subject: Dyed Hair Is Cool.. Not! [print this page] Hair colouring is has became a common trend for teenagers in today's world. Many teenagers have their hair dyed nowadays regardless of their ethnicity and location. Teenagers view this as a trend for fashion and they feel that colouring their hair makes them look better. However, they do not think about the type of chemicals these hair dyes contain and what side-effects would they cause. Most teenagers only assume that using too much hair dye would only cause dead skin cells or dry hair. What they do not know is that hair dye cause more than just that.
One of the main contributions of hair dye is bladder cancer. A research conducted in 2001 found out that the highest risk of getting bladder cancer is due to hair dyes. Women appears to be the most common ones to get bladder cancer as they use hair dye more frequently than men. Hair dyes contain a chemical called Arylamines which will lower the rate of carcinogenic ingredients being flushed out from a woman's body which would increase the risk of contracting bladder cancer.
The most common chemical compound found in hair dye is Para-Phenylenediamine or PPD. The use of this chemical is to darken the hair and it is known to cause allergic reactions like redness, soreness and itching. PPD is also identified as a potential carcinogen which is could cause cancer. Hair dyes also require the mixing of hydrogen peroxide with ammonia which may create carcinogenic chemicals. This is why too much exposure to hair dyes would increase the risk of contracting different forms of cancer such as breast cancer, leukemia and bladder cancer.
Another dangerous substance found in hair dye is coal tar. If you haven't realized yet, this is the same coal tar that is used to pave roads. This ingredient is used to darken the color of the hair. Almost all hair colouring products uses coal tar because the production cost is cheap and it darkens the hair significantly. Coal tar is easily absorbed by the skin and this may cause allergic reaction by the skin. However, the allergic symptoms would not show immediately as it would take some time.
It is best not to use hair dye too frequently as it contains more chemicals that may have effects that you would not know. Just imagine how a hair colouring product that is used on the hair could cause the cancer of the bladder which is located at the lower part of the body. Always think of your health before using any products that contains chemicals.
