Highlighting your hair

[Dea]

have you done it? Would you do it?
My Dr. says that there have been no tests done, (which makes sense, what pregnant woman would sign up to be a guinea pig?) and she lets the mothers make up their own mind. She did say that it's not at all reccomended before the 2nd trimester because the organs aren't done developing.
Also I don't want to all over dye my hair, just highlight it, so there isn't as much contact with my scalp, and with a good hairdresser there can be none, but I still wonder.
This all being said my hair's looking a little blah, and it makes me feel blah.... sigh. I like feeling pretty.

[True Blue]

As far as hair dye goes, highlighting is probably the least invasive....there are no chemicals sitting directly on your skin. I never do it first trimester, but finally had mine redone about a week ago.

[Lolafanana]

i did it with dd and would do it again.

[To-Fu]

I'm interested to see how everyone responds here! Everything I've read just leaves me with one big question mark, such as this bit from the Mayo Clinic.

[Writerbird]

The original study that "proved" it was bad involved pregnant hairdressers that worked in salons.

Your exposure is just not going to be that bad, even if you stick your whole head in a bucket of bleach.

Now, I tend to think chemical exposure in the first three months is just kind of dumb if you could otherwise avoid it, KWIM?

But I'm gonna celebrate the third trimester with a glass of wine with my meal. (The first day of Tri 3 for me is Thanksgiving Day/U.S.!) If I wanted highlights, I'd do them that week. Just my opinion!

[BMG580]

Hi there, I am a hairstylist and I have gotten this question *a lot* over the years.

First, highlighting is completely fine- no chemicals touch your scalp at all and the real worry is if the body is absorbing any chemicals in through the skin during the chemical process. Even if the stylist tones your hair after the foils come out that color has less than 10 volume developer so it is really innocuous.

Second, I am fascinated by all the doctors who warn their patients to avoid haircolor yet they never tell hairstylists to quit their jobs while pregnant. If you really think about it a stylist is exposed countless time daily while mixing and applying color and the client is only exposed every couple months for an hour or so. I have had an OB and two midwives tell me that the recommendations for avoiding haircolor all stem from malpractice fears. Obstetric practitioners have the highest malpractice insurance premiums to pay in practically the entire medical field.

FWIW, I have worked with probably 50 different female stylists over the last ten years (I've worked in three salons) and probably 90% of us were pregnant at some point while working and all delivered healthy babies. I am telling you that it is perfectly safe and fine- but ultimately you have to do what you are comfortable with.

[BMG580]

Originally Posted by To-Fu

I'm interested to see how everyone responds here! Everything I've read just leaves me with one big question mark, such as this bit from the Mayo Clinic.

Just wanted to add to the information from this link-

There was a study done in the late 70s on hairstylists who were exposed daily while pregnant. Haircolor has come a long, long way since then and the chemicals are very nicely buffered now. Once again, I am not saying it is safe but I wouldn't make any decisions based on a study that is so old.

Second, this link states that your haircolor may react differently during pregnancy. In 10 years I never once found that to be the case. Perming, yes, can be affected by hormonal changes. The only three things that I have ever found that have consistently affected hair color are well water (different minerals can affect color processing), some thyroid medications and heavy exposure to pot. That's it.

[trizzle]

I have a half glass of wine from time to time (at most once a week) now that I am in my second trimester. Perhaps I should wait until my third...or move to Italy, where several of my friends' midwives and doctors "prescribed" limited daily red wine intake to their patients. I don't smoke and try to avoid other people's cigarettes. No hard alcohol, no drugs other than Tylenol or Claratin for my merciless allergies: , and rolaids/tums. I try hard to eat the right things...only I have let my new, sudden and extreme desire for bacon be indulged once in awhile. :
I guess my general idea is to do my best, to try and make the choices that are healthiest for my baby and myself as much as I can...and to still live as my own person, not just as a gestational being. We can't be perfect or beyond reproach. There is always going to be someone to tell us we are making choices that are dangerous. Some of them are beyond argument, of course. But I think there must be something to the benefits we give ourselves and our babies by trying to eat/live/work/function in moderation, and maintaining a healthy sense of our own life and self-image.
and I am going to get highlights.

[LaurenB]

For me, I've decided to skip dying my hair until after the baby's born. Even if it's not touching my skin I would be breathing the chemicals for a half hour and I'd probably puke anyway. But I think you should go ahread and do whatever you're comfortble doing in your pregnancy. Nobody seems to have a clear right or wrong answer to this question.

