by Piano Kaewchaiyo
When looking at beauty products online, many people tend to look under the word “hair.” For thousands of years, we humans have loved hair products. The one hair product, though, is hair dye. If you bring up “hair dye,” most people will absolutely love it! I mean, who wouldn’t? Hair dye gives your hair a colorful transformation; a new dimension into the gorgeousness of hair. You will see many people, especially Gen Z kids, apply hair dye at least once in their lives. Shiny, blasting pops of hot pink and shades of navy blue hair dyes line the shelves in your local Target every day. Well, obviously -- these trends are so popular that everyone has access to hair dye globally. But, is hair dye actually safe for your hair?
What is hair dye & hair coloring?
Simply put, hair dyeing is essentially the transformation of changing the color of your hair. Around the world, people use hair dye for different reasons. Some elderly people (including my lovely grandma!) use hair dye interchangeably in order to change the color of their gray or white hair while others use hair dye for fun. We’ve all most likely seen celebrities and social media influencers dye their hair before, so it’s no surprise this viral sensation is a big deal. Additionally, most actors use hair dye to fulfill a certain role in their acting performance. Moving on, there are different types of hair dye and hair colorings as well! For hair dyes, hair dye is typically used in a liquid form applied on wet hair to give it a different color. Hair dye goes inside the surface of a person’s hair. On the other hand, hair coloring is different from hair dye because it paints the hair from the outside only. It is usually on the surface of the hair itself, and doesn’t necessarily go into the scalp. To use both types of hair products, you would use a brush depending on the brand of the product and paint the surface of your hair gently. Both of these dyes come in all colors in the rainbow, and they have different types as well. They can be permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary. Overall, hair dying and hair coloring is used by lots of people for many reasons!
Wait… so, why is it unsafe? What causes it to be unsafe?
Many people might wonder why hair dye and hair coloring can be unsafe, and it’s actually significant to know. Of course, all hair products and other types of beauty products should be used according to how your body reacts to the chemical and ingredients, so it varies whether or not you should completely avoid it or use it at certain times. Some brands are completely safe to use. However, for starters, in order for hair dye to achieve the desired permanent color, it has an ingredient that secures that characteristic. Ammonia. Yes, you heard that right! There is a system of ammonia in hair dye in some brands that helps the hair dye stick on to the hair more efficiently. Using a system of ammonia in your hair causes your hair proteins to pull apart, allowing the hair dye to be able to go into the hair shaft. This is a negative aspect of some hair dyes because without the proteins in hair, the chemicals cause much damage to the hair. According to lab reports and many researchers, there are links between cancer and hair dye. More to this thought, the ingredients in hair dye can cause severe allergic reactions in people, and that could lead to serious injuries or worst case scenario -- death. Therefore, hair dye can be extremely unsafe for those that apply too much regularly or the chemicals in hair dye can get on the skin. Although this is true, we can’t assume that all hair dye and coloring products are unsafe. Hair dye ingredients have been changed and modified throughout the past, so ingredients can be different from what we call unsafe.
What should you do to stay safe from chemicals in hair dye?
There isn’t a clear answer for this question, but what you can do is be aware of what you apply on your hair. Sometimes it’s better to look out for dangers instead of waiting for something bad to occur. But, as it is now, there is an association between hair dye and serious risks. Whether or not you choose to use hair dye products on your hair is your choice, but it’s also important to stay away from chemicals. Is monitoring hair dye use good for your hair? The answer is yes. It can definitely be a good idea to balance how much hair dye you use.
Conclusion
In summary, hair dye is not completely safe to use, yet some products out there do have ingredients that are safe to use. So, the next time you purchase or decide to use hair dye, make sure you look at the information before you use it on your hair. Remember, there’s a balance to everything. Have fun with hair dye!
Source Credit: