Ogunsina Kemi, O'Brien Katie M, White Alexandra J, Chang Che-Jung, Gaston Symielle A, Jackson Chandra L, Sandler Dale P
Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2025 Jan;133(1):17004. doi: 10.1289/EHP14493. Epub 2025 Jan 14.
Uterine fibroids disproportionately affect Black women, and exposure to chemicals from hair relaxers or straighteners ("straighteners") may contribute to fibroid development.
We examined the association between straightener use and prevalent young-onset uterine fibroids (diagnosed before age 36 y), as well as incident fibroids (diagnosed age 36-60 y), with a focus on Black women. We also examined differences in associations across birth cohorts as proxies for formulation changes.
Data from 4,162 Black women in the Sister Study, a prospective cohort of women 35-74 y of age (enrolled 2003-2009), were analyzed. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the association of straightener use at 10-13 y of age and self-reported young-onset fibroids. We used Cox regression to assess hazard ratios (HRs) for straightener use (age 10-13 y and in 12 months before enrollment) and incident fibroids among 779 premenopausal Black women. Similar analyses were conducted in 40,782 non-Hispanic White women.
Over 70% of Black women used straighteners. In comparison with no use, any [; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.96, 1.36] and frequent use (; 95% CI: 0.99, 1.42) of straighteners at 10-13 y of age were associated with young-onset fibroids. This association was most apparent among those born between 1928 and 1945 (; 95% CI: 1.15, 2.74) and 1965-1974 (; 95% CI: 0.82, 3.29). Fibroid incidence from 36 to 60 y of age was modestly associated with use of straighteners at 10-13 y of age [hazard ratio ; 95% CI: 0.81, 1.63] and in the 12 months prior to enrollment (; 95% CI: 0.88, 2.00). Among non-Hispanic White women, straightener use at 10-13 y of age was similarly associated with young-onset fibroids (; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.47) despite lower use () of straighteners. Sensitivity analyses indicated a potential for bias due to fibroid misclassification, with an overestimation of the effect likely if nulliparous women or women from households with lower education reported their fibroid status less accurately.
Hair straightener use may be positively associated with fibroid risk. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14493.
子宫肌瘤对黑人女性的影响尤为严重，接触直发剂或拉直剂（“直发产品”）中的化学物质可能会促使肌瘤发展。
我们研究了使用直发产品与年轻女性期子宫肌瘤（36岁之前确诊）以及新发肌瘤（36至60岁确诊）之间的关联，重点关注黑人女性。我们还研究了不同出生队列之间关联的差异，以此作为配方变化的代表。
分析了“姐妹研究”中4162名黑人女性的数据，该研究是一项针对35至74岁女性（2003年至2009年入组）的前瞻性队列研究。我们使用逻辑回归来估计10至13岁时使用直发产品与自我报告的年轻女性期肌瘤之间关联的比值比（OR）。我们使用Cox回归来评估779名绝经前黑人女性中10至13岁时（以及入组前12个月内）使用直发产品与新发肌瘤之间的风险比（HR）。在40782名非西班牙裔白人女性中进行了类似分析。
超过70%的黑人女性使用直发产品。与不使用相比，10至13岁时任何使用（；95%置信区间[CI]：0.96，1.36）和频繁使用（；95%CI：0.99，1.42）直发产品与年轻女性期肌瘤相关。这种关联在1928年至1945年出生的人群中最为明显（；95%CI：1.15，2.74）以及1965年至1974年出生的人群中（；95%CI：0.82，3.29）。36至60岁时肌瘤发病率与10至13岁时使用直发产品适度相关[风险比；95%CI：0.81，1.63]以及入组前12个月内使用（；95%CI：0.88，2.00）。在非西班牙裔白人女性中，10至13岁时使用直发产品与年轻女性期肌瘤同样相关（；95%CI：1.03，1.47），尽管直发产品使用率较低（）。敏感性分析表明由于肌瘤分类错误可能存在偏差，如果未生育女性或来自教育程度较低家庭的女性报告其肌瘤状况不太准确，则可能高估效应。
使用直发产品可能与肌瘤风险呈正相关。https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14493。
