To cover up greys, we often take the aid of hair dyes. And not just that, hair coloring has gained more clients lately than any other time in history.


Orange, green, purple, blue, blonde and every other colour available on the palette has made its way to our hair.

While covering your greys or being fashionable is not a bad thing, the perils of this are more in number than its benefits.

Here’s how hair dyes can affect your health in five ways.

1. ​Carcinogenic in nature

As per the American Cancer Society, there have been numerous studies on the link between hair dyes and cancer. This is because hair dyes contain chemicals which can penetrate into your skin through your hair.

2. Allergic reactions

Hair dyes commonly contain paraphenylenediamine, which is an allergen responsible for common skin allergies. These skin allergies can come in the form of pigmentation, rashes and severe itching as well.

3. Breathing issues

Since hair dyes contain persulfates, it can lead to breathing issues even in those who are not asthmatics. In addition, other harmful chemicals present in hair dyes can pose breathing problem if it is regularly inhaled.

4. ​Eye infections

There is a reason why every hair colour pack states the ‘keep away from any eye contact’ warning. If hair dyes enter your eye by chance, they can cause inflammation, pink eyes, watery eyes or even conjunctivitis.

5. Skin discolouration

Even though studies are still researching on this, but many have reported skin discolouration due to hair colours. Your skin is made up of keratinized protein. If this protein comes in contact with hair dyes, it can discolour the skin due to the chemicals present in the dyes. This is why hair specialists are strictly told to wear gloves because the skin of our hands is made up of the same protein.