How safe it is to color your hair during pregnancy?

Hair dyes contain chemicals which have been shown to cause some harm to animal foetuses. However, the doses used in the studies were over 100 times greater than the amount you would normally be exposed to when colouring your hair. However, it is still important to be cautious, therefore many health care providers recommend that pregnant women not use permanent hair dyes during the first three months.

Although each individual strand of hair absorbs the chemicals that cause the hair shaft to change colour, it is only when hair dye comes into direct contact with the scalp or skin that it is absorbed by the body. While the absorption through the skin is minimal, the larger danger in hair coloring lay in the fumes, which can be inhaled in greater amounts than will absorb into the skin. Permanent hair dyes contain ammonia which has a strong chemical fume. The recommendation is to avoid hair dyes that contain ammonia. The chemical fume warning also applies to straightening products as well.

Many recommend highlighting or low-lighting your hair as a more preferable option during pregnancy as the dye is encased in foil and doesn't come into direct contact with your scalp at all. Pure henna or chemical-free vegetable dyes can also be another good alternative.

Follow These Precautions before Colouring your hair