Nationwide — Jeorgi Golden, an African American woman from Richmond, Virginia, who spent 35 years working as a hairstylist and nail tech, is now battling lung cancer after decades of exposure to salon chemicals. Diagnosed in April 2024, she is now questioning whether the products she handled daily contributed to her health problems. She says beauty professionals received little information about the potential dangers of these chemicals during her career.
Golden entered the beauty industry in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Over the years, she built close relationships with clients who often treated their salon visits as an opportunity to share personal struggles. She typically styled at least 10 clients a day, using chemical relaxers, hair dyes and other treatments. She also provided nail services, which exposed her to additional products and chemicals. Although she spent decades helping clients look and feel their best, she said workers received few warnings about the possible health risks associated with their jobs, according to WLBT.
At the time, salon workers were often told to wear gloves when handling certain relaxers containing lye, but Golden said they received little guidance about inhaling chemical fumes or using other protective equipment. Her lung cancer diagnosis left her searching for answers, particularly because she had never smoked. She eventually began questioning whether years of salon work had affected her health. Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, has been found in certain hair products and can cause respiratory problems. However, there is no established evidence that salon chemical exposure caused her specific cancer diagnosis. She also recalled undergoing a hysterectomy at age 26 after experiencing severe pain and passing out at work. Doctors found polyps, but she said they did not tell her that she had cancer.
Research has raised additional concerns about the possible health effects of chemical exposure in the beauty industry. A 2022 National Institutes of Health study known as the Sister Study followed approximately 33,000 women for 11 years and reported an association between formaldehyde exposure and uterine cancer. Researchers have also investigated the potential risks of chemical hair straighteners, which have been widely used by Black women. Golden said she began looking more closely at these concerns after learning that other women who worked in salons had developed serious illnesses. She believes beauty professionals may overlook possible connections between their work and health problems because they do not always recognize the risks of repeated chemical exposure.
Complaints filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have also highlighted safety concerns in salons across the country. An InvestigateTV review identified dozens of complaints over five years involving poor ventilation, inadequate protective equipment and missing chemical safety information. Some workers reported headaches, breathing difficulties and irritation of the eyes and throat while performing Brazilian blowout treatments. In 2010, OSHA investigated certain Brazilian Blowout products advertised as formaldehyde-free and detected formaldehyde in the air during testing. Golden recalled seeing inspectors visit salons during her career but questioned whether those inspections adequately addressed the chemicals workers breathed.
Meanwhile, federal lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio, have urged the Food and Drug Administration to ban formaldehyde in hair products and support more research into illnesses potentially linked to chemical treatments. California, Washington and Maryland have also taken steps to restrict formaldehyde in cosmetics, while federal action has faced repeated delays. Now retired, Golden hopes other beauty professionals will prioritize their health, use appropriate protective equipment and seek medical attention when something feels wrong. She said women often spend so much time caring for others that they neglect their own well-being.