You gain weight, get food cravings, feel exhausted, and might not feel good about how your body looks. All these things tend to happen when you’re pregnant.
Pregnancy comes with a host of body changes as the baby develops, and it can sap your energy. Sometimes it feels like you need a new hairstyle or hair color to brighten your look and mood. But then, you might be worried about using hair dye when pregnant.
Because hair dyes contain chemicals, there is this fear that you may be exposing the baby to toxins. So, can you dye your hair while pregnant?
Improved products and methods in the beauty industry have made it easier for you to change your look even when pregnant.
Read on to learn more about hair dyeing when pregnant.
Hair Dye and Pregnancy
When doing a complete dye job, the hair dye gets in contact with the scalp. This was thought to be harmful to the developing baby, especially during the early stage of pregnancy, around the first 12 weeks.
However, researchers found out later on that most dyes during pregnancy are not as toxic as they were initially made out to be.
The small amount of dye absorbed through contact remains on the scalp, so it’s less likely to reach the developing fetus. However, there is still the risk of inhaling harmful chemicals from the hair product.
It is so important to take every precaution to protect yourself and the unborn baby. This is why you should consider talking to your doctor first before picking a product for hair dyeing.
How to Minimize Exposure to Toxins During Pregnancy
If you are dyeing your hair while pregnant, you can minimize exposure to harmful toxins by following these precautionary steps:
- Always use a well-ventilated room when dyeing hair. This is critical in reducing the risk of inhaling chemical fumes.
- Do not let the chemicals stay on your hair longer than recommended. By minimizing the time of treatment, you also lessen the risk of the chemicals getting absorbed through the skin.
- Consider using highlights instead of total color change. This process helps reduce exposure because only the strands are coated with color, but the dye does not get into your scalp.
- Start with a patch test. Before applying dye to your hair, do a patch test to know the type of color solutions to avoid. If the dye forms a black stain, it means the dye contains chemicals that you should not use.
How to Color Your Hair Safely During Pregnancy
Here are some expert tips to help you dye your hair without risking your baby-to-be.
Avoid Dyeing Hair in the Early Months of Fetus Development
Can you dye your hair while pregnant? Although research about this subject is limited, medical experts recommend avoiding harmful chemicals during the nascent period of fetus development.
In the early stages, vital organs such as the spinal cord and brain are still developing, and it will be a good idea to avoid using a bottle of dye around this time. So far, no study has linked hair dyeing to harming unborn babies, but why take the chance?
Go for the Safest dyeing Services
If you strongly feel like dyeing your hair when pregnant, it’s important to consult your physician first. Once they give the go-ahead, make sure to select the type of service carefully. For example, it will be good to avoid processes such as root-to-tip and root-touch-ups because the dye is applied to the scalp and hair, raising the risk of it getting into the pores and the bloodstream.
Instead, you should consider a safer alternative, such as pulling hair via a cap. Well, the method is not common, but it can be a great choice since this process does not let the dye get into contact with the skin.
Select Gentle Hair Dyes
Another awesome method is selecting colors that are not harmful. Good examples are vegetable and henna colors because they are less toxic.
You might also want to consider natural dyes because they do not have chemical additives.
However, be careful because some dyes might just be labeled “natural” to drive sales, but in truth, they contain harmful toxins.
FAQs
Can You Color Your Hair in the First Trimester of Pregnancy?
Experts strongly recommend against it. Although no studies have linked hair dyeing to baby development issues, the first 12 months are very critical because the baby is still developing vital organs, from vocal cords to nail beds and spinal cords. Your body hormones are also highly varied around this time, and they might be affected by hair dyes.
Is It Safe to Bleach Hair While Pregnant?
Yes, it is safe, but it is advisable to be extra careful. For example, it is advisable to avoid dyeing hair during the first trimester because the baby’s organs are still developing and the risk of interference is very high. To safely dye your hair when pregnant, consider using services that are safe and select colors that are gentle.
What Hair Color Is Safe to Use When Pregnant?
Most colors that are peroxide – and ammonia-free should be okay to use when pregnant. Also, you should consider less toxic types, such as vegetable and henna dyes and semi-permanent colors.
Final Thoughts
Can you dye your hair while pregnant? Concerns about hair dyeing and possible impacts on your developing baby are valid. However, the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. As we have demonstrated in this post, studies on this subject are limited, but you should take caution to keep yourself and your baby safe.
Using the expert methods we have highlighted in this post, you can minimize the risk of the toxins getting into your body, and thus, harming the baby. Also, you should avoid dyeing your hair during the first trimester when the baby is developing essential organs. It’s always good to ask and involve your doctor, just to be super sure. It is better to be cautious than to regret later.
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