Can Your Hair Dye Cause Cancer?

Hairdressing dvds training

If you use hair dye, should you be worried about getting cancer from it? At least one scientific group seems to think so.

According to the CancerHelp website, the World Health Organization (WHO) cited evidence that hair dye increases the risk of bladder cancer in men who are barbers and hairdressers.

However, the website noted that these men work with the chemicals on a daily basis and the risks for those who use hair dye is less clear. Some experts believe hair dye increases the risk of bladder cancer in men but this is still a matter of controversy.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, those who use hair dyes, especially dark-colored permanent dyes, may have a slightly increased risk of myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukaemia. However, the CancerHelp website noted that: “if there is any increase in risk, it must be extremely small.”

The website also noted in other research that today’s dyes no longer contain carcinogens that were prevalent in hair dyes produced before 1980, such as HC Blue 1. HC Blue 1 and other chemicals have since been banned in the United States,  however, they may still be used in other developing nations.

The consensus seems to be that hair dyes carry minimal cancer risk for the average user. Hair stylists, barbers and others who are in contact with larger amounts of dyes on a daily basis may have a greater risk of bladder cancer.

Hair care professionals should take standard precautions when using hair dyes and other chemicals like wearing gloves, washing hands thoroughly between each application, etc. If there is a family tendency toward bladder cancer, it is well worth consulting with a doctor or oncologist to assess specific risks. But in general, coloring your hair does not automatically mean cancer is around the corner.

Nevertheless, sobering thoughts indeed…

Technorati Tags: , , ,

« Bad Blonde Joke…..
Blue Hair Dye – How to Get the Look »

Related Posts

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “Natural Hair Dye Does Exist”

  1. Caroline Says:
    July 14th, 2009 at 7:07 pm

    I want to dye my hair purple with temporary hair coloring but I have blonde highlights…will the color damage the highlights?

  2. aelara Says:
    July 14th, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    Hi Caroline
    Temporary hair dyes CAN stain lighter shades, whether they are highlights or not, so be careful. That is not saying it will happen in your situation but be prepared just in case.
    Take care.

  3. Kiki Says:
    July 17th, 2009 at 12:05 am

    I have straight jet black hair, and I want to dye sections of it a bright neon green with temporary spray-on dye. My experience has been that it’s bright for an hour but quickly fades. Is there a way around bleaching the sections first?

    Thanks!

  4. Amanda Says:
    August 8th, 2009 at 7:47 am

    I have never dyed my hair. I want to try a temp dye but I am deathly afraid that it won’t wash out. I have light/medium brown hair with natural highlights and I love my hair color. Will I get my hair back after the dye is gone or will it never be my natural hair color again?

  5. aelara Says:
    August 8th, 2009 at 11:03 am

    Hi Amanda
    It really depends what color hair dye you are planning to use. It often depends on the brand you use, but in general temporary hair dyes should wash out from 1-2 months if you average 2-3 washes per week.
    If in doubt though, my advice would be to leave your hair as is; especially if you love it so much in its natural color.
    Hope this helps a bit :)

Leave a Reply