Hair Dyes: Are There Safer Options That Work?

There are some experts who estimate that 75% of women over 40 color their hair, which means that they are in consistent contact with the harsh irritants and carcinogens, like ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and coal tar.

Women who want to disguise their exposed roots and cover that grey aren't the only ones who frequent salons and buy at home coloring kits.  Girls are starting to get their hair done at 10 or 11 instead of at 16 and 17.  They're being exposed to hazardous chemicals during or right before puberty, setting themselves up for a lifetime of exposure to these harmful chemicals.  There's no government mandated minimum age to keep these young consumers from getting these potentially harmful chemicals put on their hair.

Why do hair dyes still abound with toxins while safe, natural cosmetics and skincare options are now widespread?  Because the process of permanently changing your hair color requires major chemical power.  Here's an example of what happens to your hair when you want to lighten it so that the color doesn't wash out.  The outer layer of hair, the cuticle, must be opened in order to strip the current shade and let the new color set up.  This takes an alkaline chemical, usually ammonia, to open the hair shaft, and another ingredient, like hydrogen peroxide, to strip your hair's natural melanin, or pigment.  This interference breaks down the hair's structure; in fact, part of the dye's familiar smell is actually sulfur released from damaged hair.  Dye then is deposited in the hair shaft, which is often harsh as well, and is formulated with a load of chemicals to ensure the exact color desired.

The variety of super strong chemicals in hair coloring can trigger a number of negative reactions, especially for those who handle it every day.  One hair owner of a Beverly Hills salon suffered from ammonia poisoning from years of working with dye.  After she overcame rashes, eye infections, and chronic bronchitis, she developed an ammonia free dye that she now uses in her salon.

It's up to the hair dye companies to make safer alternatives and they need to be more aggressive about it.  While mainstream manufacturers may be far from developing really safe methods, healthier options do exist, and in case you are wondering, they do work.