Do hair dyes cause cancer

The myth started when many hair dyes used before 1980 contained tar-like compounds to darken hair. Women who used these dyes were found to have an increased risk of bladder cancer.

These findings lead to many women stopping to color their hair as a result forcing cosmetics companies to find new and safe chemicals to darken hair.

The carcinogenic (cancer causing) chemicals are now banned in several countries.

A study conducted in 2002 at the Yale school of Public Health found no connection between use of hair colour and development of breast cancer.

Similarly, a study conducted in Sweden of more than 45,000 hairdressers found no increase in the incidence of bladder cancers for hairdressers in recent decades. Researchers concluded that modern dyes were not linked with bladder cancer.

In 2008, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released an updated report which found that occupational exposure to hair dye in hairdressers and barbers was probably carcinogenic; however there was inadequate evidence to suggest personal use was carcinogenic.

In 2014, Dr Turati F and team found no overall link in a meta-analysis of 17 studies. The result that was published in the Annals of Epidemiology observed no association between the personal use of hair dyes and bladder cancer in either women or men.

These studies should give reassurance that the link between using modern hair dyes and cancer is, at most, very minimal.

However, further research is needed to investigate whether certain subgroups may be at increased risk, such as those with a genetic predisposition.

People who colour their hair are unlikely to have an increased risk of cancer, even if they have been colouring their hair regularly for many years.

If people who colour their hair are still concerned, they should ensure that colouring of hair should be done in a well ventilated room or salon, so as to minimise exposure to the fumes from hair dyes.

Else, be happy with your natural colour!