Most people are not aware of the hazards of using hair dye, I've compiled a simple list warning signs, and information for pregnant women, regular, and newby hair dye users alike.
In continuation of the recent articles I have written about toxic hair loss from hair dye products, I have compiled a list of things that people should be aware of, if they are using, or considering to use hair dye. The dangers and risks you are taking by putting hair dye on your hair should be listed on the box, or the inside pamphlet. However, they are not.
Educating yourself is your best defence in avoiding a disaster.
Firstly.
I am not a Doctor, and I do not pretend to know all the answers. If you have been hurty by hair dye, seek medical attention, and if you have any concerns about anything discussed in this article, talk with your Doctor, or health care provider.
Hair Dye and Pregnancy.
A few people have asked me, if it is recommended to use hair-dye when you're pregnant? Will breathing in the toxic fumes from hair-dye be harmful to you, or your family?
The answer to that one is yes, research has shown that the toxic fumes in hair-dye can relate to cancer, or infertility problems. It has been studied and suggested that it can even relate to fertility problems later in life with your children, and unborn fetus.
Fertility and Hair Dye.
It is recommended that if you are having fertility problems, take a break from dying your hair with chemicals. Not all signs that you experience from hair-dye are visible, as in toxic hair loss.
And yes, my research shows, according to the cosmetic database, the fumes, especially from an unventilated bathroom can have affects on the baby, and that's not including cleaning products with toxic fumes, that you may never become aware of, also, Nursing mother's are as vulnerable as a pregnant mothers, according to my research.
Mandatory testing on Pregnant women (or any women) does not exist.
The sad truth of it is, mandatory testing for the safety of pregnant and nursing mothers however, does not exist, as testing has never been done to prove these products are safe, to protect the moms and babies.
In checking on L'Oreal's Official Site, they have a faq list, and in checking there about Pregnant or Nursing moms using their products, they say:
Are your products safe to use during pregnancy or when nursing?
When used properly, L'Oreal's products are safe during pregnancy and while nursing. Although there are no specific safety tests for products during pregnancy and nursing, there is a substantial amount of information supporting the safety of products when used as directed. If you have any concerns, L'Oreal recommends that you consult your Doctor.
L'Oreal also has an urgent recall on recently sold hair dye boxes, and the details and links are highlighted in my article detailing the hazard list, a link to that information is provided below.
Pregnant women at the Salon.
A fact to consider..
A high traffic salon without ventilation, and sometimes even with, can have high levels of toxic fumes, and you are breathing that in while pregnant, they say it can affect the baby. It has been said that people who work at salons are at a high risk of problems, from breathing in the toxic fumes.
Does that mean when I'm pregnant, I can't go to a salon?
No, not at all. If you are pregnant and want to go to the salon, there are salons out there that are fume free, ordor free, and chemical free, as in they use herbal treatments. After so many years of working in the highly toxic chemicals, salon workers themselves will start to have their health fail, and will open salons that only use natural products, and their should be a sign on the door saying, MCS Friendly, which means multiple chemical sensitivity. Those salons cater to cancer patients, people with allergies, as well as pregnant, and nursing moms who want to protect their unborn child from second hand toxic chemical fumes and exposure.
Finding a Chemical Free Salon.
*If you can't find a chemical friendly salon, call around to salons and ask them, they may be able to tell you where the best place in your area is, or you could Google you city, hair salon, and MSC to see if this concept has caught on in your area. You don't have to be pregnant, or suffer from cancer to want a chemical free zone salon. Those toxic fumes are not ruled out for causing cancer, so protecting yourself, or your kids, is just smarter living.
A Case where a woman's hair fell out at a Salon.
Another Interesting Fact.
I recently saw a case about a toxic hair loss incident from hair-dye, and it was determined that in this case, it wasn't the hair-dye chemical being too strong, it was the metal in the hair-dye that reacted to the foil used in her hair. The foil reacted with the dye and it resulted in her hair falling out.
Pros and Cons of going to a Salon for a hair dye treatment.
I've also been told that it is safer to get your hair dyed in a salon, that streaking is better then a full head of dye, because it doesn't connect with the scalp. Just be careful when you follow that rule, that the hair-dye doesn't react with the foil. Some hair dye technicians will tell you that they can lower the strength of dye for those sensitive to chemicals, and that's something you should discuss with your technician. And that is between you and your hairstylist, most of us will only go to one hairstylist and we trust them wholeheartedly. Some stylists really know their stuff, and are very careful when mixing the dye. But it's still best to test the chemical prior to applying it to your scalp. Again, that's up to you, you are the one who has to live with the consequences.
Is my box of hair dye bad? How can I tell?
Another tip about a box of hair-dye.
Don't' buy a box of hair-dye that is damaged, and don't use the product if the seal is broken on any containers on the inside. .If you bought a box, and discover it's out-dated take it back to the store, and get a refund and buy a fresh new box. If they argue with you about returning the box, tell them they are liable under product liability if you are injured by this bad box of dye, you would have full rights to bring a litigation case against them. Kindly advise them, that you have no problem pursing that matter, if a fresh box isn't provided instead. You should also suggest that they remove the out-dated products off their shelf before someone gets hurt and they lose their shirt.
