Hair coloring during pregnancy - is it safe?

‘Is it safe to go for hair coloring during pregnancy?’ a very frequently asked question for which there is no absolute answer. Many a times we are often torn apart by the desire to color our hair and the risk that involves the fetus. So far, experts have been unable to prove how safe is it, just the way they are unable to prove how it affects the fetus.

A friend of mine, who is 5 months pregnant, wanted to color her hair. Her husband was dead against it. But she was eager to color her hair and approached me for help. Even I knew very little about coloring your hair while you are pregnant. So, both of us decided to conduct a thorough research on how safe it is to do that. So we plunged into whatever we could lay our hands on and researched thoroughly.

We got hold of some very interesting facts about it, which I thought would be worth sharing with you all:

1) For safety measures, doctors and colorists suggest not to color your hair when you are pregnant, since the hair texture changes during this phase of a woman’s life.

2) It is suggested to opt for hair dyes instead of hair colors, as hair dyes are believed to be chemical-free.

3) Some colorists claim that hair coloring is perfectly safe during pregnancy as very less percentage of the chemicals are absorbed by the skin.

4) They have even gone to the extent of saying that it is simply a coating on the hair strand. So unless we are eating it, it is completely safe.

5) Opt for temporary color as they last only till the next wash and are non-toxic.

6) While applying color, do not let it touch the scalp as the chemicals might get absorbed into the bloodstream.

7) Highlighting is a better option as it involves only a small section of the hair.

8) Do not leave the dye on your hair more than the specified timing.

9) After using the dye, wash your scalp thoroughly with water.

10) Perform a strand test before coloring your hair.

Most probably, due to the hormonal change, for some people the hair may react differently when coated with hair color. It is very important to consult with your obstetrician when it comes to color your hair when you are pregnant. Lastly, the most important think to be kept in mind is that if you are coloring yourself then do it in a well-ventilated area as this would minimize the chances of inhaling the chemicals.

Also go for more on hair coloring and pregnancy related issues.