Do you think hair dye causes harm?

Millions of us dye our hair at some point in our lives.  In the UK, the hair dye industry is worth £175million.

But are hair dyes causing us harm?

Hair dyes contain thousands of different chemicals.  It is key for scientists to determine the long term health effects of these chemicals.

The formulations of hair dye has changed over the years.  Early hair dyes were found to cause cancer in various animals. But in the 1970s, some of the cancer causing chemicals were removed from hair dye.  But studies on the hair dyes we currently use are lacking.

Dr Ian White, chairman of the Scientific Committee on Cosmetic and Non-Food Products and consultant dermatologist at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, said: ‘They have not provided ample information that the dye is safe. Isn’t it amazing that a product should have such wide gaps in its toxicological requirements but be on sale?’

The current data suggests that the highest risks are associated with dark-coloured, permanent dyes used every four to six weeks as dark hair dyes use a chemical called para-Phenylenediamine (PPD).

There is some data to show an increase in bladder cancer in hairdressers and an investigation of 1,500 people with bladder cancer in California found women who used permanent hair dyes once a month were twice as likely to get the disease. Research in Sweden suggested that chemicals found in colouring products might damage the immune system, triggering rheumatoid arthritis.

According to the National Cancer Institute “Although some studies have linked the personal use of hair dyes with increased risks of certain cancers of the blood and bone marrow, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and leukemia, other studies have not shown such links. Studies of breast and bladder cancer have also produced conflicting results. Relatively few studies have been published about the association of hair dye use with the risk of other cancers. Based on its review of the evidence, the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that personal use of hair dyes is “not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans”.

What about using hair dye when you are pregnant?  There have been relatively few studies on this so we do not know the risk to the fetus, but there are some suggestions that you should not use hair dye in the first trimester.  I would extend this and recommend that since the studies have not been conducted, you should not use hair dye at all when pregnant.

Do you feel comfortable using hair dye?

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