Coloring hair: how to care for and the risks of using it

Dyeing hair with hair dye is an option for changing "mood" and being different. Even though it makes you look more confident, hair dye has its side effects. Check out the explanation about coloring hair and how to treat colored hair.

The process of dyeing hair with hair dye

Each hair strand consists of two parts, namely the hair follicle and the hair shaft. The hair follicles are located at the hair roots and attached to each hair on the scalp, while the hair shafts stick out from the follicles.

The hair follicle contains living cells, but not the hair shaft. Hair color comes from the melanin pigment which is made by the cells of the hair follicles. When melanin production decreases or stops, hair will turn gray or gray.

Now, coloring hair will remove or add new color to the hair shaft. Hair dye products can also come from natural ingredients, such as henna which is obtained from plants.

Meanwhile, synthetic dyes are divided into two types, namely semi-permanent and permanent. Semi-permanent dye penetrates only the outer layer of the hair shaft and can be removed by washing your hair.

On the other hand, permanent dye products can cause chemical changes that increase the penetration of the product into the hair. It also naturally bleaches melanin and creates color molecules that get trapped in the hair shaft later.

As a result, your hair will change according to the color offered on the hair dye product packaging. Although they are permanent, chemical changes in hair can damage hair and remove melanin from the hair shaft.

Dangers of dyeing hair

The use of chemical hair dye products can certainly have side effects on hair health. This hair treatment that can be done in a salon or at home contains chemicals that also penetrate the scalp.

Not only that, the hair dye particles can be easily inhaled when dyeing hair at the salon. To be more careful, here are some chemicals that are usually contained in hair dyes and their risks to health.

• Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) triggers eye irritation, allergic reactions, and cancer-causing substances (carcinogens).
• Formaldehyde is a carcinogen and triggers damage to the fetus in the uterus.
• Hydrogen peroxide causes eyes to sting as if they were stinging.
• Lead acetate can cause nerve damage and is a carcinogen.
• DMDM hydantoin which triggers problems in the body's immune system.
• Ammonia is toxic, corrosive, and causes respiratory problems.
• Resorsinol can mess with the body's hormones and is a potential carcinogen.

Seeing the many harmful chemicals contained in hair dye, it is possible that coloring hair saves various health problems.

Is it true that hair dye can cause cancer?

Some of you may also worry about whether or not you want to dye your hair because hair dye is said to cause cancer.

In fact, this has not been proven scientifically and one of the studies containing this comes from Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.

The researchers found that hair dye was not associated with bladder cancer, leukemia and breast cancer. However, experts still need further research to confirm this.

Even so, there are various side effects caused by hair dye when a person has certain health conditions. For example, several cases have shown that pregnant women who dye their hair increase the risk of tumors in their babies.

Can pregnant women dye their hair?

Although quite limited, a number of studies have reported that the chemicals found in semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes are less toxic and safe to use during pregnancy.

Not only that, only a small amount of hair dye can be absorbed by the skin and leaves a small amount of hair dye affecting the fetus. That is why some experts think that this small amount is not harmful to the health of the fetus.

If you are unsure about getting your hair dyed during pregnancy, there are several other options you can consider. For example, applyinghighlightson the hair to reduce the risk of the dye touching the scalp.

This will prevent the skin from absorbing chemicals into the bloodstream. If you are still in doubt, try to consult a gynecologist for a better solution.

Natural ingredients for coloring hair

Hair dye products available in the market do contain various chemicals that can threaten health. For those of you who are worried, but still want to dye your hair, there's no need to worry.

Fortunately, there are various natural ingredients that can be used as hair dyes that are considered safer. Anything?

Lemon juice

One of the natural ingredients that can be used to dye hair is lemon juice. This clear yellowish liquid is believed to help slowly erode hair pigment and make it brighter.

The coloring properties of lemon juice are permanent. The reason is, the pigment in the hair that is applied with lemon liquid will disappear. However, you can get rid of this light hair by cutting it.

Coffee

Owners of gray hair may choose coffee as a natural ingredient for coloring hair. This is because a mixture of coffee and conditioner that is applied to the head can help dye your hair darker and can even cover your gray hair.

Extract black currants

If you want to have purple hair, one of the natural ingredients that can make that dream come true is black currant extract. This purple fruit extract can also be mixed with henna which can produce brown to black hair.

Even so, the two mixtures are only temporary and are only absorbed by the top layer of the hair surface. Like other vegetable dyes, henna can lead to the risk of problems with the scalp, such as irritation and an itching sensation.

How to care for colored hair

Caring for colored hair is not always easy. In fact, you sometimes need hair treatments at the salon to change colors until you find the right one.

So that the time and money is not wasted, there are several ways to care for colored hair so that it is always healthy, shiny, and the color lasts.

1. Routine hair care

Make sure you take the time to the salon every 6 weeks to care for the roots of your hair to keep it healthy. It also aims to keep hair color consistent and keep its natural shine.

2. Use shampoo for colored hair

There are various types of shampoo available according to hair type and one of them is a special shampoo for colored hair. The chemicals in these shampoos tend to be less harsh to keep hair healthy, clean, and shiny.

3. Use conditioner

Apart from shampoo, the use of hair conditioner is also recommended for treating colored hair. You see, coloring hair can cause hair to dry out more, so conditioner is needed to keep hair moisturized.

4. Not frequently changing hair color

The more often you dye your hair, the more chemicals will enter to create the desired color effect. This of course can lead to damage to the hair due to exposure to chemicals continuously.

That is why, it is advisable to dye your hair periodically to keep the color burning consistently.

Basically treating colored hair is similar to other hair types. However, hair that has been changed its natural color tends to be drier and requires special attention.

If you have further questions, please consult a dermatologist or dermatologist for the right solution.