| Today, everybody knows that certain elements, such | | | | skin before it's applied to the hair." |
| as nickel, chromium and cobalt, can cause health | | | | To use dyes or not is always the question. |
| problems and allergies. Not everyone may know, | | | | "The answer is that either way, there are pros and |
| though, that these three potentially toxic elements can | | | | cons. When you factor in the benefit of a more |
| be found in high concentrations in hair dyes. | | | | youthful appearance, suddenly the quality of life gets |
| Studies show that constituents of hair dyes show up in | | | | better and it seems to outweigh a lot of the cons... It's |
| the urine within 24 hours, which means they're | | | | worth it to a lot of people to dye their hair and look |
| circulating throughout the body after the application. | | | | their best every day," Ted said. "When you think of all |
| There is substantial evidence that nickel, chromium and | | | | the other chemicals and pesticides that are |
| cobalt are essential elements required for the body in | | | | encountered on a daily basis, such as from smoking, air |
| extremely low amounts; however, all three can cause | | | | pollution, and food contaminants, these are probably |
| serious problems in the body, when in excess. | | | | accumulating at higher rates in the body than six or |
| Let's address nickel toxicity here. Excess nickel has | | | | seven applications of hair dyes throughout the year." |
| been well established to be toxic to the kidneys and | | | | He searched for years to find a safer hair dye before |
| carcinogenic. A single cigarette typically contains from | | | | he found one from Europe that actually provided |
| 2 to 6 mcg of nickel. Nickel is absorbed more | | | | optimal professional color for clients. |
| efficiently in the lungs than in the gastrointestinal tract. | | | | "Some people use Henna, but Henna doesn't cover |
| Symptoms of chronic nickel exposure include | | | | gray hair well because it can create yellow or green |
| dermatitis, chronic rhinitis, and hypersensitivity reactions. | | | | tones on the gray. It won't make youo blonder, is |
| Nickel can hypersensitize the immune system, causing | | | | messy because it's a powder, is tedious to apply, and |
| hyperallergenic responses to many different | | | | it's limited. Compound henna products can contain fine |
| substances. Consider the type of allergies caused by | | | | metallic salts; if they do, they aren't compatible with |
| nickel in earrings or in scissors used by hairdressers. | | | | most other chemical services. If henna dye could |
| One study, done by Aecono Consulting, shows that | | | | somehow give professional color, hairdressers would |
| allergy, in particular to nickel, is found in 10% of women | | | | use it. But it doesn't." |
| in industrialized countries. The other potentially toxic | | | | His patent-pending system involves a highly accurate |
| elements, chromium and cadmium, will be addressed in | | | | way to customize your hair coloring, even though you |
| future articles. | | | | may be miles away from his salon. All formulas are |
| You may not be showing physical signs that you're | | | | mixed to your color expectations, formulated by a |
| accumulating nickel or other toxic elements yet, | | | | certified cosmetologist for the composition of your hair. |
| primarily because your body hasn't reached a critical | | | | The porosity of one's hair determines the amount of |
| load of them. Once the body reaches the "overflow" | | | | color lifting and also color distortion. You can |
| point, that's when signs and symptoms start to appear. | | | | conveniently apply your color at home, achieving better |
| Growing numbers of women and men are turning to | | | | quality than over-the-counter products without the |
| hair dyes that are known to have low levels of these | | | | need for visiting a salon. |
| metals. One European-trained cosmetologist in the U.S., | | | | Ted made the process a simple three-step process: |
| Ted Berry, at his salon, Hair Color To Go(TM), has | | | | 1. Order the hair color analysis kit, which consists of 22 |
| been using hair coloring imported from Europe for over | | | | actual hair samples to be used to detemine your |
| a decade on clients. It's one that's documented to be | | | | existing hair color and condition. The swatches come |
| low in nickel, chromium and cobalt. Ted created a | | | | with full instructions and the evaluation process takes |
| patent-pending system of affordable custom | | | | only a few minutes. |
| European hair coloring mixed for an individual. | | | | 2. Submit the Analysis information online, by phone or |
| "There's a difference between sensitivity to nickel, | | | | mail. |
| chromium and cobalt and an allergy. If someone is | | | | 3. Receive your custom-formulated hair color, |
| allergic to these potentially toxic elements, they | | | | formulated by your own personal Senior Color |
| shouldn't use any dyes with any amounts of these | | | | Consultant. She's one of several Hair Color To Go |
| metals in them. But if they're sensitive to hair dyes, it's | | | | (TM) European-trained hair color technicians who is a |
| possible that there will be reduced sensitivity from the | | | | certified cosmetologist and expert in hair care science. |
| European hair color because of the extremely low | | | | She will contact you by email or phone and assist you |
| percentages of these toxic metals in the dyes," he | | | | in obtaining your first hair color product. |
| said. "It's always best to do a patch test of the dye on | | | | |