Introduction
One of the prominent signs of aging is gray hair. Unfortunately, gray hair cannot be turned black; however, it can be hidden by using hair dye. The dyes used for this purpose are usually not safe for the skin, hair, and the body. An individual should be aware of the adverse effects caused by these dyes before using them. Changing the color of the hair results from chemical reactions between hair and dye materials. In the long run, they can affect the hair badly. Some natural ingredients can be used instead of these dyes, whose results are temporary but safer than chemical dyes.
What Are the Types of Hair Dyes and How It Damages Hair?
Hair dyes work on the hair shaft. Every hair is made up of a hair shaft and a hair root. The portion of the hair protruding out from the skin is called the hair shaft. The hair part that lies in the skin into the deeper skin layers is called the hair root. The hair shaft has three layers:
-
Cuticle - The cuticle is the outermost layer and protects the cortex.
-
Cortex - The cortex is the middle layer that gives color, strength, and texture to the hair fiber.
-
Medulla - The medulla is the deepest layer and is visible in thick hair.
Based on the ability of the hair dye to affect the hair cortex and cuticle, they are classified into demi-permanent and permanent dyes.
What Are Demi-permanent Dyes?
These hair dyes cannot reach the cortex and remain close to the cuticle of the hair shaft. Therefore, they are not permanent and can be removed after 10 to 15 shampoo wash. In addition, these dyes do not contain chemicals like ammonia or ethanolamine and are less harsh on the hair. Instead, they have hydrogen peroxide (two percent) and chemicals like resorcinol and para-dyes. Therefore, their results are not as significant as the permanent dyes in covering gray hair because they are limited to the hair shaft's cuticle only. However, they add shine to the hair.
What Are Permanent Dyes?
These hair dyes penetrate the cortex and remain there permanently. So, they infiltrate the hair shaft deeper than the demi-permanent dyes. To do this infiltration, they need an alkaline pH fulfilled by adding ammonia to these dyes.
In addition, a chemical called ethanolamine is sometimes added in place of ammonia to obtain alkaline pH in these dyes. Both ammonia and ethanolamine damage the cuticle. Even if the dye is ammonia-free, it can cause hair damage if it has ethanolamine.
Permanent hair dye stays longer than demi-permanent and is more frequently used by people. These dyes give better long-lasting color to hair. Unfortunately, most people are not aware of the damage caused by these dyes. These dyes contain hydrogen peroxide (6 percent) and a harmful chemical called paraphenylenediamine (PPD) which can cause allergic skin reactions and cause the hair shaft's destruction.
What Are the Side Effects of Hair Dye on Hair?
-
It makes the hair brittle.
-
It is responsible for hair thinning.
-
It makes the hair follicle rough.
-
It makes the hair look dull and takes away the natural shine.
What Are the Side Effects of Hair Dye on Skin?
The chemical PPD in hair dye can irritate the skin in most people and show allergic reactions.
-
In case of mild irritation; the forehead, ears, eyelids, scalp, or neck will get inflamed and irritated after applying these dyes.
-
The skin will have redness, swelling, blisters, cracking, and dryness, along with a burning or stinging sensation.
-
If a person is mildly irritated by hair dye, these symptoms will show within 48 hours or can show immediately.
-
In the case of PPD allergy, itching and swelling in the face and scalp will occur, which may spread all over the body.
-
These dyes can cause skin hyperpigmentation on the forehead and the areas behind the ear.
What Are the Side Effects of Hair Dye on The Body?
-
These hair dyes can cause asthma.
-
They can cause kidney failure.
-
In case of a severe allergy to PPD, anaphylactic shock can occur. This can be life-threatening and have symptoms like mouth, throat, and tongue swelling, which can stop breathing.
-
Risk of cancer.
How to Prevent Allergic Reactions From Hair Dye?
It is essential to do a patch test before applying the hair dyes. There are two types of patch tests; uncovered patch tests and covered patch tests for testing PPD allergy.
1. Uncovered Patch Tests:
-
In this test, first, a small amount of solution (dye and developer) is applied behind the ear or inner part of the elbow.
-
After that, it is left uncovered for 40 to 72 hours.
-
The test is assumed as negative if no rashes or irritation on the skin occurs.
-
If any rashes or irritation occurs on the skin after a few minutes or hours of dye application, the allergy to the skin is confirmed.
-
If redness, swelling, or blistering occurs after some time of dye application, it is assumed that it will cause an allergic reaction if applied to hair.
-
A scale is used to measure the severity of the allergic reaction.
2. Covered Patch Tests:
-
This test is used by dermatologists and allergy specialists.
-
In this test, two percent of PPD in petroleum jelly is used.
-
Negative test results show the dye can be used without any risk of having allergic reactions.
-
A positive test result shows the dye can cause an allergic reaction.
However, the other ingredients in the dye, like preservatives or fragrances, can also cause an allergic reaction to the skin. So, it is necessary to do a patch test before application.
What Alternatives Can Be Used to Dye Hair?
Some natural dyes can be used to dye hair and have been used since old times. These natural alternatives are:
-
Carrot juice.
-
Beetroot juice.
-
Henna.
-
Coffee.
-
Chamomile tea.
-
Sage.
Conclusion
Hair dyeing is a chemical reaction between hair pigment, dye pigment, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia. The chemicals in these dyes enter deep into the hair and cause damage. Long-term and constant use of these dyes can adversely affect an individual’s health. Therefore, using them cautiously with a patch test before use is advisable to avoid any allergic reactions.
