| Many men and women use hair color occasionally or | | | | between the use of permanent hair color and deaths |
| regularly in order to restore graying hair to its original | | | | from bladder cancer among women existed. |
| color, or to change their hair color to a more desirable | | | | Other studies have focused on blood cell cancers |
| or more fashionable color, or even to return their hair | | | | including lymphomas, leukemia, and myelomas. The |
| color to its previous hue after it has been damaged by | | | | American Journal of Epidemiology in 2004 published |
| chemicals or sun bleaching. However, temporary or | | | | results of a study by Yale University researchers that |
| permanent hair colors can have adverse health | | | | suggested that long term usage of dark hair dye may |
| effects. Besides causing healthy hair to become dry or | | | | slightly increase the risk of developing non Hodgkin's |
| brittle, some of the chemicals in hair color products | | | | lymphoma but that it was not a conclusive cause of |
| have been linked with cancer. However, it is not totally | | | | cancer. The study pointed out that people who used |
| clear whether hair color products actually do cause | | | | hair colors before 1980 may have an increased risk for |
| any forms of cancer. Many studies have looked at the | | | | cancer. Hair dyes have changed since 1980 when the |
| question, but the results are inconclusive. | | | | use of chemicals that were known to cause cancer in |
| Since hair dyes and most professional applications | | | | mice was eliminated. |
| contact the scalp some of the chemicals in the | | | | In 2005 Spanish researchers reported in the Journal of |
| product can work their way into the many small blood | | | | the American Medical Association about a review of |
| vessels that supply the scalp. From the scalp the | | | | 79 original studies from 11 countries. Their meta study |
| chemicals can work their way into the blood supply | | | | concluded that there was not strong evidence of a link |
| and into the body's many organs, especially the | | | | between hair dye and an increased risk of cancer. |
| bladder. | | | | A report published in 2008 in Lancet Oncology from |
| Several studies over the years have implied a link | | | | the International Agency for Research on Cancer |
| between bladder cancer and hair color products. A | | | | concluded that professionals who work regularly with |
| study funded by the National Cancer Institute, | | | | hair dyes probably face an increased risk of cancer. |
| performed by the Keck School of Medicine at the | | | | However, it also concluded that occasional personal |
| University of Southern California, and reported in 2001 | | | | use of hair dyes probably does not raise the risk of |
| compared 1514 bladder cancer patients in Los Angeles | | | | contracting cancer. |
| with a population of 1514 non-patients who lived in the | | | | An alternative to the use of chemical hair color is to |
| same neighborhoods. The study was adjusted for | | | | use vegetable-based rinses with botanical extracts |
| tobacco smoking, a known contributor to bladder | | | | that coat the hair shaft with color but do not penetrate. |
| cancer. The study reported that women who used | | | | These rinses contain the least amount of synthetic |
| permanent hair dye monthly for a year or longer were | | | | chemicals but only last for a few weeks. Another |
| twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as women | | | | alternative is to use a product derived from the tropical |
| who did not use permanent hair dye. The study also | | | | henna shrub. These dyes cannot be used to lighten the |
| showed that those who used permanent hair dye | | | | hair but are longer lasting than the vegetable-based |
| monthly for 15 years or more were three times as | | | | rinses and also contain few synthetic chemicals. |
| likely to develop bladder cancer. Further, the study | | | | Some advice for people who are worried about using |
| showed that hairstylists and barbers with one year of | | | | chemical hair dyes include wearing gloves when |
| exposure to hair dyes were 50% more likely to | | | | handling hair color and rinsing the scalp thoroughly with |
| develop bladder cancer and those with 10 years of | | | | water after use of the hair color. Also, don't leave the |
| professional exposure were 5 times more likely to | | | | dye on the head longer than necessary and follow the |
| develop bladder cancer. | | | | directions in the package carefully. Further, never try to |
| The USC study also concluded that there was not a | | | | dye eyelashes or eyebrows and never mix different |
| connection between temporary and semi-permanent | | | | hair color products. Consider using vegetable or henna |
| hair dyes and bladder cancer. These dyes normally | | | | based rinses or dyes rather than purely chemical dyes. |
| last only a few weeks and wash out relatively quickly. | | | | Lastly, drink a liter of water to aid the body's natural |
| The American Cancer Society estimates that bladder | | | | process of eliminating chemicals after applying hair |
| cancer represents 6% of cancer cases in men and | | | | color. |
| 2% of cancer cases in women. | | | | Although the numerous studies have not proven a |
| On the other hand the Food and Drug Administration | | | | conclusive link between hair dyes and cancer, |
| (FDA) and the American Cancer Society released an | | | | consumers should use all available precautions if they |
| epidemiological study in 1994 that involved 573,000 | | | | choose to use hair color products. |
| women. This study did not conclude that a link | | | | |