Have you ever wondered, what’s in hair dye that makes it work its magic? Hair color contains chemicals that are known irritants, and rumour’s still persist that hair dye is linked to cancer. Let’s break open a bottle of hair dye to reveal what’s inside, and whether you should be concerned.
How Does Your Dye Work
To permanently color the hair, hair dyes use a combination of the chemicals ammonia and hydrogen peroxide.
The hydrogen peroxide works by bleaching out the natural color and releasing oxygen, which allows chemical reactions to take place.
The ammonia works by breaking down the outer cuticle around the hair shaft, allowing the other chemicals to enter the hair, where the colour development can take place.
These chemicals are quite harsh and can harden and thin the hair, and they’re also thought to irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
Common Ingredients Found in Your Hair Dye
1. Formaldehyde
This common preservative is used in hair dyes and has been linked to cancer and fetal damage in utero.
Also referred to as PPD, this is the most commonly used chemical and one with the highest health risk. It has been linked to lung and kidney problems and bladder cancer. A 2001 study showed that those who dyed their hair once a month had an increased risk for bladder cancer and this risk increased the longer hair dyes were used. And surprisingly, this was more prevalent the darker the dye was.
DMDM Hydantoin is a antimicrobial formaldehyde-releasing preservative. This preservative is a known immunotoxin and has been restricted for use in Japanese cosmetics.
4. Ammonia
This chemical can be combined with hydrogen peroxide to create bleach. When inhaled it can cause respiratory problems and asthma.
5. Coal tar
This known cancer-causer is in the majority of hair dyes.
6. Resorcinol
Resorcinol is classified as a hazardous chemical. If it gets on your skin (or your scalp), it can cause pain and redness. This chemical is very common in various types of hair dyes. Studies have shown that it can harm normal hormonal function and elevate sex hormones, which wreak havoc on your health. Resorcinol has been restricted in Japan.
7. Eugenol
This toxic fragrance is linked with cancer, allergies, immune and neurological system system toxicity.
Hydrogen peroxide works to lighten hair by breaking down melanin in the hairshaft, and repeated use can weaken the hair, leading to extreme damage and breakage. This kind of styling damage can cause temporary hair loss, using peroxide continuously could also damage your hair follicle.
Chemicals like coal tar, formaldehyde, fragrance, paraben, ammonia, & DMDM Hydantoin easily sneak their way into our hair dyes. These are just a few common ingredients that are found in hair dye and all of them have been linked to cancers and diseases.
Cosmetics Are Not FDA-Approved, but Are FDA-Regulated
The FDA considers hair dyes to be cosmetic, therefore each ingredient that goes into a product is not regulated, that responsibility is put on the manufacturer. With coal-tar hair dyes the FDA requires the manufacture to include a warning statement with adequate directions for consumers to do a skin test before they dye their hair. Thats it!
What Products Are “Cosmetics” Under US Law?
The FD&C Act defines cosmetics by their intended use, as “articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body…for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance” (FD&C Act, sec. 201(i)). Among the products included in this definition are skin moisturizers, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup, cleansing shampoos, permanent waves, hair colors, and deodorants, as well as any substance intended for use as a component of a cosmetic product. It does not include soap.
How to Report a Problem
If you have a reaction to a hair dye—or any other cosmetic—first contact your health care provider for any necessary medical help.
Then, contact FDA. The law doesn’t require cosmetic companies, including hair dye manufacturers, to share their safety data or consumer complaints with FDA. So, the information you report is very important to help FDA monitor the safety of cosmetics on the market.
You can report a problem with a cosmetic to FDA in either of these ways:
- Contact MedWatch, FDA’s problem-reporting program, at 1-800-332-1088, or file a MedWatch Voluntary report online
- Contact the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.
To learn more, see “Adverse Event Reporting: How to Report a Cosmetic-related Problem to FDA.”
