 Is
it safe to use hair dye during pregnancy?
According to the European Commission, 60 per cent of women colour
their hair 6 to 8 times a year on average.
But what happens when you fall pregnant?
If you regularly dye or highlight your hair and don't relish the
thought of giving birth with 9 months' worth of root growth, read on to
sort the myths from the facts.
When everything is growing
Pregnancy is a time of incredible changes and while your baby begins
to grow you might find that your hair does the same, thanks to all those
extra pregnancy hormones. Unfortunately for those of you who dye their
hair, this accelerated hair growth means roots will be showing through
quicker than usual. But is it still safe to carry on colouring now that
you're pregnant?
Babyworld midwife Nicola Malcolm says, "Modern commercially-produced
hair dyes, used in accordance with the instructions, should be perfectly
safe during pregnancy although many women decide to wait to dye their
hair until after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy."
Indeed many doctors advise pregnant women to wait until after the first
trimester before using hair dyes, even though there is little scientific
evidence that colouring your hair in pregnancy could be harmful to your
baby. However, during your first trimester, the development of your baby's
brain and nervous system is at its most active. Nancy Slessenger, an expert
in the development of the brain explains, "There are times when a baby's
brain is making a quarter of a million new neurons every minute." So it's
not surprising that it is also during this time that your unborn child
is at the greatest risk from outside pollutants and chemicals.
Another reason you might want to wait before colouring your hair depends
on the changes pregnancy has on you. UK hairdresser Carol says, "Hormonal
changes in the body can mean you may experience a difference in texture
and your hair's general condition." This in turn can lead to hair colours
turning out far different to what you were expecting.
It's also worth remembering that the fumes from hair dyes - especially
home colouring kits - can make you feel nauseous, even if you don't suffer
morning sickness.
The science behind the myths
Hair dyes contain chemicals which have been shown to cause some harm
to animal foetuses. However, the doses used in the studies were over 100
times greater than the amount you would normally be exposed to when colouring
your hair.
Hairdresser and colour expert, Terry Holmes, says, "When hair is coloured,
most of the dye is absorbed by each individual hair shaft. It is only
when the dye touches the scalp that it can enter the body. Because of
this, only minute traces actually reach your bloodstream.
Terry also stresses that modern hair dyes are much safer than their predecessors.
"Chemicals found in dyes today have a very low toxicity, and although
studies in pregnancy are very limited, it is generally accepted that they
are safe to use during pregnancy."
However, as Charlotte Vhotz of Green People points out, "60 per cent
of everything we put on our skin is absorbed. When pregnant, all the toxins
we come into contact with are passed to the baby."
If you do decide to dye your hair throughout pregnancy, it's worth remembering
that some traces of hair dye could reach your unborn baby and the more
often you colour, the more often your baby will be subjected to these
minute traces.
Highs and lows of colour
If you don't want to risk colouring your whole hair, but still want locks
you can be proud of during your pregnancy, then highlights - or lowlights
- could be the perfect alternative.
Terry says, "Depending on your natural colour, and the sort of effect
you want, both highlights and lowlights can make all the difference without
posing any threat to you or your baby.
"Because of the technique involved, colour is added to the hair about
an inch away from the scalp, so there is no danger of the dye being absorbed
into the body."
Something less permanent
If you do want an all over colour, then another option would be to go
for a semi-permanent colour. Although they don't last as long as permanent
colours, choosing one that's free from harmful chemicals, such as ammonia
and peroxide, can help make colouring your hair in pregnancy guilt-free.
Other products on the market include toned shampoos and conditioners
that help brighten your natural hair colour without the use of harsh chemicals.
Natural technicolour
If you decide it's simply not worth the risk, then you could find salvation
in your own kitchen cupboard. Staff at the Longlocks Boutique say, "We
believe natural products are best for your hair, best for your soul, and
best for the environment." Their compilation of natural hair products
includes the following recipes for completely safe hair dyes.
- Blondes - Steep 6 chamomile teabags in a mug of boiling water
for 15 minutes. Throw away the bags and add 1/2 cup of plain yogurt,
mixing thoroughly. Apply the mixture to dry hair, working through to
ends. Cover head in plastic wrap and leave for thirty minutes. Shampoo
hair.
- Brunettes - Shampoo hair. Place a large bowl in sink and rinse
hair with cooled, triple strength coffee. Repeat several times, reusing
the coffee. Leave final rinse in hair for at least 15 minutes. Rinse
with clear water.
- Redheads - Mix together 1/2 cup beetroot juice with 1/2 cup
carrot juice and pour over clean, damp hair. Wrap head in plastic and
either apply a hot towel, medium dryer heat, or sit in the sun for one
hour. Shampoo.
by Clodagh Foelster
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