Is it safe to use hair dye when pregnant?

Question

I am 8 weeks pregnant and getting married in 3 weeks. I'd like to dye my hair but dont want to harm the baby.

Is there anything i can safely use?

I have extended the question as i have got my first midwife appointment on Monday and want to ask her opinion before i choose a best answer.

Thanks for your responses!

Answer 1

Personally, I wouldn't use them. Hair dyes have a lot of chemicals in them, if you breathe them in, it could harm your baby.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. Most research, although limited, does show that it is safe to colour your hair while pregnant. Some studies have found that very high doses of the chemicals in hair dyes may cause harm however, these doses are massive in comparison to the very low amount of chemicals that a woman colouring her hair is exposed to.

Many women decide to wait to dye their hair until after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when the risk of chemical substances harming the baby is much lower. You can reduce the risk further by making sure that (if you are colouring your hair yourself) you wear gloves, leave the dye on for the minimum time, and work in a well-ventilated room.

Highlighting your hair also reduces any risk, as the chemicals used are only absorbed by the hair itself, and not by your scalp and into your bloodstream. Semi-permanent pure vegetable dyes, such as henna, are a safe alternative.

Do remember that pregnancy can affect the normal condition of your hair. Your hair may react differently to colouring or perming, becoming more or less absorbent, frizzy or unpredictable. Its always a good idea to do a strand test first using the treatment(s) you intend to use. Speak to your hairdresser for advice.

Information about hair treatments while breastfeeding is limited, but it is very unlikely that a significant amount of the chemicals that are used in hair dyes will be passed on to your breast milk. This is because very little enters the mothers bloodstream and, in the past, many women have received hair treatments while breastfeeding and there have been no known negative results.

Answer 4

Modern hair dyes are safe to use while pregnant. The smell of the dye may make you a little nauseous if smells have been getting to you so make sure that the room is well ventilated. But the chemicals aren't going to harm the baby in anyway. Go ahead and get dolled up for your wedding!! :) Congratulations on both the marriage and the baby.

Answer 5

When you're pregnant, there's a whole list of things that you suddenly find you have to take care with. Dyeing and colouring your hair has been highlighted in the past as a potential danger, but is there any evidence of risk and can you safely colour your hair whilst pregnant?

As pregnant women are advised to avoid some other chemicals and fumes, there have been a few studies into the safety of hair dye. Some substances in dyes have been found to penetrate the scalp and, in one study, a small amount of the dye paraphenylenediamine was detected in the urine of the hair dye user only 30 minutes after it had been applied.

Another study found a small - 3% - risk that hair dye may be associated with a type of heart defect. However, the results were inconclusive and other factors, such as exposure to pesticides, cleaning solvents, paints and medications may have been involved too. There have also been questions asked as to whether hair dye use in pregnancy may be linked to women having babies with a rare kidney tumour but, again, no definite link to the hair dye was found.

Hair stylists, who've spent many years being in daily contact with hair dye chemicals, do appear to have a slightly higher risk of having a miscarriage. This is thought to be due to regular contact with chemicals in dyes called teratogens, which can cause birth defects and increase the risk of miscarriage.

However despite the concerns, experts say that neither permanent nor semi-permanent hair dyes are highly toxic. The few studies that have been done found that very high doses of the chemicals could cause problems, but most women who colour their hair are only exposed to low amounts of chemicals. The risk is also minimised if you wait until you're at least 12 weeks pregnant.

Answer 6

I used hair dye all the way through my pregnancy and it didnt affect me or my son at all.
I did however only use 1 brand and i didnt use bleach what so ever.
I personally dont see a problem with it and seeing as its for such a special occassion you should do it if you want to do it!

Good luck with the wedding and congratulations

Answer 7

It won't effect your baby. Just make sure you are in a well ventilated area. Sometimes the fumes can be too much and you don't want to risk fainting or anything like that.

On a side note, I've heard that when your pg that since your hormones and everything are different, it might not turn out the way you want. It might not react the way you think. This is just what I've heard so, just in case, make sure you leave plenty of time to fix it before the wedding.

Answer 8

As long as you dont dye your hair constantly i dont think it hurts. One piece of advice I will give you is dont spend a fortune on hair dye cause I have found that the colour dont stay in my hair that long and also my hair is falling out so much more as well

Answer 9

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Answer 10

I know you aren't supposed to but I did...all the way through my pregnancy, if not I'd have looked about 75 by the end of my pregnancy (white hair). I used L'Oreal Excellence.

If you're not covering grey, Henna should be OK and comes in a variety of colours now (reds through to blacks)

Answer 11

Were i in your shoes i would prefer not to dye my hair. Most doctors say that it can be harmful. I f you really want to dye your hair choose a natural product... Good luck at wedding stuff !