Depilatory Creams Safe Amid 2026 Relaxer Suits?

With all the lawsuits flying around about hair relaxers, people are understandably getting nervous about every chemical hair product on the shelf. The big question I’m hearing is: “Is my depilatory cream part of the hair relaxer lawsuit?” The answer is no, and it’s because the products are chemically worlds apart. While they both get rid of hair using chemicals, the specific ingredients and the legal claims being made are completely separate issues.

The Relaxer Lawsuits: How We Got Here

The flood of lawsuits against chemical hair relaxer companies didn’t just appear out of nowhere. They’re built on claims that using these products for years is linked to serious health problems like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and even ovarian and breast cancer. All these cases have been grouped together into what’s called a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in Illinois, and they’re going after huge names like L’Oréal, Revlon, and Strength of Nature Global. The whole case hinges on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in so many relaxer formulas. For years, if a woman developed fibroids, doctors would point to genetics or “lifestyle,” not the tub of relaxer she’d been using since she was a teenager. What really went wrong was a total blind spot in both medicine and public awareness about the long-term effects of these cosmetic chemicals. Women, especially women of color who use relaxers the most, were told these products were safe for decades. There were never any real warnings on the box about potential links to reproductive cancers. The tide turned when real science started catching up. A major study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute back in 2022 was a big one, finding that women who frequently used chemical straighteners had a much higher risk of uterine cancer. That study, along with others from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), finally gave lawyers the hard data they needed. The research pointed fingers at specific chemicals often found in relaxers, like phthalates (diethyl phthalate, or DEP) and things that release formaldehyde as they sit on the shelf or on your scalp (like quaternium-15). The theory is that these chemicals get absorbed through the scalp and mess with your body’s hormone system. Because it can take years, even decades, for cancer to develop after exposure, connecting the dots was tough, but the pile of scientific evidence is now too big to ignore.

Why Depilatory Creams Aren’t Part of This Mess

Depilatory creams (think Nair, Veet) work on a completely different chemical basis than relaxers. Hair relaxers use really strong alkaline agents, sodium hydroxide (that’s lye) or guanidine carbonate/calcium hydroxide in the “no-lye” kits, to permanently break down the protein bonds in your hair and make it straight. Depilatory creams, on the other hand, use chemicals called thioglycolates, like calcium thioglycolate. These also break down hair proteins, but in a different way that turns the hair into a jelly-like substance you can just wipe off your skin. It’s a temporary fix because it doesn’t touch the follicle. This chemical difference is exactly why depilatory creams aren’t being dragged into the relaxer lawsuits. The cancer and endocrine disruption claims are tied directly to the chemicals used in relaxers, not the thioglycolates in depilatories. That’s not a free pass for depilatories, of course. They can still give you nasty skin irritation, allergic reactions, or even chemical burns if you leave them on too long or have sensitive skin. But the specific, systemic health risks at the heart of the relaxer MDL are a different conversation entirely.

How to Actually Check Your Products for Safety

If you’re worried about the chemicals in your bathroom cabinet, you have to get comfortable reading ingredient labels. The FDA is supposed to regulate cosmetics, but their power to test things before they hit shelves is nothing like their power over drugs. That puts the responsibility right back on us to be smart shoppers.

Step 1: Get Used to Reading the Fine Print

When you’re buying any kind of hair removal product, flip it over and actually read the ingredients.

• For Depilatory Creams: The active ingredients will be something like calcium thioglycolate, potassium thioglycolate, or maybe strontium sulfide. These are what do the work. If you have sensitive skin, also watch out for fragrances or other things you know you react to.
• For Hair Relaxers (if you’re still using them): You need to be on high alert for the stuff named in the lawsuits. This means:
• Phthalates: Look for diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Companies are slowly phasing them out, but you might still find them in older products or from brands that aren’t as transparent.
• Formaldehyde-releasers: These are preservatives that slowly leak formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen. The names to watch for are quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea.
• Parabens: These aren’t the main target of the relaxer suits, but things like propylparaben and butylparaben are also known endocrine disruptors that a lot of people are trying to avoid anyway.

Step 2: Keep an Eye on the FDA

The rules for cosmetics are finally starting to change. A 2022 law called the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) gives the FDA more power, including the ability to force recalls and require companies to report bad reactions. More importantly for this topic, the FDA is taking a harder look at specific ingredients. For instance, they proposed a rule in 2024 to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in hair straighteners, which should be finalized by late 2026. This would completely change the market. Knowing what the FDA is targeting can help you decide what to ditch from your routine now instead of waiting. Resources like the Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Skin Deep database can also help you look up ingredients you don’t recognize.

Step 3: Always, Always Do a Patch Test

I don’t care what the box says. Before you slather any new chemical product on a large patch of your body, test it first. Put a small dab on a hidden spot, like behind your ear or the inside of your elbow, and leave it for 24-48 hours. If you see any redness, feel any itching or burning, just don’t use the product. It’s not worth it. Even if the patch test is fine, pay attention to how your skin and body feel after you use something new.

Step 4: Talk to Your Doctor

If you have any weird health problems that you think might be connected to a cosmetic product, you need to talk to a doctor. Make a list of the products you use, and if you can, bring the ingredient lists with you. Getting a proper diagnosis and treatment is the most important thing.

Step 5: Tell the FDA What Happened

The FDA has a program called MedWatch where you can report bad reactions to cosmetics. They rely on these reports from regular people and doctors to spot problems. When you report what happened to you, your data helps them see patterns that might trigger a bigger investigation, a recall, or a new safety rule.

Making Smarter Choices

The bottom line is that by reading labels and understanding what these different chemicals actually do, you can make much better decisions for your own body. The hair relaxer lawsuits have definitely made everyone more aware of the real risks that can hide in cosmetics, and that’s pushing both consumers and regulators to be more careful. There’s a clear line between the chemicals in hair relaxers and those in depilatory creams, which is why one is facing massive legal trouble and the other isn’t. But that doesn’t mean depilatory cream makers are off the hook for safety, or that we should stop reading labels. The new regulatory pressure, kicked off by lawsuits and backed by science, means we’re heading toward a market with safer, more transparent products. You should be able to pick products that work for you without worrying about hidden health risks down the line.