Health Concerns From Dying Your Hair
The above study stopped short of saying that coloring your hair can cause cancer, but before you take that as a green light, you should know that other studies have found a clear-cut link.
For instance, one study of nearly 900 people found that women who used permanent hair dye at least once a month were twice as likely as women who did not use permanent hair dye to develop bladder cancer.
Meanwhile, those who reported regular use of the hair dye for at least 15 years were more than three times as likely to develop bladder cancer as non-dye users.
A separate study also found that women who use hair dyes for more than 20 years may nearly double their risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
Are Any Hair Dyes Safe?
Ideally, you should limit your exposure to all chemical products as much as possible, and that includes dying your hair. You really should not put anything on your body that you wouldn’t eat. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, staying away from hair dye is particularly important because of the impact it could have on your unborn child.
That said, I realize that pursuing a youthful appearance is very much indoctrinated into our culture. You may want to try using the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to let go of some of these unrealistic ideals.
But for those of you who are determined to use hair dye no matter what, well at least use these tips to minimize your risk:
1. Steer clear of the darkest shades. Although all of the shades use essentially the same chemicals, there's quite a lot more of them in dark brown and black shades than there are in blonde, red or lighter shades.
2. Avoid permanent hair color, as they’re the most toxic. Semi-permanent and temporary colors are less so.
3. Look for natural brands of hair color that use henna, herbal dyes and vegetable dyes as primary ingredients. These are likely to be much less toxic than the average hair color.
4. If you go to a salon, choose one that is toxin-free, odor-free, herbal, or caters to people with multiple chemical sensitivity and allergies. These salons tend to use less toxic products.
As an aside, if you are a woman under 40 and have prematurely gray hair, it is usually a result of hypothyroidism. If you fall into this category, it would be wise to learn about these natural methods to help restore your thyroid.