Cancer Risks and Environmental Racism in the Synthetic Hair Industry Black Women Spend Billions On

Black women spend billions of dollars every year on synthetic hair. In the United States alone, annual spending on hair products reaches an estimated two to three billion dollars, with synthetic braiding hair making up a significant share. Globally, the hair extension market is worth well over ten billion dollars. Our community is not a side market. We are the market.

Most synthetic braiding hair is made from petroleum based plastic fibers such as kanekalon and other modacrylic materials. During manufacturing, chemical treatments are used to preserve texture and reduce flammability. Independent testing has identified volatile organic compounds, known as VOCs, in some products. VOCs are chemicals that evaporate into the air and can be inhaled, especially when hair is installed tightly, sealed with heat, and worn for weeks at a time.

Some chemicals associated with synthetic materials, including certain phthalates and benzene related compounds, have been linked in scientific research to hormone disruption and increased cancer risk. This is particularly concerning given that Black women already face disproportionately high rates of reproductive health conditions. A 2022 National Institutes of Health study found that frequent use of chemical hair straighteners more than doubled the risk of uterine cancer, and Black women were more likely to be frequent users.

Environmental racism is not always obvious. It can show up in consumer products heavily marketed to Black women without adequate transparency or long term safety research. Reports of scalp irritation, headaches, and respiratory discomfort after installing synthetic hair have circulated for years, yet regulatory scrutiny remains limited.

The issue is not protective styling. The issue is accountability. If Black women are investing billions into this industry, we deserve full ingredient transparency, independent testing, and products that do not compromise our health.

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