Hairdye in pregnancy

[sevensevenseven]

I just wondered if anyone wanted to share their views on using hairdye in pregnancy. I don't desperately need to dye my hair but I'm paranoid about my few greys (I'm 25).

I know hairdressers have healthy babies before some smartarse tells me to get a grip, so the question isn't will it harm my baby but will any of the chemicals cross the placenta?

It's perfectly safe to dye your hair in pregnancy, although if you're really worried you can use a vegetable based dye.

which chemicals do you think you will absorb from Hair dye????? Why is this brought up as an issue so often?? get a grip!!

I can understand you asking this question, I got a massive telling off from my sister re covering my greys, because apparently a few hairdressers refused to dye a couple of her friends hairs when they were PG.
I also pointed out - what on earth can be dangerous about it? If hairdye could be absorbed and was toxic to us - why would we still be able to do it anyway?
I looked it up, as long as you don't do daft things like being in a confined space so the smell makes you feel ill, or eat the stuff - so little of it is actually absorbed by your scalp it's not harmful.
Some docs say - don't do it in first trimester, but thats just a precaution.
I covered my greys yesterday and feel a whole lot better for it today.

A whole 2 minutes before I was told to get a grip, thanks for the other replies though. It's just I read somewhere that something like 60% of chemicals that come into contact with your skin end up in your bloodstream in small traces. Presumably 'safe' levels of chemicals are tested on adults not unborn babies.

I switched to an organic hairdresser when I got pg with DD1, and have been going there ever since.

I have fairly sensitive skin, and conventional dyes always made my head tingle a bit uncomfortably, made my eyes water, and sometimes gave me a bit of a headache. I was going to a very good hairdresser, and never had any actual damage to my skin, it was just a bit uncomfortable while it was being done.

The organic dye ued by my current hairdresser is just as good as the conventional sort, but without any of the tingling / headache / eye watering. It doesn't cost much more than my old hairdresser (just a couple of £).

I wasn't particularly convinced that hair dye was dangerous, but being pg and a bit nauseous and generally uncomfortable, I did welcome being able to have my hair dyed without it making me feel worse!

I'm 38 weeks and haven't dyed my hair during pregnancy (and have quite a few greys). Early on I did some research and I read in several places that there could be a link between hair dye and testicular cancer in boys / men. Whatever your thoughts on how much of the chemical crosses the placenta or whether your non-medically trained hairdresser tells you "it's fine", I wasnt prepared to take the risk. But i am a very risk averse person.

If the greys bother you, why not get a henna dye? It's great for your hair and does just as good a job at colouring (I didn't bother as it does take a while and I figured I could hold out for a while longer!)

Going to book somewhere amazing to have cut and colour once LO is old enough to express and leave with DH!

Home ones are fine, i did a lot of research on them, and on their websites they say they are ok to use after 12 weeks.
I saw the research about the risk with cancer, but it mentioned that it was the old types of hairdresser dyes

The chemicals that are in the home hair dyes are very low, and have to be safe (as we are untrained people using them) lol, as long you wear gloves/ don't dye in a confined space, don't eat it etc etc you will be ok :)

Some hairdressers will not dye your hair... not because it is dangerous, but as they dyes they use could change your hair green etc as they are alot harsher

I try and look for ones with no amonia though, and you can always use vegetable dye if ou feel better with it

I have dyed mine a few times during pregnancy, but he first time i did ask my MW who said it was ok :)

Seriously? I'd say it's fine... Most of my friends have three or four kids and no discernable greys!!! All their kids seem fine and their hair is lovely.. Im pretty sure if this was an issue there would be a bigger deal about it... Try not to drink or eat the dye as they're applying it and youll be fine....

Forgot to say, it might be an idea to put a thick layer of cream (moisturiser etc) on your skin just round the hairline, to act as a barrier to the dye (or make sure the hairdresser does this). Whenever I've been pg, my skin soaks up the colour like a sponge - the first time this happened, I looked like I'd had a lobotomy for a couple of days afterwards. Even the hairdresser's dye remover couldn't shift it straight afterwards!

That is a very good idea catsycat !!

My skin also absorbs the dye around my hairline too!

I had also been wondering about this sevensevenseven so thank you very much for asking the question!