A lot of people have been asking me about hair care lately, particularly about toxic hair dyes. What’s safe and what’s not? Why should we be concerned? What sort of salons are likely to be more health conscious?
Why Should We Be Concerned About Chemicals in Hair Dyes?
It comes down to accumulated toxic exposure. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, hair dyes contain quaternium-15, which can release formaldehyde; phenylenediamine (PPD), which may be carcinogenic; and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), potential hormone disruptors. Though studies remain inconclusive overall, many have indicated that some ingredients in hair dyes can cause cancer, particularly for those who are exposed a lot, like hair dressers and stylists.
We also need to be cautious of what we apply to the scalp because it can absorb potentially harmful chemicals and transmit them into the bloodstream. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, for example, states, “Several studies suggest that toxic chemicals in hair products may be absorbed through the scalp in sufficient amounts to increase the risks of adverse health affects in women….”
What’s Safe and What’s Not?
If you talk to a hair stylist about the safest method of hair coloring, most likely he or she would tell you to avoid coloring altogether. To change the color of your hair requires a chemical reaction, so it’s difficult to completely avoid any chemical exposure. There are some more natural brands of hair coloring out there, but the actual chemical difference is slight-perhaps one molecule removed from full-blown ammonia, for example. So all in all, there’s just not a 100% safe hair color out there.
The other issue is that many natural hair dyes have not received the best reviews as far as color matching and consistent results. They may have fewer harmful ingredients, but you may not be as happy with the results. This is where you must make a decision-how much risk are you comfortable taking? If you’re healthy with no auto-immune diseases or chemical sensitivities, you may feel okay about using a regular brand once in awhile. If you’re going through cancer, or if you have sensitive skin, allergies, or chemical sensitivities, you may feel differently.
Some brands may have fewer potentially harmful ingredients than others, however, and may help lower your exposure. The FDA does not regulate hair dye ingredients, so watch labels for things like ammonia, peroxide, PPDs, coal tar (though most dyes don’t contain this anymore), toluene and resorcinol. Some natural dyes to try include Aubrey Organics, pure Henna (though realize you can’t change the color on this one if you don’t like it), and NaturaTint.
Finding a Safe Salon
Once you decide how you want to approach your hair care, the next step is to find a stylist who will work with you. Some have absolutely no experience with less toxic dyes, and others are well educated about them. Tell your stylist you’re concerned about chemicals and that you prefer hair dyes that are ammonia-free, herbal-based, low-PPD, lead-free, toluene-free and coal-tar-free. Discuss how you can reduce the number of times you have to get a complete color, such as choosing highlights or lowlights in between appointments, or going with something that’s closer to your natural shade or a lighter shade (as dark hair dyes are the most toxic) and perhaps consider embracing your gray hair.
As for some specific salons that cater to chemical-conscious customers, try Aveda salons (their dyes are more natural but do still contain ammonia). Planet Thrive has some other great less toxic hair salon suggestions for different states around the nation.
Do you have some tips for cutting back on hair chemicals? Please share.
Sources
Cheryl Blackmore-Prince, et al., “Chemical Hair Treatments and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Among Black Women in Central North Carolina,” American Journal of Epidemiology Vol 149(8): 712-716 (1999). http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/149/8/712.full.pdf
Photo courtesy Utopia Salon via Flickr.com.
I am and organic and non toxic hair dresser/ colorist.
I use three lines right now for color. One line is organic and less toxic. One line is called non toxic by it’s manufacturer who because of chemical sensitivities devised this color. The third is less toxic than the first and gluten free.
As a somewhat chem. sensitive person concerned with toxicity and a hair colorist, i chose these lines based on performance as well as being less toxic. There is not much of a market for just henna or the few colors available from aubrey.
I did see a line called Act By Nature but the process is very time consuming and the price was astronomical.
So there are some of us out there trying to do hair in a healthier way but it is not easy. Some chemist could devise a good line right? why can we put a person on the moon and not make a good lasting nontoxic color? The lines that I use that are least toxic tend to fade quickly. my clients who choose them deal with that to have color that is better for their health.
I buy natural “henna” coloring at the above site. Works great for me.
Great post!
I’ve known for a while how toxic hair colouring is, and as much as I try to be toxic-free (natural makeup, no nail polish, natural shampoo, soap, etc) I really dislike the non-color of my natural hair, so I’ve been stuck! I will definitely read up on the recommendations that you’ve listed here – so thank you for giving me a place to start!
Melissa
Less permanent dyes trends to be less toxic. Also easier on the hair, with no ammonia or peroxide. If you don’t wash your hair every day (mine is very dry, so I don’t) this can still last up to 6 weeks. Also, i use a due color that is lighter than my actual hair color to cover my gray. Since it has no peroxide, it doesn’t bleach my natural color, but add color to the gray, giving me gorgeous highlights that blend with the ends of my hair, which are lighter. No color lines as it washes out, either, since I haven’t changed my basic hair color….the highlights just gradually fade back to gray until I decide to color again.
Thanks for your thoughts, Britta. I would also like to share an article I recently wrote about the safety of permanent hair color. As a cosmetic chemist, I am able to go into a bit more detail on how hair color works and tips for how to reduce your exposure. You can read my article here: http://www.zaega.com/hair-coloring-101-permanent-dyes.html
By the way, I do not know what function the preservative Quaternium-15 would serve in a permanent hair color formulation, as the pH of these formulations are too high to support microbial growth. Also, there are many emulsifiers that are better alternatives to APE’s -again, I don’t know why any one would be using these.
Keep in mind, there is no such thing as organic hair color. If you see a brand marketed as such, remember, organic, natural and nontoxic claims are not regulated.
Lastly, knowing what is in a permanent hair color intended solely for professional use can be difficult -even for the stylist -as manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients, although some do.
I color at home because I feel I can limit scalp exposure a bit when I’m doing the application myself. I don’t go quite to the scalp with the color, and let’s face it, because I can feel it when the dye touches my scalp, I get better feedback about how close I can get than any other person could.