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Racial/Ethnic Differences in Hormonally-Active Hair Product Use: A Plausible Risk Factor for Health Disparities

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Abstract

Estrogen and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that are associated with several health outcomes have been found in hair products. We evaluated the proportion, frequency, duration, and content of hair products in a racially/ethnically diverse population. We recruited n = 301 African-American, African-Caribbean, Hispanic, and white women from the New York metropolitan area. We collected data on hair oil, lotion, leave-in conditioner, root stimulator, perm, and other product use. Estrogen and EDC information was collected from commonly used hair products’ labels (used by >3% of population). African-American and African-Caribbean women were more likely to use all types of hair products compared to white women (P < 0.0001). Among hair product users, frequency varied significantly by race/ethnicity, but not duration. More African-Americans (49.4%) and African-Caribbeans (26.4%) used products containing placenta or EDCs compared to whites (7.7%). African-American and African-Caribbean women were more likely to be exposed to hormonally-active chemicals in hair products.

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Acknowledgments

Andrea Deierlein, Ghasi Phillips, Gonzalo Maldanado, Denise Esserman, Lina Titievsky, Teresa Janevic, Kellee White, Danella Hafeman, Sharon Schwartz, study and focus group participants. This project was funded by a pilot grant from The Jean Sindab African-American Breast Cancer Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1620 Tremont St., 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02120, USA

    Tamarra James-Todd

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA

    Ruby Senie & Mary Beth Terry

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  1. Tamarra James-Todd
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  2. Ruby Senie
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  3. Mary Beth Terry
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Correspondence to Tamarra James-Todd.

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James-Todd, T., Senie, R. & Terry, M.B. Racial/Ethnic Differences in Hormonally-Active Hair Product Use: A Plausible Risk Factor for Health Disparities. J Immigrant Minority Health 14, 506–511 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-011-9482-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-011-9482-5

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