Hair dyes are toxic. Could natural alternatives work

Do you know what’s in the hair dye you use? Some hair dyes that you buy at the hairdresser or in shops contain toxic chemicals that can cause skin irritations or increase the risk of DNA mutations, which can lead to cancer. Many people (and in an effort to save money) are now turning to natural alternatives. The internet is awash with recipes for homemade, plant-based dyes. Few of these products actually show that they can color hair.

Recently, my colleagues and I researched to determine if the ultrasound treatment, which is used for fabrics to absorb dyes to increase their effectiveness, could be used to enhance natural hair colors. While the results were positive, we also discovered that the treatment and some natural dyes can cause hair damage.

Hair dyes fill the strands with colored chemicals that enter through hair pores. Permanent stains are made by letting two different types of molecules pass through the holes. They then react and form a larger molecule, which is too big to be able to exit. Semi-permanent hair dyes penetrate only the outermost layers of hair, and they use chemicals that stick to keratin proteins in hair. Ammonia or other alkaline solutions can be used to open the cuticles of the hair and increase the size of the pores in both cases. This will improve the penetration and color.

Online, a wide range of natural products is recommended for covering grey hairs or creating highlights. You can even change the color of your hair. Tea, coffee, beetroot, and carrots are all suggested substances, as well as onion peels, nigella seed, and a delicious concoction made from soy sauce and vinegar. These substances are non-toxic because they are foods that we consume. However, most articles recommend reapplying them every week or two weeks and offer little proof they work.

To highlight, it is common to use honey, lemon juice, and sunlight. Lemon juice contains citric acid, which can accelerate the reaction. The sun’s ultraviolet light damages hair melanin, resulting in yellowing. The acid can shrink each strand of hair, making it thinner. It also strips hair of its essential oils, as well as moisture.

Hair dyes that contain natural ingredients can be purchased. Blackcurrant extract has been proven to be a natural dye that works if you’re not afraid of having purple hair. Indigo or henna are the two most common natural dyes. The ancient Egyptians used henna. Henna, when mixed with indigo, can produce a variety of shades ranging from brown to black. These extracts are absorbed onto the surface and work similarly to temporary dyes. Henna treatments, like other plant dyes, are limited by their messiness and need to be reapplied frequently.

Henna is a natural hair dye, but it has limitations. fotolotos/Shutterstock

My colleagues and I tested on goat hair samples to see if ultrasound could be used to improve the dyeing properties of hair dyes. To the delight of the ethics board at the university, the process did not involve taking a goat for a haircut. The light-colored hair of goats is a reliable source for testing and has properties similar to those of human hair.

It is well known that ultrasounds can enhance the performance of natural dyes in wool, Silk, and Cotton. The pressure wave creates microturbulence in the liquid, which, depending on the characteristics of the ultrasound, can speed up the molecules. In certain circumstances, ultrasound can open the pores in natural material. With the correct settings, our results showed that ultrasound could reduce the two-hour dyeing process of henna dyes by half.

Hair damage

We also used a scanning electron microscope to magnify the hair before and after treatment. They showed that when the ultrasound was applied long enough, this changed the hair structure and created a hair follicle with a different shape that had previously been observed in patients with ectodermal Dysplasia.

There was some damage to the surface of the hair in some cases. This is most likely due to erosion from the ultrasonic bubbles collapsing on or near the hair surface. Images also revealed that henna dyes can damage the outer layer of hair or cuticle, which leads to damaged and dry hair.

In general, using ultrasound in the right conditions created a color more intense and resistant to washing than using henna alone, without damaging hair. Before you put your head into an ultrasonic shower, let’s make sure that all the safety issues are addressed. Next, we will look at the best ways to use ultrasound to enhance various dyeing formulas without damaging the hair.

There are no natural hair dyes that don’t have their drawbacks. There is room for new products that don’t involve you smearing sticky, smelly food in your hair.