Hair Dye can give you Cancer?

A recent study says that hair dyes contain chemicals that are linked to cancer. WHAT! Is this true?

Source: Flickr Commons

For years, hair dyeing has become increasingly popular among both males and females. Whether it is to cover up age defying gray hairs or for personal beauty related reasons, the cosmetic industry has boomed because of it. However, there are always potential risks to using any sorts of chemically produced products.

The link to cancer comes from the fact that many permanent hair dyes contain secondary amines that can penetrate the skin and stay on hairs for a long time after application of the dye.  Poisonous chemicals such as N-nitrosamines can be produced when chemicals in permanent hair dyes react with exhaust fumes in the air and tobacco smoke. Although these types of permanent hair dyes are banned from cosmetics, simple chemical reactions can generate these dangerous chemicals posing a potential hazard for hair-dyeing consumers.

There has been a concern regarding whether the type of hair color results in a greater risk of developing cancer. Some studies have suggested that darker-colored hair dyes link to a higher risk in getting cancer, specifically bladder cancer. Researcher Dr. Gago-Dominguez and her co-workers analyzed several bladder cancer cases in which hair dye was used among the patients. They compared these patients to adults that had not used permanent hair dye and found that women who used permanent hair dye once a month are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer.

This video provides a summary of hair dye and bladder cancer:

Source: VideojugHealthWellbeing  daily motion

Fortunately, there is not enough evidence to support this and should not affect a persons decision to dye their hair. There is however other side affects of using permanent hair dye such as allergic reactions. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a major chemical component in permanent hair dyes. It is a colorless substance that becomes colored when it is oxidized.  The intermediate stage before it is fully oxidized can cause allergic reactions such as swelling and redness so it is important to properly read labels before using an hair dye product, as is before using any chemical substance.

So, if you plan on dyeing your hair, be sure to educate yourself on the chemicals present in the dye to prevent any allergic reactions. Do not however, worry about there being a causal effect between hair dye and cancer.

– Jessy Duhra

Macrae, F. 2013. Hair dyes used by millions of women are linked to chemicals that can cause cancer [online]. Available from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2281413/Hair-dye-used-millions-women-linked-chemicals-cause-cancer.html

Hair dye could cause bladder cancer- and brunettes are at a greater risk [online]. Avaible from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-562651/Using-hair-dye-increase-risk-cancer.html

Allergy to parphenylenedia. 2013. [online]. Available from http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/paraphenylenediamine-allergy.html.