There are many dos and don’ts during pregnancy.

Expectant mothers avoid certain foods and medications so they don’t risk harm to their baby from the exposure of particular chemicals.

But what about hair dye?

Almost all hair dyes contain the chemicals ammonia, peroxide and paraphenylenediamine (PPD). Some expectant mothers are concerned that these chemicals will seep through their scalp and negatively impact their growing baby, says Dr. Danielle Levy, OB-GYN at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, New York.  But can you still dye your hair if expecting? Here’s what you need to know.

Can you dye your hair while pregnant?

“The short answer is yes,” says Levy. “But of course, there are things you want to think about [like] what the person’s goals and concerns are.”

Studies show that dyeing one’s hair while pregnant is safe for the developing fetus, according to the NHS. A 2008 article published in the medical journal Canadian Family Physician states that exposure to hair dye chemicals in humans caused “very limited systemic absorption” in the absence of injuries to the scalp and that these chemicals are therefore unlikely to negatively impact a fetus. However, research is limited.

For some expectant mothers, having limited evidence is enough for them to choose to not dye their hair, says Levy. “If you want to be extra cautious, you can always wait until the first trimester is over,” she adds. The first trimester is a critical period of growth and development when the fetus’s major organs are forming. 

What can you do instead of dyeing your hair while pregnant?

For expectant mothers who feel uncomfortable dyeing their hair as they normally would during the first trimester, there are options available to them.

One option is to change how you apply the hair dye to your hair. “If you do want to dye your hair … but you’re like, ‘I want to do it but I’m kind of scared,’ then you could potentially just do the ends or a little bit away from your scalp,” says Levy.

A second option is to change what kind of hair dye to use. Levy recommends talking to your hair stylist about using plant-based dyes or ammonia-free products to reduce your exposure to certain chemicals.

Do doctors recommend people who are pregnant to avoid other hair treatments? 

There are various hair treatments for different hair textures, but the general consensus is that expectant mothers do not need to avoid any particular hair treatments, says Levy.

As long as the hair treatment does not cause an adverse reaction -- like a bad allergic reaction or asthma attack -- for the mom, then the baby should be just fine, she adds.

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