Do you care for your hair? Think again…
By Roshni Sengupta

How many times have you been complimented for your shiny, silky, coloured mane? Compliments apart, there are certain things one must keep in mind to decide on the next hair colour and straightening agent. Not only could hair dyes and colours cause scalp irritation and dermatitis, they could even lead to cancer! Women can also develop folliculitis by over processing their hair with hot combs and relaxers in order to straighten them. 

The United States FDA (Food and Drug Authority) has been issuing warnings against hair straighteners and dyes that top the consumer’s shopping list. The regulatory agency has also recommended a skin patch test for these chemical compounds before they are actually used on the scalp. 

Way back in 1999, German consumer magazine Öko surveyed 46 different hair sprays and later, 26 mousse products in 2001. Most of these contained substances that could have hormone-disrupting effects. The year 2001 saw the Danish Consumer Information agency map the contents of chemical substances in 76 different hairstyling products. Of these, 16 substances were selected for environmental and health assessment. The report concluded that 11 of the 16 examined substances had harmful effects on environment and/or health.

From caustic to carcinogenic substances, hair straighteners and dyes are made up of a combination of dangerous chemicals. Primarily, preservatives, and colouring and buffering agents show allergic properties. Other substances such as isobutane and petrolatum too have shown carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. 

Synthetic hair colourants often include permanent oxidative dyes that contain hydrogen peroxide to oxidize aromatic diamines. These chemicals can lead to irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat. Synthetic organic hair dyes contain an amine group of chemicals that are among the most frequent causes of allergic sensitization. While metallic dyes may carry lead-containing compounds, coal tar-based hair dyes may contain mutagens.

Conventional hair dyes also contain lead acetate, a known hormone disrupter and PPD (paraphenyle-nediamine), a carcinogen banned in Europe. Reports suggest that women who regularly use these chemicals have a higher risk of cancers, including that of the blood and bladder. A Yale University study links the repeated use of dark, permanent hair colour dye with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the body’s lymphatic system. 

Even ‘natural’ dyes include carcinogens like 4-MMPD (4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine), 4-MMPD (4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine) sulphate, resorcinol, peroxide, O-aminophenol, ethanolamine, propylene glycol, and nonoxynol. The ‘safest’ of hair dyes that rank pretty high in the list of hair care products too contain hazardous ingredients.

Lighter dyes tend to be safer than darker ones, though henna is a safe natural dark colour commonly used across the globe. Henna can be mixed with coffee and a little vinegar for a rich natural hue. Of course, the best way to highlight the mane is to smear lemon juice onto the hair and allow the sun to lighten the shade for a couple hours.