It’s Time For Us To be More Aware Of What We Are Putting In Our Hair

Hair products are a major part of most of our lives. Without them, a lot of people’s hair would not be looking too hot. Whether it is applying dry shampoo, hair spray, hair gel;  straightening, curling, blow drying your hair; or dying it with permanent hair dye, they are all components that add to our hair looking as great as it does. But most of us never think about the chemicals that are in these products that are being applied directly to our scalp.

Many studies that have been done have shown that hair products such as permanent hair dyes and hair straightening products can lead to an increased chance of cancer.

These types of cancers include: bladder, leukemia, and breast cancer.

The chemicals in hair dyes and straightening solutions

Hair dyes are great, we use them to get beautiful hair coloring which leads to some of our favorite compliments- of our hair of course. So is straightening and curling our hair, it shapes our hair and helps make it look great. But have you ever thought about the toxic chemicals that are put into these products? 

The FDA has identified, after many studies, that the main cancer causing chemical in these hair products are carcinogens. There are many different types of carcinogens that we should be aware of such as, formaldehyde and its liquid forms- formalin and methylene glycol. Almost all of these forms are known to be found in our straightening solutions and hair dyes.

How does it cause cancer?

The FDA said that when products with formaldehyde and its other forms are heated, it releases a gas. This gas is colorless, flammable, and has a strong smell. Being around this gas can cause short term effects such as, coughing, wheezing; eyes, throat, nose, and skin irritation. Breathing this gas in for long periods of time can increase your risk of getting cancer. 

Artic Fox semi-permeant label, there is no formaldehyde in it,


How do we avoid formaldehyde and its other forms?

The FDA recommends reading hair product labels and look for formaldehyde, formalin, and methylene glycol. They also say to ask your hairdresser to read the label to you before they put the product in your hair. 

What cancers do these products increase your chance of getting?

Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases that a person can have. It has killed billions of people and many have had to put up a big fight against it. 

Studies have been done on what types of cancers hair dyes and hair straightening solutions create. Most studies have found that these products increase your chances of getting bladder, breast, Leukemias, and lymphomas. More studies still have to be done but so far these are what studies have confirmed:

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is when cells in your bladder begin to grow without control. 

Many studies have been done, especially on hairstylists, on whether or not permanent hair dyes cause bladder cancer and there have been mixed results. Hairstylists are exposed to toxic chemicals in permanent hair dyes by breathing them in almost all day. Breathing them in it exposes their skin and lungs, this increases their chance of developing cancer because these toxic chemicals are now in their lungs. But these results have been mixed due to hair dye companies changing their hair dye formulas to be less toxic after the 1970s.

Studies have shown that bladder cancer is not linked to those who just dye their hair and those who are not around these toxic chemicals every day. 

Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer is when cells continuously grow in one’s breast. 

There have been mixed results and not yet a definite answer on whether permanent hair dyes and straighteners cause breast cancer. However studies have shown some sort of an increased risk for those who begin dying their hair with dark permanent dyes at a young age and continue to do so for many years. Studies have also shown a 31% increased chance for those consistently using hair straightening products.

Another study- The Sister Study- has shown that race has something to do with it. African American women have a 60% increased chance of developing breast cancer if they dye their hair every five to eight weeks, while white women only have a 10% increased chance.

BreastCancer.org recommends to try and use semi-permanent hair dyes and use dyes and straightening products less frequently, to wear gloves when applying these products, and teens and tweens to avoid using these products to reduce the chance of developing breast cancer.

Leukemias and lymphomas

Leukemia and lymphoma are both blood cancers but are different. Leukemia is a cancer that affects our white blood cells and causes them to function poorly and reproduce rapidly. Lymphomas develop in our lymphatic system and affect our immune system, it originates in our white blood cells when they begin to grow rapidly. 

There have been many studies done on whether or not hair dyes cause leukemia or lymphoma and one result came back to being a non-statically increased chance.  But there are many factors that were not considered that can cause these mixed results such as, smoking while dying your hair constantly, gender, and darker dyes. 

Another thing that we don’t realize is, that when we apply hair dyes to our scalp it can sync through our skin into our blood. This means that all of the toxic chemicals in hair dyes can easily enter our bloodstreams and easily have a negative impact on our bodies, one being, having an increased chance of getting leukemia and lymphoma.

Safer products to use

Although studies have mixed results on whether or not hair straightening products or hair dyes cause cancer, we need to be more aware of the chemicals in these products. 

Here are some safer alternatives to use instead:






Kayla Biggica