Three out of five women admit to changing their color--highlights, complete color changes or "roots".

If hair dying is on the list of “do NOT do’s” during pregnancy for a woman, what is the affect on the body when not pregnant?

According to Planet Green, dyed hair is not pretty:

"... 22 potentially carcinogenic hair-dye chemicals that have been banned in the European Union are still used in some U.S. formulations, including Acid Orange 24 and 2,3-Naphthalenediol. (If you use a home dye-kit, check the back of the box to avoid these ingredients; if you go to the salons for treatment, you may be at the mercy of your stylist.) Other common chemicals in hair dyes include coal tar colors, which can be identified by the ingredients "F,D,&C," "D&C,"  and "P-phenylenediamine" on labels. All are considered carcinogenic."

Permanent hair dyes have been proven to contain petrochemicals like coal and tar. The Independent recently reported on some research:

“Researchers at the University of Southern California, who studied 1,500 people with bladder cancer, found women who had used permanent hair dyes at least once a month were at two to three times greater risk of developing the cancer.”

Studies state dark hair dyes contain the strongest chemicals, decreasing the risk with lighter colors. Natural hair dyes contain non-harmful ingredients like cranberry juice, henna and cinnamon—these dyes are more common now than ever before.

For alternatives, we recommend this excellent article from Treehugger on natural hair dyes.

Tags: bladder cancer, hair dye, petrochemicals, Planet Green, Treehugger

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