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I’m pregnant and want to dye my hair. Is hair coloring during pregnancy safe?

By Tracee Cornforth, About.com

Updated September 13, 2005

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Question: I’m pregnant and want to dye my hair. Is hair coloring during pregnancy safe?
Whether using hair dye products during pregnancy is safe is a common question on the mind of pregnant women in the U.S. and Canada, as well as other countries where hair coloring is common among women. Do hair dye products affect the health of your developing baby?
Answer: According to the National Women’s Health Information Center, the answer to whether it is safe to dye hair during pregnancy is not clear as of November 2004. The probability is that only a small amount of hair dye is absorbed into your body. This makes it unlikely that the modest amount of chemicals absorbed by your system would reach your baby. No changes to developing babies were noted in the few animal and human studies that are complete. If you are unsure about whether you should dye your hair during pregnancy, you should share your concerns with your health care professional.
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