Facts and Tips About Hair colouring and Pregnancy
One of the most recurrent questions that we receive here at NATURIGIN is this:
IS IT SAFE TO COLOUR HAIR DURING PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING?
HERE AT NATURIGIN, WE DON’T RECOMMEND THAT YOU COLOUR YOUR HAIR DURING PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT ANYWAY, THEN READ OUR BEST TIPS, AND WHAT CHEMICALS TO AVOID.
To many women, being pregnant is one of the most special times in life. And taking care of our babies – even before they are born – becomes the greatest mission in life. Thus being worried about habits, such as colouring your hair, is natural in this phase of life. But giving up these habits can be difficult. And of course, we all want to look gorgeous, even when (or especially when) we’re pregnant, right? In this blog post, we set out to clarify what the dangers of colouring hair during pregnancy and breastfeeding might be.
Studies Show: Facts About Hair Colouring and Pregnancy
What might be surprising is that there is actually only limited research on the effects of colouring your hair during pregnancy. And experts have conflicting opinions on the matter. But here’s what we know:
First of all, studies indicate that very few of the chemicals in hair colours are absorbed by the body. The little percentage that is absorbed, will not stay in your system for long.
Secondly, permanent and semi-permanent hair colours are not considered highly toxic. Studies show that it would take very high amounts of the chemicals in hair dye to cause harm. And even then, it might not be harmful.
The doses of chemicals that you are exposed to when colouring your hair are very low compared to this.
Third, there are no reports saying that colouring your hair cause changes in your pregnancy.
Furthermore, it is known that very little of the chemicals in hair colours enter your bloodstream. Thus, it is considered unlikely that these chemicals will affect your pregnancy or your breastmilk.
Ingredients You Should Know
There are many recommendations on which products and ingredients to avoid during pregnancy. Hair colour in general is one of the products that are highly debated. And you probably know that there is a list of ingredients in hair colours that are considered potentially harmful for your health – whether you’re pregnant or not. We have listed some of the potentially harmful ingredients here.
However, there is no clear evidence showing that these particular substances have direct effect on your pregnancy. But in general, we recommend that you use hair colour and personal care products that are free of the following:
- Parabens
- Synthetic fragrance
- Ammonia
Other substances that you should avoid when you’re pregnant in particular are:
- Pesticides (choose organic foods and products)
- Over exposure to essential oils (such as tea tree oil)
- Formaldehyde
You can read more about the Five Chemicals You Should Avoid when Colouring Your Hair right here and learn what ‘organic’ means when we talk about hair colours and why it matter.
Our permanent hair colours is free of SLS, ammonia, resorcinol and parabens. Our product also includes certified organic natural oils, so if you decide to colour your hair during pregnancy and breastfeeding, our products is a good choice. As a substitute for hair colouring you can cover your regrowth with our Root Touch Up Concealers in Dark Brown or Light Brown.
7 Tips for Colouring Your Hair During Pregnancy
Now the hard facts are on the table. Though there is no evidence showing that colouring your hair will affect your pregnancy, we advise you to consider these facts carefully before making up your mind. But actually, this advice applies even when you’re not pregnant too! There will always be certain ‘health issues’ to consider when colouring your hair. But these facts don’t suggest that it is more harmful to colour your hair when you’re pregnant than at any other time in your life.
If you do decide to colour your hair, here are our best tips:
- Wear plastic gloves to avoid skin contact with the dye.
- Make sure there is good ventilation when you colour to minimize your exposure to the chemicals.
- Leave the hair dye in for the minimum amount of time
- Wait till the second trimester or later before you colour your hair. This seems to be the generally shared advice among experts and doctors. In this way, your growing baby and its developing organs will be less vulnerable to chemical substances.
- Carefully wash your scalp after colouring.
- Colour your hair as rarely as possible!
- Consider using a colouring technique that doesn’t cover all of the hair. For example, streaking, highlighting or balayage will allow you to freshen up your look, but the hair dye is not in direct contact with your scalp.
Read more about How to get the Best Result with Home Hair Colours
Hopefully, this post will be helpful when you’re thinking about colouring your hair during pregnancy. If you have any other questions, we would love to answer these in the best way we know!