The studies referenced in this article and in the majority of research on hair coloring are focused oncisgenderwomen.
Is Dyeing Your Hair Bad?
Whether or not dyeing your hair is bad can’t be answered without considering the many different factors.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Some of the more than 5,000 chemicals in hair products have been found to induce tumors in rats.
Some chemical straighteners also containformaldehyde, which is acarcinogen(capable of causing cancer).
However, it isn’t always as simple as looking for formaldehyde ormethylene glycolon the product labels.
These include:
Which Products Contain Formaldehyde?
Most of the participants were White.
This risk increased with frequency of use.
This makes it difficult for Black women to accurately make risk assessment decisions about hair products.
More research is needed into how these products impact the cancer risks for Black women.
It’s best to wait until at least six months after finishing chemotherapy to dye or perm your hair.
if you stumble on a problem, talk to your healthcare provider about exposure risk.
The color change is typically less drastic and fades sooner than with permanent dyes.
Some may include ingredients found in permanent dyes, so read the label before use.
Studies on this subject often have limitations, such as participant samples that include mostly White women.
Research also shows an increased risk of cancer in Black women, especially with regular hair dye use.
National Cancer Institute.Hair dyes and cancer risk.
American Cancer Society.Hair dyes and cancer risk.
doi:10.1136/bmj.m2942
National Institutes of Health.Permanent hair dye and straighteners may increase breast cancer risk.
2021;16(2):e0243792.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0243792
Occupational Safety & Health Administration.Hair salons: facts about formaldehyde in hair products - protecting worker health.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Hair dyes.
Cancer Research UK.Using hair dye after chemotherapy.
