Pregnancy definitely changes your appearance. Apart from your lovely baby bump, other noticeable changes include swelling, breast size, hair texture changes, skin changes—the list is endless.
Many women start to wonder what adjustments they should make when it comes to their skincare and other beauty routines when they realize they’re pregnant. But what about those who use hair dye?
Is it okay to use hair dye when you’re pregnant? What if you dyed your hair not knowing that you’re expecting? How harmful are hair dye products for pregnancy? Is dying hair when pregnant on first trimester safe?
Let’s find out.
Can You Dye Your Hair While Pregnant?
Technically, yes. But, of course, there are certain precautions that you should be aware of.
First of all, you have to consult your doctor instead of your hairdresser. Almost all color services use chemicals, to which you’ll be exposed. If your doctor has no concerns about this then, by all means, go ahead.
After getting your doctor’s approval, the next thing that you should consider is timing. Many experts don’t recommend coloring your hair during the first trimester because there’s a higher risk of chemicals harming your baby at this time. It’s also recommended to do a skin test first before having your hair dyed – even if your hair has been dyed before.
Pregnancy alters your sensitivity, possibly making you more likely to suffer allergic reactions. In addition, hormone changes that happen during pregnancy may affect the strength and porosity of the hair, so you should take extra care to preserve its integrity.
Hair Dying Tips for Pregnant Women
For the most part, it’s safe to color your hair when pregnant. However, you’ll need to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of harming your baby:
Wait until the second trimester: Most colorists and doctors recommend keeping away from chemical processes in the first trimester for both you and your baby. This is because you may have possible sensitivity to chemical fumes.
Moreover, hair can change while you’re pregnant. Some women find that the texture of their hair changes dramatically, while others grow more gray hair. Genetics, perhaps?
Go for highlights: This involves coloring parts of your hair with permanent dye without touching your hair scalp. Cover your nose as much as possible during the treatment though!
Try temporary dye: If you really want to color your hair, try using a temporary hair pencil or hair mascara wand. The results are nontoxic and just lasts until you wash it off.
Avoid any hair coloring process that involves contact with the scalp/skin: Doing this will help prevent chemicals from being absorbed into the bloodstream. For this reason, steer clear of single-process colors, which gets to the hair roots and harsher than normal hair colors.
Lower your hair dying expectations: It’s not realistic to visit the salon every couple of weeks for one process or root touch-ups, especially when you’re pregnant. So it’s better to ask your stylist on how to take care of your hair properly to make the color last.
Should Pregnant Women Use Hair Dye?
Dying your hair while pregnant is something that you should be cautious about. Remember that there are facts about using hair dyes for pregnant women, but there are more misconceptions passed around without any basis at all.
Coloring your hair while you’re expecting is unlikely to cause harm to your baby. But again, waiting it out until you’ve passed the first three months of your pregnancy is much better.