Hair Dye Lawsuits: Protecting Hairstylists from Toxic Exposure

When people think of high-risk occupations, we usually consider firefighters, miners, construction, and other dangerous professions. We don’t usually put hairstylists in that high-risk bucket. 

There are some typical injuries a hairstylist might face on the job—cuts from scissors, burns from hairdryers, or the risk of a slip and fall on a wet floor are some of the most common.

However, a California hairstylist is suing L’Oreal and 10 other companies that manufacture hair dyes, including Wella, Clairol, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Joico and All Nutrients. The plaintiff claims he was exposed to chemicals that caused him to be affected by bladder cancer.

Hector Corvera was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2023. He did not immediately associate his condition with the effects of the hair dye he used as a stylist for 40 years. He later learned that some chemicals in hair dye could have caused his cancer. His lawsuit says the cancer is “a direct and proximate result of the unreasonably dangerous and defective nature of the Defendants’ hair color products and the chemicals contained therein.”

The lawyer representing Corvera in the hair dye lawsuit also represented plaintiffs against Johnson & Johnson in a lawsuit claiming that its baby powder caused ovarian cancer; that suit resulted in a $700 million settlement.

How are hairstylists exposed to carcinogens at work?

A carcinogen is a substance that has the potential to cause cancer or that increases your risk of developing cancer. This could include both human-made chemicals or substances that occur naturally in the environment. 

A hairstylist could be exposed to dangerous chemicals through inhalation or the skin. The American Cancer Society says studies show that people exposed to hair dye at work are at an increased risk for bladder cancer.

What makes hair dye dangerous?

As long ago as 1975, studies began to show that hair dyes were dangerous. The 1975 study of 170 hair dyes found that most of them altered the genetics of certain lab bacteria, which caused researchers to speculate that it could cause cancer in humans. 

4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) is an aromatic amine. It’s a known human carcinogen that causes bladder and liver cancer. A 2003 study conducted by the National Center for Toxicological Research (which is part of the FDA) determined that 4-ABP was present in eight of 11 tested commercial hair dye products. It is not in brown dye, but it is in most black, red, and blonde hair dye products. The chemical was found in both salon dyes and home dye kits. 

Today—more than 20 years later—4-ABP is still present in many hair dyes, even though the U.S. stopped commercial production of aminobiphenyl in the 1950s. Experts say modern products should not contain this substance because we know it causes cancer… yet, it’s still there. 

How can this chemical be in dye when the U.S. doesn’t produce it anymore? 

Federal regulation of cosmetics is lacking. Most cosmetic products and ingredients don’t require approval by the FDA. Usually, the chemical is not included on the product packaging because it materializes in manufacturing or when the dye is mixed with hydrogen peroxide or other accelerant in the salon. It’s not an additive or separate ingredient. 

The FDA does not require safety checks for cosmetics like it does for food and drugs. The product’s manufacturer is responsible for ensuring it is safe for consumers. 

A person who handles hair dye regularly over the course of years or decades has a strong association with a risk for bladder cancer. 

Unfortunately, there aren’t enough studies regarding hair dye use for a wearer (i.e. a person who has their hair dyed regularly but isn’t handling/breathing the chemicals as their job). The WHO has designated hair stylists as being at risk for cancers related to dye chemicals, but people who use hair dye are “not classifiable” by the organization. 

An NIH study in 2020 sought to investigate links between permanent hair dye use and cancer risk. Although the author says there’s scientific evidence of a link between hair dye use and cancer, it didn’t not necessarily imply causation. Still, another researcher familiar with the study says it could suggest that people who use hair dye are at a higher risk of developing cancer than people who don’t. The risks were elevated, depending on the shade of hair dye and the amount of time it’s been used. Black women were at higher risk because they tend to use darker dyes. However, at this time, researchers maintain that associations between personal use of hair dye and cancer risk is inconclusive.

What other hair dye chemicals are hazardous?

There are several chemicals in hair dye that have been linked to cancer. These include:

• Ammonia
• P-Phenylenediamine (PPD)
• Aromatic amines besides 4-ABP, including o-phenylenediamine and 4-chloro-o-phenylenediamine
• Formaldehyde
• Resorcinol

Each of these substances has been associated with increased risks of cancer.

How can the hair dye lawsuit help?

Corvera’s objective is to make hair dye products safer. Alternately, if there isn’t a way to change the formulas of the products, he thinks the manufacturers need to be honest with consumers to warn or potential health risks. 

The lawsuit isn’t about the risks of the dyes, exactly. It’s more about the companies’ failure to warn of the risks involved. 

Currently, lawsuits are underway by plaintiffs who include cosmetologists, hair stylists, hair colorists, hair technicians, and other salon workers.

How can a hair dye company protect hair stylists?

Warnings matter. A hair dye manufacturer could encourage reduced exposure by taking a couple of important precautions:

• Warn of cancer risks on the packaging and product inserts. 
• Provide specific instructions for wearing nitrile or non-latex gloves while handling products to avoid skin absorption. 
• Advise stylists to wear a mask or respirator to minimize inhalation of fumes. 
• Recommend proper ventilation in the salon to reduce airborne exposure. 
• Educate salon personnel on how to store, mix, and dispose of chemicals properly to reduce exposure.

What are the claims in the hair dye cancer lawsuits?

• Failure to disclose health risks of prolonged exposure; 
• Failure to warn hairstylists about using protective equipment like gloves, masks and ventilation; and 
• Failure to reformulate hair products to be safer, even though manufacturers were aware of risks.

A plaintiff with a successful hair dye lawsuit might be able to recover damages that include medical treatment costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other costs related to their illness or injury.

How to file a hair dye lawsuit

If you’re a hairstylist or other salon professional and have been diagnosed with cancer, you can contact a personal injury attorney for guidance.

When you meet with your lawyer, be prepared with the number of years you worked in a salon (and in what capacity), and a list of the products you’ve used regularly, along with your medical records. You and your lawyer can figure out the best approach to receiving damages for your losses if you’re eligible.