Is It Safe to Dye Hair During Pregnancy – ‘Pros’ and ‘Cons’, Contraindications

Is it safe to dye hair during pregnancy? This is one of many questions every woman planning to become a mother soon asks herself. Pregnancy changes many aspects of her lifestyle. Now, she must consider the safety of her future child in every action. It is natural for a woman to always want to look beautiful. To achieve this, she takes many steps – trying to dress stylishly and fashionably, getting manicures and pedicures, and applying makeup. 

Neat hairstyle, shiny, healthy hair – an integral part of being well-groomed. And while prejudices against haircuts are often linked to superstitions, the issue of dyeing hair during pregnancy is more complex. Since any dye is a mix of chemicals, it’s important to first determine which dye is minimally harmful, when coloring can be done, and in which cases it’s best to refrain from it.

Is it harmful to dye hair during pregnancy

Despite the numerous studies conducted on the topic of hair dyeing during pregnancy, experts cannot provide a definitively positive or negative answer to whether it is harmful to the developing fetus. Some researchers believe that techniques like balayage or shatush, where the dye does not touch the scalp, minimize the risk of harmful composition penetration and its effects. 

They claim that commercial dyes contain a minimal amount of chemical toxins, and therefore hair dyeing during pregnancy cannot harm either the future mother or the fetus. Other experts are confident that dyes based on chemical components increase the possibility of cancer and negatively affect the normal development of the child. After weighing all the “pros” and “cons”, it is advisable to consult your gynecologist. 

Why “yes”

Those specialists who consider it permissible to dye hair during pregnancy argue that the compositions of modern dyes are becoming safer every year. Moreover, with the high skill level of the stylist, skin contact with dyes is minimal, and its penetration into the bloodstream is practically zero. 

Therefore, the minuscule amount of substance, if it does enter, should not affect the health of the future child, who is reliably protected by the placenta. If you purchase branded cosmetics with minimal harmful substances for hair dyeing during pregnancy instead of the cheapest and therefore harmful dyes, the guarantee of the safety of the procedure increases significantly. 

How else to prevent possible harm

Before deciding to dye your hair during pregnancy, it’s important to understand how to further minimize potential harm to the unborn baby. One way to avoid contact with the skin, and subsequently the body, is to apply any dye with a slight distance from the hair roots. Choosing the type of coloring can also reduce the possible negative effects of the dye. 

The most suitable options in such cases are bronding, highlighting, shatush, highlighting, and other types of toning. These methods involve applying coloring pigments at a distance of 2-3 cm from the roots and on individual strands. Ombre can also give a woman an equally luxurious look. In this case, contact with the skin is completely excluded, as the coloring substances are applied only to the lower part of the length.

Why “No”

The idea of dyeing hair during pregnancy has its opponents who also argue their position convincingly. As arguments, they cite the opinion that during this period the overall condition of the hair deteriorates due to a lack of microelements and vitamins, and dye further weakens and thins it. Regular use of dyes leads to the accumulation of harmful components contained in them in the scalp, the hair shaft. 

They can cause inflammatory processes, allergies, coughing, and headaches. Among them:

• ammonia – inhalation of its fumes can lead to respiratory system problems; during hair dyeing, it opens the hair cuticle, pores, which facilitates the quick penetration of toxins into the body and may provoke an allergic reaction;
• resorcinol – a strong allergen and carcinogen, can lead to severe skin burns, eye mucosa, and affects hormone synthesis.

Contraindications. When It Is Strictly Forbidden

After analyzing the pros and cons of hair dyeing during pregnancy in general, it is important to primarily focus on the condition of the specific woman expecting a child and how her pregnancy is progressing. Individual contraindications to the beauty procedure may include, for example, the presence of toxicosis, or unexpected allergic reactions that have not been encountered before. 

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Aqueous ammonia solution or ammonium hydroxide and its vapors can:

• provoke or intensify toxicosis;
• cause migraines. 

It’s advisable not to experiment with hair dyeing during pregnancy, especially if your skin has become problematic. Try to postpone any procedures or minimize them to avoid further irritating already sensitive skin. Moreover, it’s essential to consult a doctor in cases where avoiding a beauty ritual is not possible.

Choosing Hair Dye

If the main stumbling block is the hair dye and its composition, the problem of safe hair dyeing during pregnancy can be solved by choosing a dye with organic natural components. It is better to prefer dyes where the manufacturer uses nourishing components in the formulas. A good example is Inoa (L’Oréal Pro), which offers excellent durability by delivering pigment into the hair using oil, without ammonia in the composition. 

You can use the gentle Dia Richesse paint enriched with grape seed oil, or SoColor Sync Pre-Bonded (Matrix), which contains a bonder that strengthens the hair’s internal structure. Each tube of Redken EQ Gloss contains a substantial portion of proteins, which are building blocks of hair. When it comes to completely natural dyes, these can be henna or basma if there is no allergy to them.

Features of Coloring

When coloring hair during pregnancy, you need to take into account the nuances that exist during this period when performing the procedure. For instance, if you decide to color your hair at a salon, it’s advisable to schedule it for early morning when the smell from other clients’ procedures hasn’t set in yet. If coloring at home, do it with gloves and avoid leaving the product on the hair longer than the time specified on the packaging. After coloring, the room should be thoroughly checked. 

It is recommended to use dyes that are 95-100% composed of natural ingredients and not tested on animals, such as products from brands like Lebel, Organic Colour Systems, Aveda. Keep in mind that due to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, the end result of coloring may differ from what is expected. Before the procedure, it makes sense to test the dye on one strand.

In the First Trimester

In the early stages of pregnancy, critical processes occur related to the laying down of all the most important organs and systems of the future human being. During this period, the decision about the continuation of the pregnancy and the embedding of the fetus is not yet fully determined, so in the first trimester, it is important to be extremely cautious about any procedures involving your body, including hair coloring during the first weeks and months of pregnancy. 

Although there is no scientific evidence of harm from hair dyeing to the fetus in early stages, experts advise to err on the side of caution and avoid hair color changes at this time. Specialists recommend being cautious especially during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, as the fetus is not yet protected by the placenta and is most vulnerable to any external influences.

In the Second Trimester

In the 2nd trimester, the previously formed systems and organs of the fetus actively develop, and the nervous system is already at a level where the future child is capable of receiving information from the outside. The pregnant woman’s body also stabilizes – the future mom is almost no longer affected by toxicosis, and the placenta protects the fetus quite reliably. The most common advice given by experts regarding hair coloring during pregnancy is to wait until the 2nd trimester, which they consider the “golden” period for this procedure by all measures. 

In the case of hair coloring, this is related to the fact that in the first trimester, the future mom and baby are in a key period of the child’s development and the consolidation of the pregnancy. By the 2nd trimester, the basic muscles and organs of the baby have sufficiently developed. Therefore, the risk of adverse effects on the future baby’s health is practically nonexistent. 

In the third trimester

If a woman feels the need to dye her hair during the late months of pregnancy as a necessity, it is just as possible in the 3rd trimester as it was in the previous one. The main guideline should be the rule to avoid dyeing too frequently during pregnancy, limiting it to once a month, which is sufficient to maintain a well-groomed and stylish appearance. To dye less often, it’s advisable to choose shades as close to the natural color as possible. 

This way, the transition won’t be too noticeable, and the appearance will be maintained in perfect condition for a long time. In addition, you can use tinted shampoos and toning balms, as well as folk remedies. For example, black tea is suitable for obtaining a brown-red hair color, and onion peel or linden flower can be used for a rich chestnut color.