DH won't let me dye my hair

[Tinsel]

Well, he feels strongly against dying my hair during pregnancy and I have read BB threads and magazine articles on the subject. I just want to dye the greys at the top of my head using a root touch up colour that only takes 10 minutes. It isn't like I am soaking my scalp in the dye for a long period of time and I feel like a nanna at 33 with all the greys. The baby mag article I read said that if you have to, only do it once during second and once during third trimester. I think that because this is only a 10 minute treatment and I am not putting dye on much of my scalp that it should be ok....what are your thoughts?

[Artechim]

If you want my opinion, I don't think it would do any harm. If you are worried, look at the active ingredient and google the name + MSDS. This will bring up all the info on the chemical and will tell you if there is any evidence that it is a mutagen or teratogen.

BTW, I wouldn't be worried about grey hairs at 33 - I have more than a few now and I am only 25.

[mrsmac]

I had streaks or foils put in my hair at least twice/3 times during each of my pgs and my children are all OK. My cousin worked as a hairdresser putting dye on other people's hair throughout her pgs as a lot of other women do and had no problems.

[Ozziehoffy]

I dyed my hair several times and first time I was pg I actually had a perm done... eeeek I shouldn't admit to having a perm...lol... but both my kidlets are just fine! Try not to breath the fumes in though and do in well ventilated area which is the norm anyway. I understand all too well about the greys and feeling old and daggy with them when you're not!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

SiL had her hair fully bleached all the way through pregnancy and niece is... well, she's fine, just not as perfect as DS LOL. I did a light colour in early pregnancy, come to think of it, before I knew about Lieby.

Ban your DH fromm something he does to feel good about himself "for the baby" and watch him relent. Or dye your hir anyway, not likemen notice these things!

[Ambah]

I also dyed my hair several times during my last pregnancy, with permanent colours too. The reason why I had to dye so many times was because pregnancy hormones changed my hair, and it wouldnt hold onto the dye, and half of the colour would just wash out in water! (so I walked around with washed out orange hair a lot of the time, instead of dark red, LOL )

[Saffi]

Its sweet that DH is being so protective of both you and bubs. I have read up and the modern hair dyes are safe, and I asked the hairdresser when I last had my semi put through. I suggest get some information together and get DH to read it to put his mind at ease. If in doubt ask your OB or GP next time you visit.

[mrsr]

I also dyed my hair several times during my last pregnancy, with permanent colours too. The reason why I had to dye so many times was because pregnancy hormones changed my hair, and it wouldnt hold onto the dye, and half of the colour would just wash out in water! (so I walked around with washed out orange hair a lot of the time, instead of dark red, LOL )

Hi, I'm an ex-hairdresser...here's something that isn't commonly known about hair colors.

Red fades a lot faster than any other color purely because the pigment molecules are actually much smaller than those of black, brown etc and the hair can't hold it very well. This also happens faster than normal if the hair is very porous to start with (ie has been prelightened) before the red has been applied.

As for not coloring your hair when you're pregnant, I colored mine throughout my first pregnancy and will continue to do so with #2. I believe that hair coloration products are fine, as long as you don't eat them.

That aside, I've cut caffiene and alcohol from my diet as well....I can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke either, so that's a good thing I guess, especially for an ex-smoker!!

[Jessy]

I died my hair once at about 18 weeks using a semi. I bought the good products to hope it will last out...but the hairdresser (who died her hair when she was pregnant) seemed to think all was fine with doing it.

[Lucy]

Yes, ask your OB/Dr.

When I was first pg with Olivia I asked my OB and he said "Dying your hair in pregnancy is about as toxic to your baby as brushing your teeth"

So I went with his advice and went straight out and got my greys sorted!

(Olivia (and Charlie and Lexie) are all quite perfect.......no problems at all..........)

[Tinsel]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Ryn, I was thinking the same thing - he won't even notice if I did it. Oh no Ambah, naughty dye. I hope the colour sticks on my head for a while so I only need to do it again before I go into labour for the photos. Lucy, I like what your OB said. Ozziehoffy, a perm! LOL I hope the curls didn't fall out from the changes in your hair.

You hear way more horror stories about what pg mothers used to get up to back in the olden days like smoke and drink through their entire pg so a little colour should be ok. That's what I am telling myself anyway.

[*noni*e*]

tinsel.. like everyone else said just go for it... i had my hair done at the hairdressors in the early second tri (15 weeksish i think) and they dyed it and it needed two colours to get to the colour i want and i have had two scans now since then and all is fine and progressing well in the preg... just don't tell him haha men dnt notice anything unless its pointed out!!