The European Commission Bans 22 Hair Dye Chemicals
- 6-Methoxy-2,3-Pyridinediamine and its HCl salt
- 2,3-Naphthalenediol
- 2,4-Diaminodiphenylamine
- 2,6-Bis(2-Hydroxyethoxy)-3,5-Pyridinediamine
- 2-Methoxymethyl-p-Aminophenol
- 4,5-Diamino-1-Methylpyrazole and its HCl salt
- 4,5-Diamino-1-((4-Chlorophenyl)Methyl)-1H-Pyrazole Sulfate
- 4-Chloro-2-Aminophenol 4-Hydroxyindole
- 4-Methoxytoluene-2,5-Diamine and its HCl salt
- 5-Amino-4-Fluoro-2-Methylphenol Sulfate
- N,N-Diethyl-m-Aminophenol
- N,N-Dimethyl-2,6-Pyridinediamine and its HCl salt
- N-Cyclopentyl-m-Aminophenol
- N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine and its HCl salt
- 2,4-Diamino-5-methylphenetol and its HCl salt
- 1,7-Naphthalenediol
- 3,4-Diaminobenzoic acid
- 2-Aminomethyl-p-aminophenol and its HCl salt
- Solvent Red 1 (CI 12150)
- Acid Orange 24 (CI 20170)
- Acid Red 73 (CI 27290)
In order to ensure safety of hair dye products for consumers the European Commission has banned 22 hair dye substances (see list in annex) today. Today’s ban concerns 22 hair dye substances for which industry has not submitted any safety files at all. The Scientific Committee advising the Commission had recommended the ban of these substances following the conclusions of a scientific study that the long term use of certain hair dyes bears a potential risk of bladder cancer.
A Natural Alternative
The good news is, you can dye your hair and still avoid toxins. My personal favorite is Henna. You can choose black, dark brown, medium brown, red or blonde. As with everything you put on your skin including your head, if possible use organic henna. Henna, can be used daily without harming your hair, in fact the more you use it your hair actually gets shinier. My personal favorite is Henna Color Lab.
You can also look for an organic salons that uses all-natural, non-toxic products, they do exist. If an organic salon isn’t near you, ask the salon if you can bring your own nontoxic products for the stylist to use on you, like this nontoxic organic color kits from EcoColors.net. Visit the Environmental Working Group to see their list of least-toxic dyes on the market today.
What You Can Do
When it comes to living a healthy and natural lifestyle, what you put on your body is just as significant as what you put in your body. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and absorbs what you put on it. To eliminate a lot of toxic chemicals, preservatives, and fragrances that are harmful, choose certified organic and natural skin care products.
It is important to read labels and become educated about what ingredients to avoid when selecting skin care, body care, and hair products. A good motto to go by is if you can’t pronounce it don’t use it!
Sources for this Article
“Resorcinol,” World Health Organization, 2006, Concise International Chemical Assessment Document 71
First draft prepared by Drs S. Hahn, J. Kielhorn, J. Koppenhöfer, A. Wibbertmann, and I. Mangelsdorf, Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hanover, Germany.
ISBN 92 4 153071 5 (NLM classification: QV 223) ISBN 978 92 4 153071 2
©World Health Organization 2006
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3203248/
https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+210http://www.acarchemicals.com/sayfalar.asp?LanguageID=2&cid=3&id=11&id2=3961
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp126.pdf
https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+5050
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/myths/hair-dyes-fact-sheet
https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/culture-magazines/hair-dye
https://ips-dc.org/warning_consumer_products_may_be_harmful_to_your_health/
http://www.safecosmetics.org/?s=paraben
http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/coal-tar/
https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2011/06/us-finally-labels-formaldehyde-known-human-carcinogen
More interesting news on personal care products
Henna the Beautifying Plant
Toxic ingredients in your cosmetics?
The Dangers in Hair Coloring and Safer Alternatives
Toxic chemicals in personal care products causing ‘epidemic’ of skin allergies
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