- For many women, bleaching, dying and highlighting hair is an important part of their typical beauty routine. However, during pregnancy, the chemicals commonly found in hair dyes can be harmful to the growing fetus. The chemicals enter the bloodstream through the scalp and can have potentially negative effects during a key time in the unborn child's development. Most physicians recommend that women avoid dyeing or otherwise coloring their hair during all three trimesters of a pregnancy.
- Although, research regarding the dangers of dyeing hair during pregnancy is limited, the high majority of physicians urge expectant mothers not to take the risk. However, highlighting hair during pregnancy is considered a safe option mainly because the highlighting dye is applied about 1/2-inch to 1-inch from the scalp. As a result, the chemicals do not enter the bloodstream, or pose any danger to the unborn child. Highlights also require less maintenance meaning that the expectant mother will put in less trips to the salon.
- Other hair coloring alternatives during pregnancy include color enhancing shampoos, semi-permanent dyes, hair mascara and henna dyes. Color enhancing shampoos are made to extend the time between colorings by depositing temporary color that contain less harmful chemicals. Semi-permanent dyes are another safe alternative to permanent dyes because they contain milder chemicals such as low ammonia and low peroxide. Hair mascara are tubes filled with temporary dye that is applied with a mascara-like wand. Finally, henna dyes are natural dyes that contain no chemicals and are completely safe for pregnant women.
