Any hair dye experts out there?!

[blankfornames]

Hi,
I'm currently 6+6 and have a head of hair that needs lots of tlc! I've quite a few noticeable greys lurking about and am hesitant to go to my hairdresser incase I blab to him! I've read that the chemicals in hairdyes can be hazardous & also that the colour can react very differently.
Can anyone advise me please?!

[Imnotaslimjim]

The chemicals aren't hazardous to the pregnancy, but you are right that your hair could react differently to the colour

Would a toner shampoo be an option? They usually last a couple of washes

[blankfornames]

Thanks I'mnot. I'm not sure if a toner would cut the mustard with my greys!
I'll certainly give it a go though!

[Ducky23]

Congrats on your pregnancy!!!

I thought that there aren't enough chemicals in hair dye to affect the baby but your more likely to have a reaction? I dyed mine but waited until after 12 weeks, my hair was AWFUL by that point!!! Could you wear a big headband to hide some? That's all I did.

[201418]

Its perfectly safe to dye your hair during pregnancy.I've done it in my previous pregnancy and this one.

[squizita]

Where have you read that ... the internet?

Most reputable books and sites like the NHS say that domestic hair dyes are perfectly safe. They mention many women choose not to in the 1st 12 weeks (IMO unhelpful ... many women choose not to dye their hair blue but that has no bearing on the chemicals in blue dye as opposed to brown... it's just what some untrained people choose).

Things to consider are:
-In the 1st trimester, your skin can be highly sensitive. Your usual dye might give you a rash - this is the main reason many wait!
-If you have morning sickness the smell of permanent dye is rank. (I had this problem).
-The colour (especially if it lightens) might come out differently.

I found that using this brand of temporary dye stank much less than permanent and (I did a strand test) didn't irritate. I chose a darker colour as I thought that was less likely to be different to the box: www.superdrug.com/loreal/loreal-casting-creme-gloss-berry-red-565/invt/236886&bklist= ...I did my 1st dye about 10 weeks though, as had permanently dyed my hair just before I got my pregnancy test!

[weatherall]

I stopped dying my hair in pregnancy.

There are lots of nasty toxins in dyes and I wouldn't want to risk any trace passing the placenta.

[squizita]

Oh, also these are good for making the dye last longer between dyes, they are just pigments... www.superdrug.com/superdrug/superdrug-effects-rich-red-64/invt/400998&bklist=
decolourremover.com/color-restore (From Boots).

[blankfornames]

Squizita, dying your hair before you got your bfp, now why didn't I think of that!
Thanks ladies! I might just wait until after 12 wks, then I'll get it done by my hairdresser, that way I can blame him if it all goes pear shape!

[squizita]

Weatherall I am a recurrent miscarrier due to placental issues, as a result I have read a lot and spoken to a lot of experts specifically in protecting the placenta. I've spoken to bio chemists about this. All have confirmed domestic hair dye from a 'normal' shop such as Boots perfectly safe (indeed they cited searching for why it might be an issue as a sign I would need further CBT for my anxiety).

They said if I were to avoid it, that would be fine but the same level of caution would be to stop driving (petrol fumes), washing my hands (very bad idea) out and about, travelling on the tube and bus (germ heaven) ... because hair dye is a luxury item it is easily 'latched on to' by the brain to give up as a risk, giving us a sense of security and "I'm looking after my baby". Other latches can be things like quitting exercise or foods which are safe but sound iffy. Most people wouldn't be able to function without car OR bus, so their brains don't 'latch' onto those things.
There is also the social pressure to be a 'good mum' and not put 'vanity' ahead of baby... even when it's perfectly safe (which is a separate, feminist issue).

Perinatal anxiety actually is one of the biggest issues, medically, in pregnant women. You'll find many women suffering from *that8- none in the UK (with EU regs etc') who have suffered issues from domestic hair dye. The internet is full of scare stories and duff information ... to my mind that is a far greater risk to women.

[LittlePeasMummy1]

Hello all, here is a patient information leaflet that summarises all of the studies of pregnancy outcomes that have been done on women who used hair dye during pregnancy. Hope this is helpful :)

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Hair-dye/

[blankfornames]

That's really helpful. Thanks so much ladies!

[squizita]

Littlepeas very useful leaflet - worth noting that medical studies on pregnancy are very rare for ethical reasons (no government is going to let you experiment on pregnant women, except for medicine which directly prevents known miscarriage/pregnancy conditions in a select cohort) anyway hence there aren't any on hair dye.

[LittlePeasMummy1]

Squizita, while that is of course true, there are often good observational studies on some exposures during pregnancy (hair dye not really one of them unformatunately)

[squizita]

Yes definitely LittlePeas - there are some excellent ones (and some which rely on honesty which are marred because mums might not always admit/recall every detail of the last 9 months after giving birth!). I

It's a mixed up field - for example weirdly one of my medicines has not been passed for safety in pregnancy but has been proven to prevent miscarriage caused by a specific condition in a double blind study. Weird combo! Causes me to have to argue with jobsworth chemists.

[penguins123]

if your hair is dark try batiste dry shampoo for "medium brown" or "dark brown" or "black". helped me disguise my roots a bit

[blankfornames]

Penguins...the perfect solution! Thank you!

[TheScenicRoute]

Blankfornames.... I could kiss you for asking this, my hair is atrocious at the moment! I was going to have the colour stripped out by asking the hairdresser to use foils (and as I have visible roots it wouldn't need to touch my scalp) and return to my natural boring mouses blonde. Now I feel able to throw caution to the wind and look beautiful again! Lol. I'm 5+2 and didn't give any consideration to the possibility of not tolerating the smell in a week or two.... Must go and buy some dye NOW!

[penguins123]

after 12wks i used ammonia free dye but it wouldnt take to my roots (strawberry blonde/sorta gingerish but dyed choc brown). used dyes with ammonia after but picked ones with short times to leave on. the colour took a bit better but wasnt perfect. the coloured batiste dry shampoo helps though

[penguins123]

also tieing up your hair & use a zigzag parting can help breakup the regrowth

[blankfornames]

Just to update & reassure people, I went to the hairdresser today to get rid of my badger look. I told my hairdresser that I'm pregnant & he put an oil into the dye. The oil stops it from seeping into the bloodstream so all prefectly safe to use. He also told me to make sure my iron levels are good throughout & this can cause hair loss after pregnancy.
Nothing like having the hair done to make one feel more human!

[squizita]

Blank as I understand it hair loss after pregnancy is hard to avoid as it's hormonal not to do with iron (in most women, it is because they retained thicker hair and this is then lost 'all in one go') so keep your iron levels up but for health reasons mainly!
Looked into hair loss as I have had it before in connection with a completely different health issue.

[Booxo]

Hello. I'm a colour technician myself and have lots of pregnant ladies call up before their appointment worried about putting colour on their hair. I always say that it is absolutely fine, I do say however, that if they are worried, why not opt for a semi permanent colour this time? And have another sensitivity test for your sake. Hormones do funny things and may make you become allergic to the colour that you have previously been fine with for years! Highlights are no worry at all as the colour doesn't actually touch the scalp (expect for cap highlights which only old fashioned salons do now). I had my hair coloured every 6 weeks throughout my pregnancy. It made me feel better about myself, with my horrible all day sickness :(.

[MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom]

I'm not sure I could've gotten through pregnancy with rank hair - just another thing to add to the feeling bloated and massive, spotty skin, all-day sickness glow!! I dyed my hair from 12 weeks onwards (would probably have started sooner but my hair was ok until then), using anything from the really gentle ammonia & peroxide free to Live Colour XXL bright red