Highlighting Hair during the first Trimester
CherSomething
member
I made an appt for a cut and highlight this friday. I'm 8 wks. My hair is just so long right now, and my greys are driving me crazy. I'm planning on having her balayage my hair, which is the technique where they paint the bleach on your hair in skinny stripes near the scalp and then more as she goes down to their ends of your hair. Then they separate the sections with plastic wrap (instead of foils), which keeps it moist as it develops. I got it done this way the last time and looooved it. But that was June, and I'm feeling the need for a freshen up. But I definitely don't want to put my baby at risk.
My first preganancy, I was just so paranoid about everything, and now I feel I was unnecessarily precautious to the degree I was taking it... I mean I took every precaution imaginable. I didn't paint my nails, I didn't drink anything with caffeine. Nothing. I was totally bland.
This pregnancy, I'm drinking my dang coffee (I did cut back, but I still have it every day), and I want to get my hair done. I was drinking beer the weekend before I got my BFP and I was on Z-pac for a mystery "virus" in September (which I now know was probably baby. I got the same "cold" before I knew I was pregnant with my first). I would have been worried sick last time around. This time, I know I don't need to worry.
My question is to the people who have been pregnant before -- did you process your hair in your first trimester? Or to the group -- do you know someone who processed their hair in their 1st trimester? Did everything turn out ok? From what I m reading, the concern is for chemicals being absorbed through the scalp, or inhaled. I'm reading highlights are probably ok since they don't touch the scalp, but why risk it? Has anyone heard of birth defects related to hair highlighting?
Re: Highlighting Hair during the first Trimester
PS: love balayage!
I have an appointment on Saturday - actually, to have my balayage freshened up, too. I think since most of the hair dye is at the ends and not the scalp, we should be OK.
I was kind of wondering if my hairdresser will think I'm a lunatic if I wear a surgical mask or something. I'm not worried about inhaling the fumes as much as I'm worried the smells in there will make me sick!
Oh man.
After posting I thought would call the Dr's office to just 'make sure'.
They told me to go in the first trimester, I can go and have them dye my hair but not touch the scalp. And no coloring in the 2nd or 3rd trimester.
This is the worst.
That's what I thought, too.
I don't know. I am sure it is fine, obviously plenty of women dye their hair, but now I probably won't.
Due June 6th, 2014
According to my OB there is actually no evidence that hair dye of any kind is dangerous -- unless possibly if you work in a salon where you're inhaling it all day every day and they have bad ventilation.
Even if it gets on your scalp, the amount of material that would actually be absorbed through your skin is like 0.000000000001%.
People need to stop being so freaking paranoid. You're pregnant, not dying.