When I was growing up in my country of birth, somewhere in Middle - Eastern Europe, I could hear here and there, from my grandma, mum or other people, that when you are planning to get pregnant or you already are the happy mummy-to-be, you should definitely stop dyeing your hair. The reason behind this was that it might cause some irreversible damage to the baby’s health. And I wonder if they were really so far from the truth…

Risk of cancer

I browsed the internet and books and this is what I found about chemical hair dyes. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer based in France, barbers and hairdressers -- particularly men -- were found to be at a higher risk of getting bladder cancer due to their frequent use of chemical hair dyes or only because they were exposed to them on daily basis (not necessarily using them). The scientists from the agency also confirmed that a number of studies intimated a probable link between personal use of chemical hair dyes with some forms of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma and bladder cancer.

Unfortunately for us consumers the producers of chemical hair dyes can put almost everything into them, including harmful ingredients, as safety tests are not required by most governments before the products are released to the market. As personal care products they can only be independently tested when the complaints from the unhappy consumers force the proper bodies to react. Doesn’t it sound scary?

Many hair dyes are classified by environmental agencies and groups as dangerous, because they contain toxic ingredients which may lead to many health conditions such as allergies, skin problems, cancer, organ toxicity, reproductive system toxicity, lung irritation, etc.

Ingredients you should watch out for in your chemical hair dyes

Coal Tar

This ingredient is common in chemical hair dyes that are deep and dark in colour and in fact, it has been estimated that almost 71% of hair colours contain this hazardous ingredient. It irritates the skin of the scalp when it penetrates it. What sounds even spookier, the results of tests on animals show that coal tar can cause cancer to them. So why shouldn’t it cause cancer to us?

 DMDM Hydantoin

This is a type of preservative or active ingredient seen in hair dyes as well as in many other ‘beauty’ products, like: shampoos, conditioners, lotions, etc. In Japan, this preservative has already been restricted, because the evidence shows it can cause immune-system-related problems.

Formaldehyde

This formally sounding name is actually the chemical substance used to preserve dead bodies. It cannot do any harm to them, but definitely is a hazard for us, as according to various scientific sources it can cause cancer and reproductive problems. Women who are pregnant should never use any product that contains formaldehyde, because it may be a big danger for the healthy development of the fetus.

Phenyl Methyl Pyrazolone

This oxidizing agent can cause headache, cough, irritation, colds and even shortness of breath. This substance comes from the well known by us coal tar, which automatically assures us that it may be toxic and carcinogenic. Based on investigations, fetus exposed to this ingredient can have higher risk of learning difficulties. So pregnant women beware.

There is a safe solution

What a relief! We women do not have to give up our desire for constant change and can have a beautiful hair colour without any chemicals. On the European market there are natural hair dyes available, in which the ingredients come from plants only. The most popular herbal extracts: henna, indigo and amla do not cause any damage to our hair, as well as general health and well being. Furthermore, natural hair dyes usually make hair look much better than before, really glossy and shiny, and they give those unique reflections, making our hair originally beautiful.

 For more information go to:

http://www.searchforhealth.co.uk/Natural-and-Chemical-Hair-Dyes