• Question: Is colouring your hair bad for you?

    Asked by jannynishy11 to Asif, Laura, Lena, Sean, Viv on 20 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Lena Ciric

      Lena Ciric answered on 20 Mar 2012:

      No, it’s not. There are some chemicals in hair colour that can be dangerous if you’re exposed to them for a long time, but as you only have the dye on your head for a short time, it’s not a problem. Pregnant women used to be advised not to colour their hair, but with better and less harmful dyes, this is generally no longer the case. Your hair can suffer from being dyed too often though, as the chemicals in the dye can dry it out, so treat it with care. 🙂

    • Photo: Sean Murphy

      Sean Murphy answered on 20 Mar 2012:

      Many people use hydrogen peroxide to turn their hair “blonde”. Hydrogen peroxide is also a very powerful antibacterial agent often used to kill germs such as e. coli and salmonella.

      Peroxide lightens the hair to a lighter shade by breaking down the melanin in the hair shaft. Peroxide also weakens the hair shaft, eventually leading to extreme breakage. Some people report having hair snap off when brushing or combing. Continuous exposure to peroxide, even if it is diluted, will also kill the hair follicles and cause a significant amount of hair to start falling out.

Comments