Study Reveals Increased Use of Hair Dye Ups Cancer Risk

According to a new study, women who dye their hair more frequently increase their risk of developing breast cancer by 14 percent.

London-based surgeon Kefah Mokbel has conducted the study, and says that women shouldn’t dye their hair more than two to five times a year. Professor Mokbel, works at the Princess Grace Hospital in Marylebone, London.

"Although further work is required to confirm our results, our findings suggest that exposure to hair dyes may contribute to breast cancer risk,” he says. However this is a correlation not a causation, he wrote on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/kefah.mokbel/posts/10156143873428455

He further wrote on Twitter,

Women are advised to reduce exposure to synthetic hair dyes to 2-6 times per year and undergo regular breast screening from the age of 40

— Kefah mokbel (@breastguide) October 14, 2017

It would be preferable to choose hair dyes that contain the minimum concentration of aromatic amines suchas PPD (less than 2%)

— Kefah mokbel (@breastguide) October 14, 2017

He says that he finds it concerning that the industry recommends women should dye their hair every four to six weeks. 

He said that it is preferable to choose hair dyes that contain the minimum concentration of aromatic amines such as PPD (2%). Women over the age of 40 should go for checkups regularly, he urges. He said that hair dyes which consist of natural ingredients are obviously safe.

A Finnish study also found the same correlation between hair dyes and increased risk of cancer. Sanna Heikkinen of the study said that the correlation could also be because women who use hair dyes use other cosmetics more than women who report never using hair dyes. So next time you want to go dye make sure you are aware of the ingredients. 

Breast cancer is second most common cancer among females in India after cervical cancer. Often times isn't found out until the last-minute. Here are some symptoms of breast cancer: Swelling, if seen in breasts along with the lumps and mass, pain in the breasts and the nipples turning inward are likely to be the symptoms of breast cancer. A lump which is painless and hard should not be overlooked. This can also lead to infection and cyst, therefore a regular breast check up is generally advised.

Also Read: New Study Reveals Women with Advanced Breast Cancer are Living Longer