Is it harmful to do highlights for pregnant women, breastfeeding women and during menstruation

Although adding highlights to your hair can be a fun way to switch up your appearance, you might be unsure if it’s safe to do so if you’re nursing a baby or are menstruating. It’s critical to take into account how these phases of life may influence the effects of hair dye chemicals on your health.

Some women are concerned about the possible risks of chemical exposure from hair treatments during pregnancy and lactation. Even though the risk is low, it’s still advisable to exercise caution and research beforehand. Your hair’s reaction to dye may also be impacted by hormonal fluctuations during these periods.

Similar to this, your body experiences hormonal changes during menstruation, which may affect how hair color behaves on your hair. Even though it’s generally safe, knowing the subtleties will help you make the best decision for your comfort and well-being.

Let’s discuss these issues and what you should remember to maintain both a great-looking hairstyle and good health.

Does highlighting spoil hair

In any case, bleaching hair modifies its structure. Oxidizers totally eliminate natural pigment because they contain hydrogen peroxide. In the event that you neglect your hair, it will:

• start to split;
• lose its natural shine;
• begin to fall out;
• be unruly;
• will look like straw.

Can pregnant women

A woman glows with happiness at the birth of a child and becomes even more determined to please her chosen one. She attempts to take care of her hair as a result, creating different masks, vitamin concoctions, and hairstyles. Naturally, women who find themselves in an intriguing situation are drawn to dying their hair or lightening individual strands.

Is it therefore possible to highlight hair while pregnant? People from America, who enjoy doing experiments, made the decision to test a permanent dye on animals. The findings may surprise you: women who frequently bleach or dye their hair are three times more likely to develop malignant tumors. Therefore, pregnant women, you put not only your own health but also the health of your unborn child at risk when you dye your hair a strong color.

However, you have a mild coloring option if your hair is extremely lifeless and dull:

• do partial highlighting (for example, lighten only the bangs, a few curls, or perform illumination by dyeing the lower layer of hair);
• use harmless ammonia dyes that can slightly change your natural color (only by 2-3 tones);
• use a natural method of dyeing (for example, onion peel, chamomile, walnut, henna or basma);
• tint individual strands for several weeks (as is known, “weak” pigment is washed off after 2-3 weeks).

The view of doctors. Regretfully, no particular research on the dangers of coloring pigments to fetuses has been done. There was a theory that coloring could harm a baby’s developing nervous system and cause neuroblastoma. However, nothing went beyond the theory.

Pregnant women’s bodies are affected by dyes in the following ways:

• ammonia vapors enter the air and penetrate the lungs;
• affect the brain and cause dizziness;
• the smell of the dye can cause vomiting, especially if the pregnant woman has toxicosis;
• due to hormonal changes, the color is completely wrong (for example, you expect blond, but in the end you get a gray shade);
• the dye can enter the blood through the scalp, overcoming the placental barrier and affect the future baby.

Pregnant women can highlight, according to medical professionals. Just use premium dyes free of ammonia, though, and proceed with caution.

Adhere to the advice that follows:

• do not dye your hair in the first trimester, when your baby"s vital organs are being laid down;
• choose plant-based dyes, tint balms or henna;
• if you decide to use ammonia dye, protect yourself from the fumes with a regular medical bandage;
• be sure to open the window;
• when dyeing, retreat 3-5 cm from the hair roots so that the pigment does not get on the scalp.

Women who are nursing, pregnant, or menstruating frequently worry about safety when it comes to highlights. Most research indicate that getting highlights during these times is generally safe, even though the chemicals in hair dye can cause concerns. This is especially true if the treatment is done in a well-ventilated area and the necessary precautions are taken. To guarantee one’s own health and safety, it is, nevertheless, always advisable to seek advice from a healthcare professional.

Can I do it while breastfeeding

Using ammonia dyes for highlights is not advised when a nursing mother is present. Ammonia vapors inhaled by the woman during the procedure seep into the breast milk and subsequently into the newborn’s body. The subsequent adverse outcomes are plausible:

• allergic reaction of a systemic and local nature;
• general intoxication of the body in case of high concentration;
• metabolic disorders;
• malignant tumors with constant exposure.

Important point. The majority of paints available on the domestic market contain ammonia, which should never be consumed while nursing a baby.

The fact that the hair roots remain unaffected and their partial coloring is maintained is the lone argument in favor of highlighting during nursing.

The female body restructures itself during breastfeeding due to hormonal changes. It is for this reason that many girls notice a two to three tone shift in their natural color toward darkness. In this instance, we advise using natural or premium dyes for delicate hair highlighting.

Guidelines for coloring your hair while nursing: Every mother should be aware that using cheap dyes can damage your hair, your health, and the health of the unborn child. Try to purchase a pricey natural dye that doesn’t contain ammonia to prevent bad outcomes.

