Is it safe to dye my hair during pregnancy?

Table Of Content

• Consider Different Options for the Kind of Hair Color Treatment You Might Use
• How else can I be safe while dyeing my hair during pregnancy?
• Is it safe to dye my hair during pregnancy?
• Will using hair dye increase the chance of pregnancy loss?
• Hoping to add a fun new shade to your locks while pregnant? Go ahead, but take some precautions.

“As long as you’re going to an accredited salon that has a well-ventilated space and takes proper safety precautions, there should be no cause for alarm,” says Dr. DiSabatino. Even if you’re not pregnant, you should take these same precautions. The most common active chemicals used in hair dye include ammonia, peroxide and paraphenylenediamine (PPD). Ammonia raises the pH level of the hair so color change can occur, peroxide takes away the natural color in hair produced by melanin and PPD applies the pigment. Almost all hair dyes—even boxes labeled as “natural”—contain these chemicals.

Consider Different Options for the Kind of Hair Color Treatment You Might Use

Breast milk typically contains the same kinds of chemicals that are in your bloodstream, including what you eat and drink. This is why doctors advise against drinking alcohol or eating very spicy foods when you’re nursing. The chemicals in hair dye are absorbed into the bloodstream in very minute amounts and will be even less present in your breast milk.

How else can I be safe while dyeing my hair during pregnancy?

"If you want to take some precautions, you can use a semi-permanent hair dye or a temporary dye or something more gentle such as a vegetable or henna-based dye," says Dr. Hack. Aleha Aziz, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University, agrees that contemporary hair dye and bleach do not pose health risks when used correctly. "Chemicals in hair dye are generally not thought to be harmful, and evidence suggests that systemic absorption of hair products is minimal," she tells Allure. "Reaching the placenta in substantial amounts to cause harm to the fetus is unlikely." Almost all hair dyes contain the chemicals ammonia, peroxide and paraphenylenediamine (PPD). Some expectant mothers are concerned that these chemicals will seep through their scalp and negatively impact their growing baby, says Dr. Danielle Levy, OB-GYN at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, New York.

Is it safe to dye my hair during pregnancy?

The fumes can be incredibly irritating for pregnant women or people with breathing sensitivities like asthma. Your scalp also doesn't absorb much of the hair dye, especially if you have a healthy scalp. Since the risks are unknown, though, it's always better to be on the safe side. Before you get too far, there's a lack of evidence regarding hair dye and pregnancy. Many studies have excluded pregnant participants due to the ethical concern of studying drug and cosmetic effects on pregnant women.

Best Vegan Pregnancy-Safe Hair Dye

Pregnant? Expert advice on when it's OK to dye your hair - TODAY

Pregnant? Expert advice on when it's OK to dye your hair.

Posted: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 07:00:00 GMT [source]

We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. Pregnancy can be a time of joy, but it also brings many safety concerns. One question many expectant mothers may have is whether it is safe to dye their hair. Getting a perm doesn't appear to be a risk to your health or your baby's.

Is It Safe to Dye Your Own Hair While Pregnant?

Coloring is just one of several chemical processes that women use on their hair, and each type may have an effect on pregnancy. Curling, or a permanent wave, is created by using two different solutions on the hair. The first is the waving solution, giving your curls the desired tightness, while the second acts as a neutralizer to stop the curling process. Just like we don’t have a lot of research on how hair dye impacts fetal development, we have very little real data about the impact (if any) hair dye has on breast milk.

What can you do instead of dyeing your hair while pregnant?

Healthcare providers recommend waiting to dye your hair until the second or third trimester. Some even recommend waiting until after your baby is born in high-risk pregnancies. Applications such as highlights and hair painting pose even lower risks because the color is applied only to the hair, not the scalp. There's no single cause of cancer, so using hair dye doesn't pose a dire risk. Pregnant women might be at particular risk, though, because of their bodies' significant changes. For women with a history of breast cancer, avoiding hair dye could lower your risk of developing breast cancer down the road.

Will using hair dye increase the chance of pregnancy loss?

Most hair dyes contain chemicals, but your scalp doesn't absorb much of the hair dye, especially if you have a healthy scalp. Most research shows that it’s safe to dye or colour your hair while pregnant. If you're coloring your own hair at home, wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated room to minimize your exposure to the chemicals used in the coloring process. The NHS states that only a very small amount of the chemicals in hair dye will enter the bloodstream. As a result, a person will not be able to pass on a significant amount through breast milk.

She remarked what a good client she was, only getting up once to go to the bathroom because she's eight months pregnant. Many women also wait until after the first trimester (12 week mark) when the risk of chemical harm to your baby is lower. Before you apply a treatment to your entire head of hair, be sure to do a patch test. Make sure that you don’t have an allergic reaction by testing a small area first. This is also helpful because hair can change throughout pregnancy, including the way it takes and holds color.

Talk to your healthcare provider and, if possible, meet with an industrial hygienist or occupational medicine physician to talk about safe work practices. If you get a perm or hair relaxer, you might be surprised at the results. Pregnancy hormones change the composition and texture of your hair – and the way it reacts to the chemicals. It points out that the amount of chemicals the scalp may absorb is very low under typical use and very little would reach the fetus. The NHS advises performing a strand test before applying the dye to the rest of the hair. What to Expect selects products based on real-life testing conducted by staff, contributors and members our user community, as well as independent research and expert feedback; learn more about our review process.

Ob/Gyn Salena Zanotti, MD, dives into hair dye, pregnancy and its effects on fetal development. Perming your hair during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy is a safe treatment and can make caring for your hair less time consuming and easier. Although, you're advised to avoid having any chemically treatment on your hair in the first trimester. Rather than dye your entire hair, ask your stylist about highlights, frosting, or streaking to avoid applying dye directly to your scalp or skin.

Of course, there's no harm in putting off your color treatments until after you've given birth. "If you really, really want to have an abundance of caution, then my recommendation for my pregnant patients is always just to wait," says Dr. Hack. "In the event that something happens, you don't want to end up in a situation where you're blaming yourself, even if it was something that's out of your control." Being pregnant doesn't mean you have to stop coloring your hair, but you may want to tweak your routine for peace of mind.

What to Expect is the world’s most trusted pregnancy and parenting brand for a reason. Our product recommendations are based on expert parent insight, advice from medical professionals and feedback from the millions of parents and parents-to-be in our community. We made our selections for the best pregnancy-safe hair dye by looking for products that are plant-based and/or organic and free of certain ingredients as outlined in the guidance above. We also consulted What to Expect community and user reviews to make sure we were picking the best of the best. Complete a patch test on your skin before putting the henna in your hair. If there is a black stain, this indicates added chemicals and you shouldn’t use the product.

Pregnancy do’s and don’ts - Part 2 - Mayo Clinic Press

Pregnancy do’s and don’ts - Part 2.

Posted: Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Simply remove the lid and use like a paint brush to cover over your roots. Nutrafol's hair growth formulas are designed to meet your bio-specific needs and help you target the root causes of hair loss. You should be able to feel and look your best during pregnancy, Simpson says. Every piece of content at Flo Health adheres to the highest editorial standards for language, style, and medical accuracy.

Whether you choose to color your hair at home or a salon, do it in a well-ventilated area and follow all instructions on how to use hair dye properly. When you schedule a single process color, like an all-over dye, or have your roots retouched on a regular basis, more dye or bleach is coming in contact with your scalp. “To be extra safe, a pregnant person can choose to have hair dye processes that result in the least amount of contact with the scalp,” says Dr. DeNoble. Whether you have grown out roots or notice your strands getting brassy, it’s best to minimize the number of times you dye your hair during pregnancy.