Hair color to dye for: the good, the bad and the ugly on natural cover-ups

The good, the bad and the ugly on natural cover-ups.

Growing up in a chemical-free home, I vowed never to dye my hair. I'd wear my gray proudly, I said, like a testament to natural living and pride in my age, experience and accomplishments. Then came the morning, about five years ago, when I actually found a few of those unsightly strands. They seemed to pop up overnight, striping my dark brown inane and mocking my resolve. I kissed my pride goodbye and made a beeline for the hairdresser.

In a nation obsessed with youth and beauty, changing hair color is nearly as commonplace as changing clothes. Three out of every five American women aged 18 to 55 now tint their locks, according to the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA). But recent studies linking hair color with an increase in certain cancers are making women rethink this rite of passage. A study done by the University of Washington and published in the American Journal of Public Health (July 1994) reported that women who dye their hair have a 50 percent greater risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A 1994 study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Cancer Society suggested an association between prolonged use (20 years or more) of darker dyes and cancer. But that study is being updated, says Sheila Zahn, deputy director at the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics at the National Cancer Institute, because the number of participants was too small for a definitive conclusion.

What makes hair dyes harmful? In a word: chemicals. To achieve luscious shades of chestnut brown or mahogany, permanent hair dyes must contain both color and a developer. The developer actively lifts the outside covering (or "cuticle") of the hair, allowing easier access for the color to penetrate. Sounds simple--except that the developer contains a not-so-simple (or healthy) combination of peroxide and ammonia, which not only alters the molecular structure of hair and damage it, but may cause allergic reactions. While these chemicals are not carcinogenic, they can be very dangerous to those with chemical sensitivities. Permanent dyes also contain tiny but potentially harmful petrochemicals (like coal tar), which, like developer, penetrate the hair shaft to deposit color.

Women may have been willing to take--or overlook--this risk in the past, but today there are several options to conventional hair dyes. Marketed as less damaging to hair and less toxic to the body, natural hair color products are proving to be a big hit with consumers, who are snatching dye-it-yourself kits off the shelves and requesting "natural" coloring at their hair salons. According to Susan Babinsky, vice president of consumer products for Kline & Company, a New Jersey market research firm, retail and professional salon sales of natural hair dyes account for 10 percent of the annual $1.25 billion hair dye market.

These natural colors are certainly a giant step in the right direction, but at the heart of the issue lies an inherent dilemma. The more "natural" a product is (i.e., the fewer chemicals it has), the less effectively it covers gray; the more effective it is, the more chemicals it contains. And because no dyes (neither synthetic nor natural) are regulated by the FDA, brands that call themselves natural and claim to be safe and effective may actually contain as many--and as harmful--toxins as the synthetics.

WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU

Like their synthetic counterparts, natural colors come in three different categories: permanent, semi-permanent and temporary. Valerie Banda, master colorist and artistic director of David's Beautiful People Salon in Rockville Pike, Md., explains: "The treatment you choose depends on what you want to achieve. A natural permanent is ideal for someone with 50 percent gray hair, as it offers the most extensive coverage. Because permanents contain around 3 percent peroxide, you can lighten or darken your hair. Basically, the lighter you're going, the higher the level of toxins. So it's best to stick with a color close to your own shade. And since permanent color doesn't wash out, it will last around four to six weeks, until the gray grows in. At that time, you'll need to `retouch' the new growth."

Natural semi-permanents and temporary colors usually contain less peroxide or ammonia (1 to 3 percent) but don't penetrate the hair shaft. Because they just deposit the color into your hair, they won't totally cover gray and will slowly fade out after 12 to 16 shampoos, "This is a good choice for hairs," says Banda. Temporary rinses contain nothing but straight color pigment, but must be reapplied after each shampoo.

THE SAFETY DEBATE

Natural hair dyes do provide rich, long-lasting color with fewer chemicals. "But to get long-lasting color, you need chemicals, and some products have more than others," says Jim Douglass, national sales manager for Antica, maker of Herbatint and Vegetal brands of natural color.