A woman who says she developed a medical condition after using a common hair product can continue legal action against the manufacturers after a decision from the Georgia Supreme Court released Wednesday.
The justices did not rule on the specifics of the woman’s case, but their decision could impact Georgians who say they have been harmed by prolonged exposure to many types of product.
Kiara Burroughs told the court she started using chemical hair relaxer products, which help straighten naturally curly hair, around 1995, including products manufactured by Strength of Nature and L’Oreal. She said she used them regularly between 1995 and 2001 and from 2002 to 2014.
In 2018, Burroughs was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, which are common, non-cancerous growths on the uterus. According to the Mayo Clinic, many women develop uterine fibroids but never know it because they usually cause no symptoms. In some cases, however, the growths can lead to serious pain or cause menstrual or urinary problems.