Cinco Vidas

Okay, so you know that you should take care of your hair during cancer treatment, but can you still dye or perm your strands?

Unfortunately, although coloring or processing may make you feel beautiful and confident during a difficult time, while dealing with cancer, it’s not a good idea. The chemicals in common hair treatments (like coloring or perm solutions) can not only irritate fragile skin and hair, but give off fumes that can cause nausea, eye irritation, and other problems. (Read more here.) It’s extremely important to be aware of anything applied to your scalp, because according to Hair Boutique writer Karen Marie Shelton, it has the richest blood flow in the human body, and is also where the blood supply may carry any carcinogenic components right into the blood stream.

A 1994 study (published in the Journal of National Cancer Institute) revealed the prolonged use of extreme hair dyes (black hair dye for over 20 years) led to increased rates of cancer in female participants, while many other studies have left inconclusive evidence that continued use of hair dye can lead to cancer. In most cases, the majority of high-quality hair dyes on the market are free of cancer-causing agents, but many health experts believe that any amount of chemical exposure can be dangerous to sensitive cancer patients. “While these chemicals are not carcinogenic, they can be very dangerous to those with chemical sensitivities,” says writer Laurie Berger of the Vegetarian Times. “Permanent dyes contain tiny but potentially harmful petrochemicals (like coal tar), which penetrate the hair shaft to deposit color.”

The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics explains that cancer fighters with hair loss or breakage from chemotherapy or radiation treatments should “avoid coloring, bleaching or applying perm solutions to their hair at this point.” Not only will dying or processing hair expose additional chemicals to their fragile bodies, but these processes can also weaken the hair shaft or make it fall out at a faster rate. Remember—your hair needs sufficient time to grow back at a healthy rate before undergoing aesthetic treatments. The majority of stylists and doctors suggest waiting until hair is at least 3″ long (or 6 months after treatment ends) before attempting to perm or color, although many patients experience scalp sensitivity and pain for up to a year after treatment.

Carolyn Vachani, a nurse educator, adds, “As the hair grows back after therapy, it is often more fine—almost like a baby’s hair—and thus probably will not handle the stress too well.” She advises waiting until the hair has returned to its previous fullness and health (not necessarily length) before applying processing agents, and researching the most natural options available. Choose natural hair dyes or processing agents whenever possible (check out brands at the Skin Deep database), or research organic salons in your area. We love non-toxic brands like Herbatint or Aubrey Organics, but additional products can be found at websites like Natural Hair Dye.

In the end, check with your personal physician before applying anything to your scalp or hair after cancer treatment, especially if you may be continuing medication or additional procedures.

* Did you dye your hair during cancer treatments? What did you do to preserve hair health, or what kind of natural brands have you tried? Please share!

Photo courtesy of Snap Village

Tags: cancer and hair dye, coloring hair, hair loss, perming hair

This entry was posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 8:30 am and is filed under Hair Care, Side Effects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.