Hair Coloring During Early Weeks of Pregnancy

My Ob/Gyn let me dye and tanning bed tan all 3 times. If you gotta get fat--at least take care of the rest right? Take care. -Sher

Have you tried the Aveda natural dyes? I've heard great things. If you go to Aveda.com they can direct you to a salon near you.

Hello,
I am a grandmother with four children and colored my hair throughout each pregnancy and there is nothing wrong with my children. I think hair coloring products have improved from 40 years ago so I would say it is even safer now.

I'm a licensed hairdresser. During my pregnancy, I continued to color my clients' hair and I had highlights on my own hair. The worst part was the smell, especially during my first trimester. I avoided color on my scalp, just for the potential irritation factor. Stick to highlights since your exposure to your skin is kept at a minimum. But that also means no toner. Do not use henna or some other "natural" haircolor, either. By law (which almost all hairstylists ignore) a client is supposed to have a patch test done 24-48 hours before each and every color. Drug store box color has the same instructions. A small amount of color and developer is placed on your arm, if any irritation/burning occurs, DO NOT proceed with the color. You could have a serious allergic reaction that could cause harm to you and your baby. BTW Aveda is not all natural, they still require the use of hydrogen peroxide. Just because they use plant extracts doesn't mean it won't cause an allergic reaction.
Work with your hairdresser and find the best solution for you - there's no reason to look frumpy during this exciting time of your life.

Well, I just had a beautiful baby girl this past month, and I dyed my hair throughout the pregnancy. What was recomended to me was to use the dyes that have no ammonia. Most of the semi permanents are ok as well. Just remember that due to the hormonal changes that your body is going through your hair might respond differently. So a color that you normally use, might come out completely different than previously. Hopefully you have a good pregnancy.

D.

Go to a good stylist and get highlights. The highlights can be full color-- not just streaks, but the method of highlighting allows you to avoid getting dye on your scalp, which is what the concern is. All things that touch the skin enter the bloodstream and can reach the baby. I suppose we should think of this with all the lotions and potions we apply everywhere else...

I don't really know where all the hype came from surrounding hair coloring when pregnant and you would have to ingest the stuff for it to have any potential harm to the fetus, which of course no one would ever do.

Over-the-counter hair color is very safe and you should not worry about using it at all. Hair color applied by a professional in a salon is a little less safe because it is stronger and holds the color better for a longer period of time. It still is OK to use though. It's not the actual hair color as much as it is the fumes from the chemical reaction that takes place. As long as you are having your hair colored in a well-ventillated area and follow the directions or have it done professionally, you should have no worries what-so-ever.

I colored my hair throughout my entire pregancy and my little girl is perfectly fine and I had no complications with my pregnancy. Do what you fell most comfortable with.

Hi! I am a grandmother aged 58 brought up 4 kids, in what you all would say now days---back in the day---go a head and do the dye what you need is to feel good and look good about your self most of all. Just enjoy your self, your life,your pregnancy and dont sweat the small stuff. C.

I know you already posted your update but I just wanted to let you know that it is ok to color your hair or perm it during pregnancy. The only reason they say not to is because it may not hold. The hormones during pregnancy not only affect your mood but also the chemical balances in your hair. This may cause an affect that you don't want. You could end up with a very undesirable color. Hope this helps.

M. B

Hello Z., Before I got pregnant with my daughter I would get my hair done ever 3 months. I would get it dye and bleached to get blond highlights. When I found out I was pregnant I didn't want to go though all of that since I to have heard about all the different opinions about hair dye and being pregnant. So when I was 5 months pregnant I went to my hair stylest and asked her to dye my hair close to it's natural color and give me a nice cut and she did a wonderful job. Even though my family and friends were not used to the hair change, I was the happiest I could ever be. Getting my hair dyed while being pregnant didn't effect anything. My daughter is now one years old and according to her doctor she is well advance for her age.
I hope this helps..

J.

How exciting - congratulations on your pregnancy! I had an all over color done during both my pregnancies and my little darlings turned out just fine :)

my hairstylist told me she would NOT use the usual dye on my hair. she used something different that was vegetable based instead of chemical based dye. it didnt stay in as long but i was okay with it. this is safe for baby! she is a mom of 2 also and been a hairstylist for 20 years. ask your hairstylist about it!!!!!

