The quickest way to change your look is to change your hair color. However, pregnancy may cause women to have some hesitation or issues regarding the safety of hair dye on their unborn baby.
According to the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS), a research group which provides information on potential reproductive risks, hair coloring does not cause proximate danger to pregnant women and their unborn child. Their studies reassure us that our system only absorbs an insignificant amount of chemicals, making the hair coloring process safe during pregnancy. However, they still recommend hair coloring to be performed during the second trimester when the baby is less vulnerable.
For the concerned mom-to-be, here are more hair coloring tips you can follow to make sure that your child will be out of harm’s way.
Lessen Exposure to Chemicals
If you’re coloring you hair at home, use a hair dye that has less chemical content. You can do a comparison among you favorite brands to find out which is safer to use. Also, don’t color you hair in a closed room. The overwhelming smell of hair dyes is not good for you nor the baby. Instead, find a well-ventilated room and ask the help of a friend to facilitate quick hair color application. If you decide to have your hair color done in a salon, set the appointment first thing in morning – when there is less exposure to chemicals.
Go for Highlights
Among the hair coloring tips for pregnant women is to use less harmful alternatives. If you’re still hesitant to color your whole head of hair, you can always go for highlights. Highlights are applied about an inch from your roots, so you need not worry about hair dyes penetrating your scalp and blood stream. Without chemical penetration, this process becomes safer for you and your baby. It’s also a great way to accent your natural hair color and bring light to your facial features.
Use Semi-Permanent Dye for Retouch
If you already had your hair colored before the pregnancy, by now your natural hair color will begin to show at the roots. Instead of using permanent dye for retouch, look for a semi-permanent dye containing less or no ammonia or peroxide. It works well with your permanent hair color and gives it a natural blend, while making your roots appear less obvious.
Other Alternatives
You can also use color enhancing shampoos that can prolong and preserve the luster of your dye to avoid having another hair coloring session during pregnancy. One of the most recommended hair coloring tips before childbirth is to use “hair mascara”. This works just like an eyelash mascara; the tube is filled with semi-permanent hair color and is topped off with a thick mascara applicator. This allows you to avoid the roots when applying the hair dye. Hair mascaras also don’t release fumes unlike ordinary hair dyes or spray-on temporary color.
There are also natural hair dye recipes you can try to make. Most of the ingredients used can be found in your kitchen.