[LoveChild421]

I did with ds, but I'm not with this babe. I worry not only about the chemicals on my skin, but the vapors you have to breathe while in the salon. I'm always paranoid someone will be getting a perm or even just the vapors from my own highlight treatment. Ds has some sensory issues, so I'm just being extra cautious with this one.

OT, Trizzle I would avoid the Rolaids and just go with Tums. Rolaids have aluminum in them whereas Tums don't. Just FYI, its up to you!

About the wine, I started a thread when I was pregnant with my son here on MDC about having a single glass of champagne to celebrate New Year's (I was in my 3rd trimester) and you would not believe how badly I got flamed by several mamas! Some went so far as to argue that one glass of wine/champagne/beer would cause fetal alcohol syndrome! I agree that a glass every once in a while in the 3rd trimester probably isn't a big deal. Again, I'm paranoid because of ds's sensory issues so I probably won't have any alcohol (unless I go into pre-term labor- then I'll take my midwife's advice and have a glass of wine), but I definately don't see anything "wrong" with it.

[LoveChild421]

Originally Posted by JEB20005

The only three things that I have ever found that have consistently affected hair color are well water (different minerals can affect color processing), some thyroid medications and heavy exposure to pot. That's it.

wow you've got me curious! heavy exposure to pot meaning smoking pot? What sort of changes in hair color have you noticed with heavy pot smokers? Does it change your hair color if you don't dye your hair or is it only dyed hair that it affects? Sorry, I've never heard that before so I'm dying to know!

[BMG580]

Originally Posted by LoveChild421

wow you've got me curious! heavy exposure to pot meaning smoking pot? What sort of changes in hair color have you noticed with heavy pot smokers? Does it change your hair color if you don't dye your hair or is it only dyed hair that it affects? Sorry, I've never heard that before so I'm dying to know!

I've found that I get terrible lift when a client is a regular pot smoker. Generally if I am using color the pigment that needs to be lifted out prior to the deposit of color doesn't happen well so I get uneven results and if I am trying to lift with bleach the results are really yellow and brassy- there must be something that is in the hair from smoking pot that creates some sort of barrier to the chemicals lifting properly. It can be frustrating and actually sort of awkward when I have asked. I had a lot more trouble with this when I worked in a salon in a college town, lol.

[LoveChild421]

Originally Posted by JEB20005

I've found that I get terrible lift when a client is a regular pot smoker. Generally if I am using color the pigment that needs to be lifted out prior to the deposit of color doesn't happen well so I get uneven results and if I am trying to lift with bleach the results are really yellow and brassy- there must be something that is in the hair from smoking pot that creates some sort of barrier to the chemicals lifting properly. It can be frustrating and actually sort of awkward when I have asked. I had a lot more trouble with this when I worked in a salon in a college town, lol.

how interesting!

[guestmama9972]

I got my hair highlighted at around 17 weeks with this pg. I don't remember noticing any fumes in the salon, either--never even considered that to be an issue although I would avoid a nail salon like the plague. I don't even like those places when I am not pregnant.

My first pregnancy I would have NEVER gotten my hair highlighted out of fear that it would have harmed the baby, but through the next pg and now this one I have learned that I can take a little more license and it will be ok.

[OldFashionedGirl]

With first DS and this pregancy, I don't THINK I colored my hair during the first tri, but it wasn't out of real concern; it was mere coincidence. I know I colored my hair after the first tri with DS, and I just colored my hair Friday. Whole head, at home.

Nothing I've read convinces me that it's a real concern, so, for me, I color my hair b/c it makes me happy

[perditafoster]

did with both my girls, am having it done on friday. trust me, mamas, you want me to dye my hair! i am way too frumpy without a little "conditioning"

[trizzle]

OT, Trizzle I would avoid the Rolaids and just go with Tums. Rolaids have aluminum in them whereas Tums don't. Just FYI, its up to you!

Hey thank you Lovechild! I had no idea about that one...And thank you for not making me feel like an idiot for not having known that, or a bad mama...I do have so much to learn...
Tums it will be from here on out...

[Dea]

I've got an appointment for Friday to go in. I've chosen an Aveda salon because I love their products and explain the extra expense to DH stating that they are more natural. Mostly I love the smell in an Aveda salon, so herb-ey.