The lifestyle choices of the mother may affect the infant through breast milk. For instance, lactating mothers should be cautious about using cosmetics, including hair dye while breastfeeding. Hair dyeing can be done at home or in a salon. However, regardless of the process being done at home or in a salon, a nursing mother must be careful about choosing the hair dye product. Read the post to know the possible concerns, safe alternatives of hair dyes, and tips on safely coloring the hair for breastfeeding mothers.
Can You Dye Your Hair During Breastfeeding?
Yes, you may dye your hair when breastfeeding. According to the NHS UK, there are no contraindications for dyeing hair when breastfeeding since very little of the dye’s compounds enter the bloodstream (1). There is no evidence that the compounds reach breast milk (2). Therefore, dyeing hair during lactation is possible without being concerned about it affecting the infant.
Precautions For Dyeing Hair During Breastfeeding
Although dyeing hair during breastfeeding does not affect the baby, it is good to observe the following precautions.
1. Choose temporary hair dyes
Temporary hair dyes stay on the hair’s surface and do not enter the hair shaft (3). They could be safer when compared to semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes, which may enter the hair shaft and reach the bloodstream.
2. Use softer colors
Darker colors may contain more coloring agents and other color-fixing compounds that may be harmful. You may pick lighter or softer hair dye tones that may contain less concentration of compounds that enter the bloodstream.
3. Check for potentially harmful ingredients
Check the contents of the hair dye irrespective of dyeing your hair at home or the salon. Permanent hair dyes may more likely contain potentially harmful compounds, such as phenols, aromatic amines, and hydrogen peroxide (3). Below are some of the potentially harmful compounds that may be found in different types of dyes (4).
Aromatic amino compounds Naphthylamine Phenylenediamines Toluene Ammonia Silver Mercury Arsenic Lead Bismuth Pyrogallol Alcohol and its compounds
4. Do a strand test
Apply a small amount of the hair dye on a strand of hair and a small patch of the scalp to check its suitability. Hair dye allergy is not uncommon. The risk may be higher if you choose permanent hair dyes, which may contain paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which may cause allergies in a few people (5). Skin rash, irritation, and itching are common symptoms of an allergic reaction.
5. Dye hair when away from the baby
Dye your hair in a well-ventilated area away from the baby. Even the safest hair dyes may contain volatile compounds, which may irritate the baby’s airways. Make sure you shower and rinse away the applied dye before handling the baby again. Wash your hair before breastfeeding your baby. Aroma of hair dye can induce a runny nose and coughing in your baby. Your baby’s skin is highly sensitive, any contact with hair dye can induce severe allergy in your baby.
Possible Side Effects Of Hair Dye During Breastfeeding
You may experience the following general side effects of hair dye that may not affect breastfeeding and your breastfeeding baby (6).
Local skin redness Itchiness Split ends Loss of hair’s luster Scaling of the scalp Hair dryness Loss of hair Premature hair graying Slow hair growth
The side effects may vary based on the type and color of hair dye used. Side effects may more commonly occur with semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes than temporary hair dyes, which may often wash away in a couple of showers.
Possible Alternatives To Hair Dyes
Natural vegetable colors could be safe alternatives to commercial hair dyes. Homemade vegetable dyes will not last very long on the hair. However, homemade vegetable dyes are unlikely to be harmful even if they enter the bloodstream through the hair shaft. Below are some ideas for homemade vegetable-based dyes that you may pick over commercial, chemical-based dyes. You may use a different quantity of vegetables or steep coffee or tea for longer to attain different intensities of hair color. You may also use other bases, such as post-shower hair gels, if you wish to leave the color on your hair for longer.
