Coloring Your Hair While Pregnant

I Sure Don't Feel Pretty

Let's face it - the people who say that women look more beautiful when they are pregnant are likely the ones who have never been in that condition before. Sure there are good days, but often the glow that folks talk about is due to overheating. The first few weeks you might be a pale shade of green and then, from about 12 weeks to 26 weeks you're feeling good but beginning to walk a bit funny. By the third trimester...well...what can we say?

There's no question that pregnant women can be hard on themselves and berate their blossoming bodies, even though they love what's going on inside. That's why it is so very important to do whatever you can to make yourself feel pretty, pampered, and lovely during the nine months or so that your body is changing and growing.

A Fresh Hair Color Does Wonders - Is It Safe?

One way to do that is by coloring or streaking your hair. That said there have often been concerns voiced over the wisdom of coloring and streaking hair on pregnant women, mostly due to the thought that the dye would be dangerous to the baby. The good news is that the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS), which provides information on potential reproductive risks, indicates that coloring your hair while pregnant is relatively safe. Very little chemical is actually absorbed into your systems, especially if the color is not an all-over job but highlighting, painting, or frosting.

Actually, many professional hair colorings are vegetable based colors and contain less than 1% ammonia or none at all. Often, the worst that can go wrong with color on a pregnant woman is a problem with the color not taking or coming up lighter or darker than anticipated. That's because the hormonal fluctuations in a pregnant woman affect the way the color takes. Otherwise, it's pretty safe. The best bet is to have color done in a salon where any "fluctuations" can be fixed professionally. If, however, you want to color your hair at home, make sure you wear gloves and that there is adequate ventilation.

Real Henna vs. Compound Henna

Some women like to use henna to color their hair. Pure henna is made from the leaves of the henna plant and it is a powder that has to be mixed. It is non-toxic, but it's really messy. The products that are commonly available in most health food stores are not pure henna but compound henna that is a chemical preparation. The chemical preparation is full of metal and can damage your hair. Real henna is totally safe during pregnancy as long as you're not allergic to it.

The biggest issue is a personal one: Will coloring your hair make you feel better of give you something to worry about for nine months? If you're going to worry, save the color until after the baby is born.