Adhere to the advice that follows:

• Highlighting without ammonia is still better to carry out outside the room in which your baby is located;
• The paint should only be applied to dry curls, bypassing their roots by side (the smaller the chemicals falls on the scalp, the less they will penetrate the blood, and therefore into milk);
• Do not withstand the applied composition for more than 30 minutes;
• It is necessary to thoroughly rinse the clarifier and stabilizer with warm water water, and then shampoo;
• Before performing the procedure, it is better to dash milk in order to use the product for feeding the baby throughout the day (chemicals are excreted from the body after 24 hours);
• After highlighting, you need to stay in the fresh air for an hour, which will eliminate the unpleasant odor and residual chemical.

Can you do it with menstruation

Hormonal changes in a woman’s skin, nails, and hair happen externally as well as internally during her menstrual cycle. A totally unexpected color can emerge during menstruation because hair changes melanin and the scalp’s temperature drops.

If you choose to highlight while you are menstruating, be ready for the following outcomes:

• strands will acquire a greenish tint;
• the paint is unevenly distributed along the entire length of the strands;
• dandruff will appear;
• the result of coloring does not last long;
• hair will become dry, brittle and lifeless;
• hair loss.

Suggestions. Delay the procedure until the third or fourth day of menstruation if you want to minimize the possibility of getting the "wrong" color.

How to do highlighting without harming your hair

If you are going to dye your hair, you have the option of full hair toning or highlighting while you are lactating or in an interesting position. Select option 1 because it is less harmful and more gentle.

Select a professional coloring solution free of ammonia and use one of the following coloring methods if you want the coloring pigment to have the least amount of an impact on your body:

• ombre;
• balayage;
• highlighting only the bangs;
• coloring several strands of hair (relevant for asymmetrical hairstyles);
• coloring only the top layer (in the world of the salon industry it is called "frost" or "surface coloring");
• gentle coloring of only the strands at the temple;
• French highlighting, which is carried out only with ammonia-free dyes.

Make sure you step back a few centimeters from the hair roots during the process. If you decide to lighten the strands and take a chance, purchase an oxidizer with a minimum percentage of 3–6%.

An oxidizer of 3-6% is only suitable for natural blondes and light-brown girls. Unfortunately, it will not be able to bleach dark, stiff curls.

If you want the coloring mixture to color as little damage as possible, add vitamin complexes that have been specially created or a small amount of natural wax while the dough is being kneaded.

Steer clear of "dry" hair coloring, which merely involves lightening without using paint to tone. Additionally, we do not advise using powder dyes (powder, powder) to achieve a blond shade.

Hair care after coloring

You must take good care of your hair after coloring. Specifically:

• use a curling iron, hair dryer and straightening iron only in rare cases;
• apply warm olive or burdock oil to your hair an hour before washing it;
• rinse with herbal infusions (chamomile, burdock, oak bark, nettle) after each hair wash;
• you can use homemade masks that include coconut oil, honey, avocado, egg yolk, kefir (restorative masks are usually applied at night, wrapping your head with a warm towel);
• do not comb wet curls;
• use only a wooden comb or massager with natural bristles;
• avoid frequent hair washing, use shampoo from the series for colored or highlighted hair;
• the next coloring can be done only after 3 months.

Therefore, doing highlights during menstruation, breastfeeding, and pregnancy is entirely personal. Make sure to decline dangerous ammonia dyes, as they may irreversibly harm both your and the unborn child’s health.

Make sure to use vitamin cocktails, keratin, and burdock oil in restorative masks to achieve the most polished look possible for your hair after lightening.

Important information regarding hair highlighting

• highlighting after coloring or how to avoid failures;
• do you need to wash your hair before highlighting;
• how to do highlights at home;
• how often can you highlight your hair;
• how to fix unsuccessful highlighting;
• why tone your hair after highlighting;
• care for highlighted hair.

Group	Considerations
Pregnant Women	It"s generally recommended to avoid highlights during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, due to potential risks from chemicals. Consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice.
Breastfeeding Women	Highlights are typically considered safe for breastfeeding women, as the chemicals used are less likely to affect the milk. However, it"s still best to consult with a doctor to ensure safety.
During Menstruation	There are no specific risks associated with getting highlights during menstruation. However, some women might experience increased sensitivity or discomfort. If you have concerns, discuss them with your stylist.

While getting highlights during a pregnancy, nursing, or menstrual cycle is a personal choice, there are a few things to keep in mind. Highlights may be a safer option because they typically require less direct contact with the scalp than full hair coloring. Even so, there are still risks associated with hair dye chemicals, particularly if you have sensitive skin or other skin conditions.

Many medical professionals advise against chemical treatments while pregnant because of the possible risks to the mother and unborn child. It’s advisable to speak with your physician prior to receiving any hair treatments. Despite the fact that most experts agree that occasional highlights are unlikely to have a significant impact on your baby, breastfeeding mothers may still want to use caution. Regarding menstruation, there isn’t any strong evidence to support the idea that wearing highlights is harmful during this period.

In the end, choosing less harsh and ammonia-containing products can help minimize any potential risks if you choose to get highlights. Always maintain good ventilation in your salon and keep the dye away from your skin. The best way to guarantee your safety and peace of mind is to seek personalized advice from a healthcare professional whenever in doubt.

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