What are the side effects of hair dye?

Author: Dr. Clarabelle Kemmer III  |  Last update: Saturday, January 17, 2026

If you're mildly irritated by PPD, you may find that your scalp, neck, forehead, ears or eyelids become irritated and inflamed after using hair dye. The skin exposed to the PPD may become red, swollen, blistered, dry, thickened and cracked. You may feel a burning or stinging sensation.

Does hair dye have negative effects?

Some of the ingredients in hair dyes can cause serious allergic reactions in some people. Hair dyes can cause hair loss in some people. Some doctors advise women to avoid having their hair dyed during pregnancy (or at least until after the first trimester).

How long do hair dye chemicals stay in your system after?

Hair dye chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and may enter the bloodstream. While specific durations vary depending on the chemical and individual factors, some compounds can remain in the body for a few days to weeks after application.

What are the ill effects of hair dye?

Chemical hair dyes can cause scalp irritation, redness, itching, and even severe allergic reactions in some people. Ingredients like paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a common component in permanent dyes, can trigger contact dermatitis.

Which is the best hair color without any side effects?

LOREAL INOVA Colour is the best quality and is not harmful to hair because its amonia free colour.

Hair Dyes & CANCER Risk (What YOU Need to Know!)

What is the healthiest hair dye to use?

What Is the Best Natural Hair Dye?
  • Hally Color Cloud*
  • IROIRO Premium Natural Semi-Permanent Hair Color*
  • ARCTIC FOX's Vegan Semi-Permanent Dyes*
  • MANIC PANIC SuperNatural Hair Dyes*
  • Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask*
  • Lime Crime Unicorn Semi-Permanent Hair*
  • Khadi Natural Hair Color*
  • Surya Brasil Henné Color*

What is the best hair dye to cover grey?

Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Permanent Colour

A natural-looking colour that effectively covers grey is what most look for at an at-home hair dye, and you'll find exactly that in this one. There's a wide range of shades to choose from too, from a Honey Blonde, all the way through to Infinite Black.

Does hair dye get absorbed into the bloodstream?

So through our skin or hair follicles, compounds in hair dye could get into our bloodstream. That's potentially worrisome, because a lot of the chemicals in hair dye are known or suspected to be linked to health issues. One common precursor is paraphenylenediamine, or PPD, which is derived from petroleum.

Does hair dye affect the kidneys?

Modern hair dyes contain paraphenylenediamine and a host of other chemicals that can cause rhabdomyolysis, laryngeal edema, acute kidney injury, severe metabolic acidosis, and acute renal failure. Intervention at the right time has been shown to improve the outcome.

Is it normal to feel sick after dying your hair?

Some people experience health effects when they work with a product, others never do. Health problems that may be caused by chemicals in hair color include: Central nervous system effects: Headache, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, restlessness. Allergies: Stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, asthma, dermatitis.

What hair dye brands should I avoid?

Not Our Favorite Hair Dye / Hair Color Brands
  • Aveda (6 bad ingredients)
  • Calura (9 bad ingredients)
  • Clairol Nice'N Easy Color Crème (7 bad ingredients)
  • Clairol Nice & Easy Root Touch Up Semi-Permanent Colors AND Permanent Creme (7 bad ingredients)
  • Clairol Natural Instincts (6 bad ingredients)

How to detox your body from hair dye?

Solutions to Remove Hair Dye from Skin Fast
  1. Makeup Remover or Micellar Water. ...
  2. Oil-Based Solutions. ...
  3. Rubbing Alcohol or Hand Sanitizer. ...
  4. Exfoliation with a Gentle Scrub. ...
  5. Dish Soap + Baking Soda.

What is the most damaging hair color?

Comparing Permanent, Semi-Permanent, and Demi-Permanent Hair Dyes. Permanent hair color has the greatest potential for hair damage due to the chemistry involved and should be done most cautiously.

Will my hair be healthier if I stop coloring it?

And your hair might feel healthier

While hair dyes and techniques have come a long way since their follicle-frying beginnings, they do still leave some damage. Taking a hiatus from color will help your hair return to its previous state--especially as dyed ends get chopped off.

Does hair dye cause fungal infections?

Hair dye cannot cause dandruff , but it can spike oil levels to compensate for excessive dryness. This allows a dandruff causing fungus to grow, giving you an itchy scalp after hair dye.

Who should not use hair dye?

The studies, for the most part, document that risk is further increased with darker colors and increased number of exposures. Alarming data points toward a link between hair-dye use in pregnancy and the development of several childhood malignancies in offspring. Concerned pregnant women should avoid all hair coloring.

Why do my kidneys hurt after contrast dye?

CIN is a rare disorder and occurs when kidney problems are caused by the use of certain contrast dyes. In most cases contrast dyes used in tests, such as CT (computerized tomography) and angiograms, have no reported problems. About 2 percent of people receiving dyes can develop CIN.

Can hair dye cause health problems?

Consumers are also at risk: Frequent use of hair dye is associated with a higher risk of several cancers, including uterine and breast cancer, as well as the formation of ovarian tumors.

Can hair dye affect the immune system?

The above studies have demonstrated that hair dye use can induce a pro-inflammatory immune response, as well as possibly influencing the autoantibody profile. It appears also that dye use may indeed lead to the manipulation of suppressor mechanism which depending on the timing may have an anti-inflammatory effect.

How does hair dye affect the liver?

It contains PPD (highly toxic component) and a mixture of other chemicals that can damage the respiratory, muscular, blood, renal and hepatic systems.

What are the side effects of ammonia hair dye?

Ammonia hair colors side effects also include a pungent odor. Simply put, these hair dyes exert a strong smell that can cause irritation to the eyes and in the worst cases lung problems, throat infections, and sinuses.

How can I cover up grey hair without dye?

How can I conceal grey hair?
  1. Root sprays. Light roots are easily concealed with root sprays until the next time the hair is washed. ...
  2. Hair mascara. Special hair mascaras for individual strands or light roots work similarly to root sprays. ...
  3. Toners. ...
  4. Highlights. ...
  5. Shampoos with colour effect.

What is the best hair color for a 70 year old woman?

Silver, ashy, blond, and platinum are indeed the most popular hair color choices for women over 60. And with good reason! Instead of coloring to hide your grey hair, you can choose to embrace it. I've seen way too many women with poorly colored dark brown hair color that just doesn't look natural or flattering.

Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover gray hair?

Pick a lighter hair colour

A lighter colour will then look better. Your hair follicles produce less pigment as you're turning older. If there's no more pigment being produced in the hair follicles, your hair turns pigmentless.

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