biostudies-literatureGeczik AMIntramural NIH HHS301-310https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9256865biostudies-literatureUnknown33(2)<h4>Background</h4>Hair relaxers and skin lighteners have been commonly used by African women, with suggestions that they may have hormonal activity.<h4>Objectives</h4>To investigate the relationship of hair relaxer and skin lightener use to serum estrogen/estrogen metabolite levels.<h4>Methods</h4>We utilized the postmenopausal population-based controls of the Ghana Breast Health Study to estimate adjusted geometric means (GM) and 95% confidence intervals of individual circulating estrogen levels by hair relaxer/skin lightener exposure categories.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 585 postmenopausal women included in our analysis, 80.2% reported hair relaxer use and 29.4% skin lightener use. Ever hair relaxer use was positively associated with estriol (adjusted GM 95.4 pmol/L vs. never 74.5, p value Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiologyRelation of circulating estrogens with hair relaxer and skin lightener use among postmenopausal women in Ghana.PMC9256865ZIA CP010167Wiafe-Addai BAnsong DBiritwum RGarcia-Closas MBrinton LAOppong JTitiloye NEdusei LNyarko KYarney JAwuah BAhearn TUAdjei EDedey FWiafe SVanderpuye VOsei-Bonsu EClegg-Lamptey JNFalk RTFigueroa JGeczik AMXu XTrabert BAitpillah FfalseRelation of circulating estrogens with hair relaxer and skin lightener use among postmenopausal women in Ghana.<h4>Background</h4>Hair relaxers and skin lighteners have been commonly used by African women, with suggestions that they may have hormonal activity.<h4>Objectives</h4>To investigate the relationship of hair relaxer and skin lightener use to serum estrogen/estrogen metabolite levels.<h4>Methods</h4>We utilized the postmenopausal population-based controls of the Ghana Breast Health Study to estimate adjusted geometric means (GM) and 95% confidence intervals of individual circulating estrogen levels by hair relaxer/skin lightener exposure categories.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 585 postmenopausal women included in our analysis, 80.2% reported hair relaxer use and 29.4% skin lightener use. Ever hair relaxer use was positively associated with estriol (adjusted GM 95.4 pmol/L vs. never 74.5, p value 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Mar2025-04-04T12:28:46.322Z2025-04-04T12:28:46.322ZS-EPMC92568653499222410.1038/s41370-021-00407-4