought down quickly in order to provide health parity to the masses, including women of color. We have seen major news agencies such as CNN, NPR, Newsweek, and the New York Times cover the recent findings. Thanks to news outlets and their reports, the subject matter of this petition is becoming more widely known.

But we can’t let this news get buried or sidelined.  We need more support to capture the attention of key decision-makers. Your early involvement in this movement is crucial to winning this fight. That’s why I’m asking you to share this petition with your friends, family, and colleagues. Please see below a sample Tweet that you can use on your social media.

Once again, thank you -- your support means the world to my Mom and I. 

Sample Tweet : Toxic #chemicals in #hair products are associated w/ higher risk of #breastcancer and disproportionately affect #Blackwomen health outcomes. Sign the petition now & tell the @US_FDA enough is enough! #ToxicFreeHair

Photo: My mother and I, 2016, Sunny Photography.