Come on now, be honest. What color is your hair REALLY?
Let’s face it -- hair color is red-hot (no pun intended). Not only does it cover unwanted grays, but it also makes us feel sexy.
That said, there’s been much recent debate about the health risks of hair dye in general. The reason is nothing short of shocking.
Some research has linked “The Big C” (otherwise known as cancer) to chemicals found in hair dye. In other words, that beautifully colored hair just might make you sick.
Here’s what you need to know.
The controversy revolving around hair dye and cancer stems from an indisputable fact. Hair dye is loaded with chemicals. In fact, the National Cancer Institute reports that there are more than 5,000 chemicals used in hair dye.
This is where things get scary. Hold on to your hats, girls. What you’re about to learn is concerning.
Some of these chemicals are known to be carcinogenic. That’s why advocates of cosmetic safety are speaking up about the risks of hair dye.
Carcinogens are chemicals that can (but won’t always) cause cancer. This happens when environmental factors change DNA. One of these factors can, in fact, be hair dye itself.
“Cancer is caused by changes in a cell’s DNA – its genetic ‘blueprint.’ Some of these changes may be inherited from our parents. Others may be caused by outside exposures, which are often referred to as environmental factors,” according to the American Cancer Society.
The American Cancer Society says that carcinogens can change the rate at which cells divide. This elevates the risk of DNA changes, which can, at times, lead to cancer.
Some carcinogens are known to cause more harm than others. The amount of harm done depends on the chemical, your genes and the amount of exposure.
To determine the risk of cancer, it’s important to know what changes have been made in the industry. In truth, there’s a difference between the hair dye we use now and the hair dye used years ago.
“Early hair dye formulations contained chemicals, including aromatic amines that were found to cause cancer in animals,” according to the National Cancer Institute. However, changes have since been made to the types and amount of chemicals found in these products.
“In the mid- to late 1970s…manufacturers changed the components in dye products to eliminate some of these chemicals,” according to the National Cancer Institute.
So if you’re older and you’ve dyed your hair for years, your chances of developing cancer may be higher.
One of the main cancer risks discussed in this controversy is leukemia. That’s because research has shown an elevated risk of leukemia in relation to hair dye use.
However, this is usually associated with earlier chemical combinations (again, this goes back to your age). In addition, your risk depends on what type of dye you used.
“For example, one case-control study examined hair dye use among 769 patients with adult acute leukemia and 623 people without leukemia in the United States and Canada. It found that the risks of acute leukemia were higher among users of earlier formulations of both permanent and nonpermanent (i.e., semi-permanent and temporary) dyes than among those who had not used dyes, although the increases were not statistically significant,” according to the National Cancer Institute.
The NCI found no risk increases among those who used more recent dye formulations. Risk was greatest among those who had used permanent dyes for longer duration (15 or more years).
It’s also important to note that not all studies have shown these results. In other words, don’t panic and stop using hair dye based on a risk of developing leukemia without knowing all of the facts.
According to the National Cancer Institute, “A case-control study in Italy found no association between use of permanent hair dye overall and risk of leukemia, although users of black permanent dyes, but not of other color dyes, did have an increased risk. This study, however, did not collect information on the timing or frequency of hair dye use.”
Another cancer concern revolves around hair stylists and bladder cancer. This is because exposure to chemicals found in hair dye may put hair stylists at a higher risk of developing bladder cancer.
“Over the years, some epidemiologic (population) studies have found an increased risk of bladder cancer in hairdressers and barbers,” according to the National Cancer Institute. One such study, published in 2008, found that chemicals that hair stylists were exposed to may be carcinogenic in general.
Other research also demonstrates concerning conclusions when it comes to hair stylists and cancer risk, especially when it comes to aromatic amines.
“Researchers from the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Lund, Sweden, wanted to measure long-term exposure to known and suspected carcinogenic aromatic amines among hairdressers,” according to Medical News Today. “To do this, they assessed blood samples from 295 female hairdressers, 32 regular users of hair dyes and 60 people who had not used hair dyes in the past year. The researchers also gathered data on the participants' other jobs, hobbies and lifestyle that could have influenced the results.”
“Overall, levels of aromatic amines did not differ significantly between the three groups. However, in the hairdressers, their weekly levels of aromatic amines called o- and m-toluidines were shown to correspond with the number of permanent light hair color treatments they applied to clients. Toluidines are known to be carcinogenic,” according to Medical News Today.
At the end of the day, the risk you’re willing to take to dye your hair is up to you. With conflicting studies showing different results, it’s a matter of deciding what you’re personally comfortable with.
To find out more about carcinogens found in hair dye, you can consult the National Toxicology Program. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) publishes ingredients found in hair dyes. Information about this publication can be found through the American Cancer Society.