Colouring hair is no longer a matter of hiding the greys. Young women colour their hair for different reasons. Are you pregnant? Find out whether it is safe to colour hair during this time or not? If yes, read on to know what precautions you need to take.While stretch marks, swollen ankles are inevitable part of pregnancy, you need not necessarily live with grey hair. Along with colouring your hair, you shall also want to ensure complete safety of your baby. Here are some safety tips mentioned below that you can keep in mind before colouring your hair during
pregnancy.
If you are thinking of colouring your hair, you need to wait till the
second trimester. With hormonal surge, all your hairs shall be growing pretty fast now. Since the initial 12 weeks are highly crucial for your
baby's growth, it is always better to wait till the period is over. This is the time when your little one is developing her or her muscles, vocal cords, and taking shape. It is even better if you wait till the completion of your entire pregnancy period. Even though your hair does not absorb much of the chemicals, it is always better to be on the safer side.
Dangers of Colouring Hair During Pregnancy
Chemical hair dyes contain harmful ingredients which may not be safe for the foetus growing inside pregnant women. As lot of hormonal changes take place in the body of pregnant women, her skin becomes sensitive and susceptible to the harms caused by such toxic chemicals. So, experts suggest avoiding chemical based hair dyes for colouring hair during pregnancy completely. Nevertheless, it is best to avoid hair colouring itself during pregnancy to avoid risks.
Look for the Safe Options
After you take approval from your doctor to visit a salon for hair colour, you need to consider the safest and best possible service for you. Root to tip changes in colour and root touch ups are some of the single colour processes where dye is applied on the scalp and hair and the skin pores absorb the chemicals.
If you are looking for safer alternatives, you can try methods where colour is applied on the hair shaft directly. Streaking, frosting, highlights and lowlights are some of the examples. Pulling hair through the cap and applying colour in fewer amounts is not a very popular method. However, it is very safe as your scalp remains covered by your cap.
Use Gentle or Natural Colours
You must be very careful about the colours you choose to use. You must opt for options that are gentle. Look for those which are free from ammonia. Semi-permanent colours too shall be helpful, however; these shall not last for more than a month. Henna dyes and those made of vegetable colours are comparatively safe option and natural home remedies that you can try. In case you are buying them from a store, do check the labels before you bring them home. Even though some of them are labelled as natural, they contain chemicals that cause harm.
Safety Precautions
You need to keep in mind certain
safety precautions before going for a hair colour. If you are visiting a salon, you need to ensure it is well ventilated, again, if you are doing it at home, open all windows, so that the toxic fumes can escape. Wearing gloves is very essential when you apply the colour on your hair. Also, it is a good idea to wear long sleeves when you apply the solution. You must carefully follow instructions offered by the manufacturer and wash your scalp well once you are done colouring.
Strand Test
Before applying the colour on your hair, you can begin with strand test even if you have done it before. This shall help you understand if any hormonal changes are affecting your scalp or hair. If you do not find much change, you may go ahead with your plan.
It is always better to avoid dying your eyelashes and eyebrows. This may result in allergic reactions, swelling and also increase chances of infection. Spilling dye into your eyes accidentally too can result in severe damage.
Make sure to consult your doctor before colouring your hair and if notify him or her if you notice any discomforts or anything unusual. Your doctor shall diagnose your condition and suggest if at all the reactions are a result of the colour you are using.
Is it safe to colour hair during pregnancy? What are the dangers of colouring hair during pregnancy? Are there safe options of colouring hair during pregnancy? Discuss here.