Why You Should Never Dye Your Hair
Dyeing your hair can be a fun way to change up your look, but with the chemicals included in most store-bought hair dyes, you are putting yourself at risk of damaging your hair, not to mention your overall health.
Here are 6 reasons why you should never dye your hair, and what alternatives there are for styling your hair.
1. Dyeing your hair can get expensive
A box of hair color at your local beauty supply store can range from $20 to $60, depending on the product and brand. If you choose to get your dye job done by a professional stylist, this could easily set you back at least $75. That’s not cheap, especially if you intend to dye your hair often.
Now, before you say, “Hey, I can get a cheaper dye from my local Dollar Store,” you might want to reconsider that. Some cheaper brands might not have gone through the same stringent safety tests as the well-known ones; they could have been imported from countries with more lenient laws.
2. The chemicals in hair dye are bad for your health
There are several chemicals in hair dye that are toxic and can cause or worsen health conditions such as asthma, allergies, migraines, and hives, if you’re exposed to them regularly.
Some of these chemicals are:
- Ammonia
- PPD (paraphenylenediamine)
- Benzene
- Trichloroethylene
Bet you can’t even pronounce half of them!
These chemicals are found in most permanent dyes. With regards to ammonia, too much exposure can cause lung damage and blindness, and in some cases death.
Trichloroethylene and benzene are both carcinogens, and have been known to cause cancer.
As for PPD, some studies claim it could be a neurotoxin, which is harmful to the central nervous system and causes nerve damage. It is also extremely toxic to aquatic animals; every time the dye is washed out during the dyeing process, it goes down the drain and ends up in the sea.
3. Hair dye damages your hair and scalp
Due to all of the chemicals mentioned above, and many others present in most hair dyes, repeated use can severely damage your hair.
- Firstly, dyeing dries out the hair, leading to breakage and hair loss
- Secondly, it can lead to scalp itchiness and inflammation
- Lastly, the hair dye damages your roots at a cellular level leaving them brittle and weak
Your scalp is like your brain’s hat, and putting it through the type of trauma involved in the dyeing process could very well affect how your brain functions.
4. The color might not suit you
The shade you choose may look great on someone else but it can make you look washed out or unnatural. It can also clash with your skin tone, leading to an unsightly appearance that you’ll either be forced to live with until the dye wears off, or you’ll need a second dye immediately after to correct the first.
5. Regular touch-ups and maintenance will be required
It’s inevitable that your hair will grow and the color will fade over time, leaving your hair looking dull and lifeless. Not to mention those pesky roots will eventually pop up, reminding everyone that you’re a fraud! This is even more of an issue if you choose a darker shade, as it fades faster than lighter colors do.
Thus, you’ll need to continuously dye your roots in order to maintain your new look, and this can get real old, real quick.
6. The color on the box might not be the color on your head
What if you are expecting to get a vibrant red, but instead you’re left with a pinkish-red? This is common. The issue is that different shades react differently with each person’s natural hair color.
Additionally, the color might not always be the same when you dye it again
Now that you know some of the drawbacks to using artificial, chemical-heavy dyes, you might have started to reconsider getting that new color. Or perhaps you’re still interested in dyeing your hair but want a natural alternative.
What are the best natural hair dyes?
Henna and indigo are both natural hair dyes, don’t have any of the chemicals present in artificial ones, and won’t set you back much. They also don’t fade as quickly as some of the store-bought hair color brands.
You can get dark and reddish browns with these dyes, and they can be mixed together to get an even stronger look.
Conclusion
The truth is, dyeing your hair with chemically-laced dyes will only cause harm to you, your hair, and the planet. So maybe skip it, or use the natural dyes suggested if you really want to try out a new look.