New Study Associates Increased Risk of Cancer with the Use of Hair Dyes and Chemical Straighteners

Researchers have been studying the possible relationship between hair dye and cancer for a long time, but the results have been inconsistent, substances that have proven harmful have been banned, but the task is far from being completed.

Many of the products used by both men and women for cosmetic purposes contain substances that can be harmful to health. That is why they are constantly being evaluated so that they are safe and the best options are always chosen.

A new study published on December 4 of this year in the International Journal of Cancer, found that women who use permanent dyes and hair straightening products may face a greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who do not use them.

This study was conducted using data from just over 46,000 women from the Sister Study, and conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Among the most important findings were that women who regularly used permanent hair dye were 9% more likely than women who did not use hair dye to develop breast cancer. Among African-American women, the use of permanent dyes was associated with a 60% increased risk of breast cancer compared with an 8% increased risk for white women.

The research team found little or no increase in breast cancer risk for the use of semi-permanent or temporary dyes.

Another finding was the association between the use of chemical hair straighteners and breast cancer. The researchers found that women who used hair straighteners had up to a 30% greater chance of developing breast cancer, especially among black women because they were the group that used these products the most. These results suggest that chemicals in hair products may play a role in breast carcinogenesis.

What recommendations do the experts offer?

The researchers warned that a risk factor is unlikely to explain a woman’s probability of developing cancer, and that the results should be repeated in future studies. That said, “although it’s too early to make a strong recommendation, avoiding these chemicals may be one more thing women can do to reduce their risk of breast cancer,” said study co-author Dale Sandler, Ph.D.

Many factors actually influence the increased risk of developing breast cancer, such as your diet, weight, hormonal factors and physical activity. So it’s a little early to eliminate these chemicals and suggest banning them.

However, the FDA offers several recommendations and suggestions that help minimize exposure to harmful chemicals for both customers and professionals in beauty salons and esthetics, such as:

• Follow the instructions on the package. Pay attention to signal words and safety recommendations.
• Be sure to do a patch test before applying a product for the first time and continue to do so each time because allergic reactions can take a while to appear.
•  Wear gloves when applying hair color or chemicals to minimize exposure.
• Remove the chemical within the time indicated by the manufacturer.
• Thoroughly rinse the scalp with water after each use.
• Never mix different types of hair dyes, they can cause damage to your hair, skin or even respiratory irritation.
• According to the FDA, you should never use hair dyes on eyebrows or eyelashes, this can cause serious eye damage or even total loss of vision.

In general, you should keep up to date with the information provided by the competent authorities, and follow basic recommendations to minimize exposure to harmful chemicals that may cause short- and long-term effects.

REFERENCES

Eberle CE, Sandler DP, Taylor KW, White AJ. 2019. Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large U.S. population of black and white women. International Journal of Cancer. [Online]https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ijc.32738

National Institute of Health. News Releases. Wednesday, December 4, 2019. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/permanent-hair-dye-straighteners-may-increase-breast-cancer-risk

American Cancer Society. What causes cancer? – Hair dyes. [Online]https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/hair-dyes.html