Does she or doesn’t she?
(Dye her hair.)
That’s a famous question from a common TV ad for a popular hair dye product. Of course, the advertiser wanted everybody to dye their hair – even though, for reasons I never understood, the most popular hair color for elderly women was actually blue.
Today, an estimated 75% of American women dye their hair on a permanent or semi-permanent basis.
Around 10% of adult American men dye their hair.
Americans aren’t alone. Hair coloring will be an estimated $38.05 billion global business by 2027.
Although some dye jobs are clearly meant to be temporary, for a social event or entertainment, the primary motivation is to cover up white and gray hair. Of course, this is nothing new. People have been dyeing their hair for who knows how many thousands of years.
The Historical Problem
For over one hundred years, the commercial dyes available for hair are aromatic amines. Unfortunately, aromatic amines are powerful contact allergens. That is, we’re allergic to them.
And there are no effective nonallergenic substitutes.
Yes, you can do the classic forty-eight-hour test. Place a little bit on a small patch of your skin, then wait forty-eight hours to see whether your skin reacts to the compound.
But it can take a week for skin allergies to show up.
And skin allergies aren’t the worst danger.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), aromatic amine dyes are “probably carcinogenic” for hairdressers, stylists and barbers. That is the people who are most exposed to these chemicals through their jobs and businesses.
According to IARC’s epidemiology studies, people in these positions suffer an increased risk of bladder cancer.
They did a meta-analysis of forty-two research studies. Hairdressers have significant increased risk of bladder cancer, especially those who had been working at their positions for ten or more years.
Hairdressers, barbers and beauticians also suffer increased risk of lung cancer, larynx cancer and multiple myelomas.
The researchers suggested hair salons be better ventilated, to manage the risk.
What About User Risk?
So, we can figure the hair professionals will have a lot of chronic exposure to the aromatic amines in commercial dye products.
But, in the end, it’s the customer who leaves with a lot of dye on her or his head. They’re exposed to these chemicals from inhaling them and from skin contact.
Fortunately, the major risk is for those who get regular exposure. But, of course, that could be anyone who helps a friend or family member dye their hair.
Cancer Warning Labels
In 1979, the FDA began requiring hair dye companies to place a cancer warning label on certain products.
From 1978 to 1982, therefore, these oxidative products were reformulated to get rid of possible mutagenic (could cause a mutation) and carcinogenic compounds.
Some Success
After the riskiest products were removed, cases of leukemia and follicular lymphoma dropped off.
However, there’s still danger. Another study looked at the risk from hair dyes of getting nonHodgkins Lymphoma, and concluded people should use hair dyes as little as possible.
Hair Dyes by Exposure Time
1. Temporary dyes
They cover your hair but don’t penetrate the shaft. Therefore these dyes last for only one or two hair washings.
2. Semi-permanent
These dyes do penetrate the shafts of your hairs. They typically last from five to ten washings.
3. Permanent
Also called oxidative or coal tar dyes. These form the main danger because you’re exposed every time you dye your hair with them, and you do this on a regular basis to maintain the illusion your hair is really this color. These chemicals do change the shaft of your hair.
They’re permanent because they last until your hair gets new growth. Then the new hairs must be dyed.
Darker hair colorants use more of the aromatic amines. Therefore, most of the risk comes from semi-permanent and permanent hair coloring agents.
Cancer Risk for Hair Dye Users
With hair dyes containing perhaps hundreds of strong chemicals, nobody can say modern hair dyes can’t cause cancer.
However, since the 1980 cut-off, the risk has gone down.
Medical science has conducted many studies to determine how risky hair dyes are for breast cancer, leukemia, lymphomas and bladder cancer.
The results have been mixed. Some studies found an increased risk, and some effectively no risk.
Advice from the Food & Drug Administration to Remain Safe
* Follow all instructions, especially all Caution and Warnings on every hair dye product.
* Wear gloves when applying the dye.
* Do not scratch scalp or brush hair up three days before applying dye.
(Removing outer layers of skin makes it more open and vulnerable to all chemicals in the dye.)
* Likewise – do not apply hair dye when your scalp is scratched, sunburned or otherwise damaged.
* Likewise – do not apply hair dye until at least two weeks after bleaching, perming or relaxing your hair.
* Do a “patch test” before every use of hair dyes.
That means, dab a small amount on bare skin before every application. Do it even though you’ve already done the test many times without causing an allergic reaction. Sometimes your skin doesn’t become irritated or allergic to a substance the first time.
* Many doctors advise women to not dye hair during pregnancy, or, at least, in the first trimester. Check with your doctor.
* Do not leave dye on your scalp any longer than necessary. Follow the directions.
* Look for products using alternative, natural, and organic ingredients.
* Do not allow children to play with hair dyes.
* After using hair dye, rinse your scalp completely with water.
* NEVER try to use a hair dye on eyebrows or eyelashes. The FDA bans such products. They could damage your eyes or even blind you.
Conclusion
If you just want to dye your hair pink every so often for a party, have at it.
But if you wish to be cautious, don’t use permanent or semi-permanent hair dyes that, in the long run, may increase risk of cancer or other complications.
https://scandinavianbiolabs.com/blogs/journal/hair-dye-statistics
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/do-hair-dyes-cause-cancer/
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/hair-dyes.html
