Uterine fibroids are swellings, growths or knots of muscle tissues that form on or outside of your uterus. Some women may have one or multiple. The sizes also differ. The fibroid tissue may be as small as a grape or as massive as a watermelon. No matter the size though, they are very bad for your health.
Yale University published a research that concluded that black women over the age of 20 have a higher chance of having uterine fibroids. The bad news, however, is that you may not even know you have them until the symptoms become very obvious. And by then, it could be too late.
One of the probable reasons why black women are at higher risks for fibroids is some of the hair products that we use. Majority of African women rely on such products as relaxers to keep their hair at a manageable texture.
These hair relaxers and straightening products contain some chemicals that are very harmful to you and can increase your risk of uterine fibroids. The culprits are referred to as phthalates. This is the chemical that is responsible for the fragrance of these products.
Phthalates can stimulate the production of oestrogen which encourages the growth of fibroids.
What you can do
One way to ensure you’re not buying products that can be dangerous to your health is to take a look at the ingredients list of your relaxer, shampoo, hair dye, etc. If you see the chemical phthalates mentioned there or you see other labels like DEB, DEHP, DBP, then you should know that it’s a harmful product.
When left unchecked, fibroids can continue to grow and before long, you’ll be experiencing worse symptoms than cramping and bleeding. These growths can also prevent fertilization from taking place and can cause infertility so uterine fibroids must never be ignored.
Because many women may be unaware of the subtle signs, the best thing you can do for yourself is to go in for regular check-ups. This way, if you do have fibroids, they should be caught on time before they cause any major damage.
