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New research is raising serious questions about the chemicals found in hair extensions and synthetic braiding hair, products widely used by Black women.

A 2026 peer-reviewed study tested 43 commercially available hair extension products, including synthetic hair made from different fibre types such as Kanekalon, Mastermix, Aquatex and Spetra. These aren’t four specific brands. They’re material/fibre categories used to make hair extensions, meaning the findings aren’t limited to one particular brand or product. The study also included human-hair and other bio-based extensions.

Researchers detected 933 chemical signatures and identified 169 chemicals, including substances associated with cancer, reproductive or developmental harm and hormone disruption.

Some of the synthetic products were marketed as flame-resistant, heat-resistant, water-resistant or even “non-toxic”, yet researchers still detected chemicals of concern in the samples.

The study does not prove that wearing hair extensions causes cancer or other diseases. What it does show is that chemicals of concern can be present across different types of extension materials, while manufacturers often provide limited information about the chemicals used to treat them.

And this matters particularly for Black women. More than 70% of Black women in the U.S. reported wearing hair extensions, compared with less than 10% of women from other racial and ethnic groups. Hair extensions and added hair are also deeply embedded in beauty culture among Black women and communities around the world.

There is still more research needed to understand actual long-term exposure and health effects, but knowing what is in the hair we’re buying should absolutely be part of the conversation.