As an expectant mother, you need not find the task of getting rid of the unwanted grey hairs on your head all by yourself. There are numerous options that you can explore for taking care of this awkwardness and some salons are entirely devoted to dealing with such problems.
It’s not entirely clear whether or not it is safe to use artificial dyes during your third trimester as some studies suggest they can pass through the placenta and affect the health of your developing baby. A desire to keep up with fashion often drives many pregnant women to dye their hair. Some stylists recommend against coloring between 16-26 weeks, but it is ultimately up to you and your physician to decide when the best time is for you to have this procedure done. Many clinicians advise pregnant women in this situation wait until the first trimester has passed however there is no solid evidence that imitates that these chemicals cause birth defects because there are no studies involving humans(1). If you’re pregnant, we advise getting a second opinion from an obstetrician before having a chemical dye for hair color applied.
While it may not be bad to dye your hair if you want to, we should still be mindful of an ingredient commonly found in hair dyes called “paraphenylenediamine”. Paraphenylenediamine is a potentially cancer-causing hair dye chemical. Since exposure to this chemical can cause an increased risk for bladder cancer, we feel that the potential risks are not worth taking.
Animal studies were conducted in order to illuminate this matter. Some of these animal studies suggested that certain constituents of hair dye could potentially cause detrimental side effects to unborn babies. However, considering many of these animals were exposed to excessive doses specifically found in these products and therefore bore little resemblance to how a woman would actually expose herself, the real risks may be incredibly small.
Since the chemical make up of both semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes are generally considered safe when used externally and some formulas fall within recommended limits of use, they can be much safer than others. It is best to read the ingredients on your specially formulated brand in order to see if there are certain chemicals or ingredients that may promote adverse reactions due to allergies you might already have (for example a person allergic to chlorine may have extreme reactions to peroxide which would then cause burns skin irritations). Only a small amount of chemicals are absorbed into the blood stream since about 60% of the variety of colouring ingredients are absorbed in small quantities when using higher volume developers at over 6% will enter your blood stream.
Some great alternatives you might be interested in are foil highlights or balayage highlighting. These styles do not involve direct contact with hair colouring, but instead apply the product to your head while it is rinsed off causing less amount of exposure during the application process. This way, you’re exposing yourself less to harmful chemicals that are used in most hair colouring procedures.
You can’t just block off somewhere you think is airtight as it doesn’t matter if the outlet or suction causes also causes a buildup of noxious fumes or vapors if you are unable to throw up some fresh air regularly. Think about getting an exhaust fan in your home, especially near your kitchen and bathrooms, because not only does this help remove smells from kitchens, it will also remove any toxic fumes and odors that may become trapped in your bathroom for example.
Many experts recommend henna or vegetable dyes as an alternative to chemical hair dyes. A product considered one of the safest professional hair color products is made by Farouk Systems or “Chi” and has been insured with the US federal food and drug administration (FDA) to be safe for use during pregnancy.
It is highly recommended to read over the ingredients that are used in these home brand hair dyes. Many of them contain chemicals just like their national brands do, with some claiming to be semi-permanent vegetable dye with no parabens, etc. However, pure henna is what I recommend as it comes in a variety of reds and browns, so you can match your hair’s color more easily! The only downside about pure henna is how long it takes for the color to take effect. Pure henna not only provides a stain that looks great but protects the client’s hair at the same time!
As a pregnant woman, it’s important for you to feel good about your pregnancy and that you are happy with the choices you have made for both yourself and your baby. It is common to want to get facials or dye your hair while breastfeeding to make yourself feel rejuvenated. We recommend that moms put their baby at top priority though when looking into these beauty treatments so as not to stress out your body during this critical time in their development. If it is important enough for you, we advice seeking advice from professionals like OBGYNs or GPs so as not to underestimate risks involved with these procedures for example but by all means do read up on some reputable articles before making a decision and speak with the reputed hairdresser prior to the procedure!