What to look for when buying a box of hair dye.
If the box is full of dust and looks like it's been on the shelf for a long time, leave it be, that's a good sign that box is old. Despite what they may tell you, and L'Oreal is the only hair dye company that I have seen that will admit it. And my friend Daisy, was told by the hair-dye company that burnt her head that boxes of dye can't go bad. That it was impossible. I say that's untrue.
Signs that hair dye is a bad batch.
If the dye starts to turn black within the first few mins of being mixed, chances are the dye is old, and could potentially hurt you. It usually takes 15 minutes for the dye to start to turn dark in color. Be wary of dye that turns dark the instant it is exposed to the air, if it does, and you aren't comfortable, then discard the box and bottles. And if you just bought it, recently, you can take it back to the store for a refund, or exchange.
Hair dye has a shelf life.
Hair dye does have a shelf life, and it's usually about 3 years. Even if you have a box sitting in your cupboard, and it's been there for about that length, discard the box. They won't tell you that on the box, probably because they aren't obligated, but after that time length the product is no longer safe.
Ways to check the box for an expiry date.
L'Oreal will tell you on their FAQ's section that there is a three year shelf life. On a L"Oreal bottle, there should be a date somewhere on the box, depending on the brand name. For L'Oreal they have a PAO, Period After Opening Date on the inside of their box, and a manufacturer date stamped on the bottle. If you use a different brand, check their website, faqs list and see how they determine a date on their bottles.
If you don't work at L'Oreal, or do some extensive research, you would never in a million years, know what PAO means, and by looking at the PAO date, you would never guess it by looking at it. It's in code.
Here's how to decifer the code.
Now with L'Oreal they do their dating a little differently, they use codes for years, which starts with X is 2002, Y is 2003, A is 2004, B is 2005, C 2006 D 2007 E 2008. And the next numbers are the actual day of the year. Think about how there is 365 days in the year, except for leap year, the days of the year are exactly the same. The example they give is HB291, which means, B is 2005, and if you start counting January first as the number one, the first day in February as day number 32, and keep counting, when you get to 291 days of the year, it lands in October. It is highly advisable to check the website of your hair dye brand, to see how they determine the date, so that you can make sure you're not buying an old box.
A tip on how to avoid a toxic reaction while using hair dye.
Another fact about hair-dye.
It has been said that switching hair-dye brands can be hazardous to your hair. The mixture of ammonia and toxins that are left in your hair from the first brand can mix and have toxics results when it collides with the different mix of chemicals and toxins in the new hair dye, which could result in toxic hair-loss. If you use a product that doesn't hurt you, I've been told, it could be a really big mistake to suddenly switch brands, or just go to a salon and have a dye job done. They technician needs to be aware of what product you wear in your hair, and they need to strip the toxins from your hair prior to applying a foreign mixture of new chemicals to your hair.
Another fact for your children and the effects of hair dye.
Exposing children to the fumes from the toxins in hair-dye is being researched, and the experts believe it can relate to cancer, and infertility problems in their future.
Hair Dye companies should be obligated to test their products for safety.
One of the most important facts that I learned about hair-dye that you all should be aware of, is that hair-dye companies are not obligated by law to test their products. They are not regulated for safety. They don't have guidelines for what amounts, and what they are allowed to put in the hair-dye, and if you want to protect yourself, you have to do your homework, and find the safest method to color your hair. The same holds true for beauty products, like wrinkle creams, and perfumes. There is a research company who is trying to petition the government to take a stand with these companies, and set guidelines and testing rules. If you want to sign the petition on the cosmetic database, you'll find it on their link below.
A sad fact about Hair Dye Brands.
400 out of 456 Hair-dye products that were tested for toxic chemicals are ranked as high hazard, which means they contain toxic ingredients linked to cancer, developmentive and reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, organ toxicity, not to mention allergies and irritation of the eyes, skin or lungs. As mentioned above, I will give you the link to my article detailing that, at the base of this article, so you can check out your hair-dye product, and see where it ranks on the safe list.
The rating on Daisy's hair-dye brand, which had burnt the hair off her head.
* I checked out Daisy's hair-dye product the one that covers grey, and burnt her head, and it ranked number 9 out of 10, 10 being the most hazardous. No wonder her hair fell out, the poor girl. If she was able to check out her product before hand, she NEVER would have touched the stuff.
Another unknown fact about hair dye products.
Believe it or not, brunette hair-dye is more toxic than blonde.
Here's the break down on hair dye colors and strengths.
Semi-permanent and temporary hair colors have less toxic ingredients than permanent colors. Brunette colors are more toxic than blonde and red shades.
Pregnancy and Henna hair dye.
Henna hair dye products are not recommended for pregnant women, or nursing mothers.
A detailed story about a lady who lost her hair due to hair dye.
That's it for now, check back often, I'm always updating my articles.
Peace and Love
Sacreeta
* This article is written with the sole intention of informational purposes. It is not INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. Any information on the links provided is not the responsibility of, or is influenced by the author of this article, or publisher. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