I was always told that you shouldnt coler your hair. First the fumes but I have noticed they dont smell that bad anymore. As much as I wanted to cut my long hair I didnt.Alot of pregnant women want to cut there hair. your body is changing and hormones as well. It wont grow back as fast. My hair coler always changed when I was pregnant. It turned reddish

I have friends that are OB Doctors and Nurses, both tell me it is okay. But If you are uncomfortable with doing your hair in your first trimester by all means wait and talk to your Doctor.
Joyce

hi there! i'm a mom that's been there and done that with the haircoloring during pregnancy. of course, when in doubt always ask your ob/gyn. my doctor said it was ok. i also asked her about eating sushi during pregnancy and she said that japanese women have been eating sushi for years. i did both hair color and ate sushi...my kids turned our alright :)

Z.,

Such a tough call... there are so many different sources with different opinions. My fertility specialist told me to hold off in the first trimester, but I know that Aveda products are mostly natural and could be a good way to go if you are feeling the need!

Good luck,
K.

Ask your doctor but know every doctor say's something different. I didn't want to risk anything. If my baby came out missing a finger nail I would have felt guilty. My doctor and sisters doctor were friends. Mine said NO sushi hers said fine!! OMG sushi's not good for us let alone a embrio. But in the end people do what they want and risk it thinking it won't happen to me! Hair dying isn't how it used to be. If your doctor say's fine then do what your comfortable with. Sushi, Tanning beds and certain meds. I knew someone who died from a tanning bed. It's like a microwave. I have used them and knowing it's unsafe for me. NO way would I sugg you do that when prego's! If there is a chance why take that chance? In life we make our own choices and deal with the outcome, pregnancy is no different! Best of luck try not to sweat the small stuff and take it easy no is your time to pamper yourself and relax :)! It's all about YOU!!!

Hi,
I am a cosmetologist and I continued working & coloring my own hair while I was pregnant. The color molecules are too large to enter into the skin. Otherwise we would all have dyed scalps! The other main ingrediants are ammonia (just like urine), and hydrogen peroxide. If you have never colored your hair before you will want to do a skin test- but everyone should do that- pregnant or not.
~S.

Hi Z.:

I would wait until your 2nd trimester but then go ahead. I had my hair colored, not highlighted, during both my pregnancies and both my girls are fine. Both of my OB's said it was fine.

They say that if there is good ventilation in the room and you get your hair foiled (as opposed to letting it sit on your scalp) you should be fine. You might want to wait just a few weeks more until you are past the major developmental stage just to give yourself some piece of mind. I have had my hair hi-lighted throughout both of my 2 pregnancies with no adverse effects.

I just wanted to note, I now have a 6 month old when I was pregnant it is safe to color your hair while being pregnant. Just recently it was found to have no results on the baby from coloring your hair. My OB's office gives a book with your first appoinment and it states coloring your hair is safe. All 5 of my OB's stated the same thing. I have 2 kids and my first book received, stated the old don't do it in the 1st trimester, but the new addition has corrected the myth. I'd go for it!

Hello,
I actually did color my hair in my first pregnancy.I am pregnant now and will do so again. My Dr. is a world renowned fertility specialist and says it is okay. I am also a licensed cosmetologist and know lots of pregnant women who do so without any problems. But you need to do what you are comfortable with. Good luck with your pregnancy!!
Cindy

You need to talk to your hairdresser and ask about the ingredients in the hair dyes. If they are completely vegetable based, you can use them without any problems. Dying your hair during pregnancy should be 100% safe for you and the baby. What would concern me is dyes that have bleach in them, because of fumes, but as long as there are no fumes and the product is natural, you'll be fine.

Hello, i have heard that hair coloring while your pregnant is not such a good idea, the reason is the color does not take to your hair, due to the high volume of hormones... So the color could not turn out what you had in mind... just as well as people taking certain medications... Hope this helps..

C.

When I was pregnant I only did highlights. It doesn't get on your scalp so it's pretty safe. If you get really think ones, they look pretty funky...think HOT Mama.

I'm chemically sensitive and do not like to color my hair at all. I did it once in graduate school and once before my wedding. But the chemicals are harsh and bother me. I would never do it during pregnancy myself. Somehow, something (some exposure) made me chemically sensitive, and I wonder if a fetus exposed to extra chemicals might have more chemical issues later in life. Who knows. It's only 9 months - seems like it's not a hard thing to avoid. But that's my opinion.

I did it. I went through the same thing, found out I was pregnant at a time I really needed a touch up. I called my Dr. and he said it would be fine as long as the area I was in was well ventilated. I would just give your doc a call to confirm, but your baby will be just fine! :D

What I don't understand is anyone who would even take a chance doing something that is "potentially" dangerous to you and/or your children. I am a licensed cosmotologist and over 40. I quit coloring and perming clients as well as myself for 2 years straight. I now have 2 wonderful babies, who, by the way, seem normal now, but time will tell. I may have exposed them to some other unforseen danger. That I couldn't avoid. But the things I could avoid, I certainly put there wellbeing ahead of my vanity.