Can You Color Your Hair while being Pregnant?

hair dye and pregnancy

If you are using hair dye, there is little possibility of the dye can penetrate your skin. So can you color your hair while pregnant? Generally, dyes are not considered to cause harm to your baby's growth.

A 2006 study showed a relationship between hair dye, pregnancy and childhood cancer neuroblastoma. But other studies on hair dye use before and during pregnancy have not reached the same conclusion. Most researchers claim that it is unlikely that women who use hair coloring products before or during pregnancy increase the risk of tumors in infants.

If you choose to color your hair during pregnancy, consider preventive measures from the Food and Drug Administration the following:

Follow the instructions in the box with a careful eater.
Wear gloves when applying hair dye.
Rinse your scalp thoroughly after using hair dye.

The chemicals do not actually penetrate enough to harm a child, although most doctors caution to wait until the second trimester just to be sure. However one reason people still say not to dye your hair is because since you are pregnant your body reacts differently so your hair might not take the dye as it normally would. And also the fumes are an issue so it's recommended to have it done in a well ventilated area.

If your hair is not a natural blonde, red or brunette, you are probably one of the thousands of women who use hair dyes as a secret weapon to look beautiful. If now you are pregnant you may be wondering whether it is safe to continue coloring your hair during pregnancy. The answer is maybe. There are a lot of research on hair coloring and pregnancy. Until now there is no evidence that coloring your hair can cause birth defects.

If the hair dye is safe why I recommended to not dyeing my hair during the first trimester? Although no evidence of hair dye cause birth defects, we are just not sure it's safety, the first trimester is when all your baby's organs are formed. Your doctor may recommend postponing coloring your hair after the first trimester.

In 1989, the Food and Drug Administration proposed warning labels on hair dye that contained two coal-tar ingredients. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD found that rodents that were fed these compounds from coal-tar in certain hair dyes were more likely to develop cancer than rodents that were not fed these compounds. In this study rodents were fed large amounts of these compounds, more than what anyone would ingest. It also did not assess the risks of these components being applied to the skin. Other studies on hair dye have shown that only a small percentage of hair dye is actually absorbed through the scalp and gets into the body. Manufacturers have stopped making their hair dye with these ingredients but many have been replaced with compounds with similar structures.

Can hair dye be absorbed into my skin and hurt my baby?

Only a small amount of hair dye gets absorbed through the skin. This amount is so small that it is not thought to be harmful to baby. The research that is available does not show any evidence of birth defects related to using hair dye. Animal studies have been done with doses 250 times higher than what you would use on your hair. These studies have not shown any abnormal fetal development or birth defects in animals. There have been so few studies on hair dye and human pregnancy that we just don’t have enough information to say whether or not hair dye could be dangerous in human pregnancies.

Safety tips for coloring your hair during pregnancy

1.  Avoid coloring your hair during the first trimester. 
2.  Choose a hair dye that will stay on your scalp for the least amount of time as possible. 
3. Wear gloves when you color your hair.
4. Rinse your hair thoroughly after coloring your hair.
5. Highlight or frost your hair instead. Since the chemicals are not applied directly to your scalp, less hair dye will be absorbed through your skin. 
6. Use natural hair dyes such as henna. Henna is a vegetable dye and is considered to be safe to use during pregnancy.