[Ozziehoffy]

Tinsel, unfortunately for me the perm did stick!! My hair didn't change with pregnancy, colours etc stick the same as any other time. I even have pics to prove the perm... waaahhhhh....pmsl. Everything is fine to do your hair... I know that I had mine done just a couple of weeks before I was due cos I wasn't going to feel all old and gross after having my bubba!!! Did wonders for making me feel great

[Willow]

I'm the same as Ambah, I've recently done mine red (semi though) and the first time the colour didn't turn out right and didn't hold, it washed out in a few weeks. This time I went a darker red and it's looking a bit better.

In my opinion, if dyeing your hair during pregnancy caused any harm to unborn babies, we'd well and truly know about it by now - how long have women been doing it? And what about hairdressers who are in contact with these products all day, every day?

I must admit I wouldn't do it too frequently and I probably would steer clear of the harsher permanent colours, especially bleach, but I really do think it's safe.

I think it'd be fine, I say go for it!!

[Mum2Furbabies]

I don't want to poop on partys or sound alarmist, but I am one of those people who is a bit paranoid about everything...!

I have read in a couple of reports that hair dyes contain neurotoxins in amounts too small to be dangerous, but when I see the word neurotoxin I get a bit nervous! I am no scientist though, so my choice is personal rather than based on evidence. I use a hair dye from the health food shop, its not expensive and you can use it for a few applications if its just for touch ups. I think its called herbatint or something.

I feel like a negative nelly for posting this...sorry...but I wanted to let people know there is an alternative dye that is really quite good.

[MamaPan]

Hi there
I dont dye my hair but I have heard that actually it is not likely to cause any probs (kinda like the toothpaste comment!!) - but you could use henna or something if you are really worried about it. there are so many things to worry about that if this is something that will really make you feel better about yourself then personally I would go for it... but thats my personal opinion.

[Roryrory]

Tinsel I gotta go against the grain here too - I firmly believe if not dyeing your hair is something that is really important to your DH, despite him having read all the info about how it is okay, then you should weigh up your desire to dye your hair against his fears and think about it in the context of your relationship with him. I am in the same situation as you - I am comfortable with it, DH is not, but because my desire to dye is due to vanity alone ( and his concerns are for the safety of our babe, I feel his needs/desires/fears deserve to be listened to, and so I won't dye my hair. There are going to be many things in parenting that one of you will be comfortable with and the other won't - personally I think that sometimes for the sake of the relationship you need to listen to the other person's concerns and sometimes concede, even though personally you think it isn't an issue. Plus to play devils advocate, imagine how you would feel if your DH did something which you were fearful would harm your baby, even though the risk was small or irrational - I imagine you would be really peeved that he didn't take your feelings into account? I think guys get so little input into the whole pg thing that whenever possible they should have a say and be involved, and maybe this is one small way you can make him feel like he is gestating this baby also?

Garbled I know but I should be working hope it all works out....

[Matryoshka]

Tinsel I gotta go against the grain here too - I firmly believe if not dyeing your hair is something that is really important to your DH, despite him having read all the info about how it is okay, then you should weigh up your desire to dye your hair against his fears and think about it in the context of your relationship with him. I am in the same situation as you - I am comfortable with it, DH is not, but because my desire to dye is due to vanity alone ( and his concerns are for the safety of our babe, I feel his needs/desires/fears deserve to be listened to, and so I won't dye my hair. There are going to be many things in parenting that one of you will be comfortable with and the other won't - personally I think that sometimes for the sake of the relationship you need to listen to the other person's concerns and sometimes concede, even though personally you think it isn't an issue. Plus to play devils advocate, imagine how you would feel if your DH did something which you were fearful would harm your baby, even though the risk was small or irrational - I imagine you would be really peeved that he didn't take your feelings into account? I think guys get so little input into the whole pg thing that whenever possible they should have a say and be involved, and maybe this is one small way you can make him feel like he is gestating this baby also?

Garbled I know but I should be working hope it all works out....

I agree, my dh didn't want me to dye my hair either (or foil it)so i didn't and even though i felt like i looked terrible as the blonde grew out and my natural brown came through, it was about respecting his feelings, as i know he would if i was really passionate about something. That being said, this was something i was willing to comprimise on as i knew how he felt about it and i knew i could survive 10 months of dodgey looking hair. But if this is really bothering you perhaps you could speak to him again about how much it means to you and go over the research together?