Can Hair Care Products Make You Sick?

By Lee Kassai

 

The answer is clear yes! The fact is that common commercial hair care products can have dangerous side effects just as drugs.  They contain aggressive chemicals, designed to clean, perm, color or style your hair, that don’t just damage your hair – they can be adsorbed through the skin and cause a variety of health problems from asthma to cancer.  Do you have dry, brittle or stringy hair?  Are you losing hair?  Is your hair thinning or kinky?  Do you have allergies, headaches or other health issues?  The problem might stem from your hair care products.

 

PROTECT YOUR HAIR

 

The worst offenders are the chemicals in hair colors and perms.  Chemically –based hair colors contain aggressive agents such as ammonia and a lot of alcohol which is very drying.  Worst of all, they contain aniline-derivatives dyes which are not only destructive to the hair, but can cause health problems.  These harsh products are also usually too alkaline rather than ph-balanced.  As color is applied repeatedly all over the hair, the multiple alkaline applications accumulate to make hair dry, thin and brittle.

 

Natural, botanically-based hair colors, on the other hand, delicately color hair without damaging its structure.  These products not only color, but nourish and protect your hair at the same time.  For millennia, the greatest artists around the world have used natural colors.  Michelangelo,
Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Leonardo da Vinci and many artists before their time used only natural sources, from flower petals and ground seeds to ground minerals like lapis lazuli and turquoise.  They mixed them with olive oil and other secret ingredients to achieve the colors that have made their art unsurpassed and timeless.  In the same way, botanically-based hair color leaves your hair and scalp healthy for the longer lasting color and brilliant shine.  Some of the many botanical ingredients in natural hair colors are burdock, nettle, sage, rosemary, shea butter, red sorrel, bilberry and walnut.

 

Chemically-based perms don’t just smell bad – they are bad for your hair and body.  As these harsh products restructure the cuticle, they leave it open and vulnerable.  As a result your hair becomes thin, dry, brittle and kinky.  Natural perms, on the other hand, are made from concentrated keratin solution derived from carrots and celery, along with an activator derived from rosemary.  They also include a conditioning agent that balances just the right amount of oil, proteins and amino acids.  Whether curly perms, body waves, light waves or large waves, with natural, plant-based products you can say good-bye to smelly perms and damaged, kinky hair.

 

Even if you have “virgin” hair - hair that has not been processed with colors or perms – it is important to promote its health.  They key is to protect it from exposure to the sun, wind, and polluted air, and to stimulate its growth with botanical agents to keep it from drying.  Many chemically-based shampoos are too alkaline and drying to both hair and scalp.  Even products that are advertised as ph-balanced often still contain dangerous chemicals that damage your hair and health.  Shampoo alone is not enough, even if it is a “conditioning” shampoo.  In fact, many conditioning shampoos contain too much oil, which accumulates and crystallizes causing hair to become brittle and susceptible to breakage.   For healthy, manageable hair, make sure you use shampoos, conditioners and styling aids that are properly
ph-balanced and contain only natural ingredients - not just a few herbs mixed into what is basically a harsh, chemical product.

 

KEEP YOUR SCALP CLEAN         

 

Hair health is a matter of both hair and scalp.  Many products that advertise lustrous, shiny hair contain too much oil.  These oils clog the pores on your scalp and some even become rancid.  When pores become clogged, hair follicles suffocate, stifling hair growth and causing hair loss.  If you are losing hair don’t assume that it is hormonal or age related.  Often it is really caused by the ingredients in hair products that clog pores or tighten the scalp, preventing air flow in and out of the pores.  Natural, botanical hair care products keep the follicles clean so that the oxygen that stimulates hair growth can flow freely. 

 

SAFEGUARD YOUR HEALTH

 

Chemical hair colors can cause allergic reactions from skin rashes to respiratory distress.  Even if you are not allergic to any of the substances in commercial hair care products today, eventually there accumulation can lead to the development of allergies.  Take the case of Lisa.  Each time she had her hair colored with standard chemicals products, she became nausea and developed a massive headache that lasted for days.  In addition, the products made her eyes burn and her scalp hurt.  As soon as she switched to natural hair color, her symptoms disappeared.  Lorlei always developed a red and itchy rash around her neck and ears when using chemically-based hair color.  Not only that, but her hair became thinner and thinner the more she colored it.  She tried vitamins and acupuncture and visited a hair loss specialist, all to no avail.  Today, with natural hair color she has no more rashes and her hair is lustrous and shiny.  Whether you already have allergies, are chemically sensitive or want to protect yourself from developing these health risks in the future, botanically-based hair care is a safe alternative to chemical products. 

 

The greatest danger comes from chemicals that are absorbed through the scalp and travel to other parts of your body.  As we know from various “patches” (smoking cessation, birth control, etc.), the skin easily absorbed substances and transmits them throughout the body.  You may also have heard that deodorants containing aluminum have been linked to breast cancer because they are absorbed through the skin.  In the same way, chemicals in hair color, perms and other hair care products enter the body and can lodge in organs, particularly those that are already weak and susceptible to illness.  The result can be cancer and other serious health problems.  According the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the common hair dye component aniline can be toxic if ingested, inhaled or by skin contact.  Aniline damages hemoglobin, a protein that normally transports oxygen in the blood.  The damaged hemoglobin cannot carry oxygen.  Direct contact with aniline can also produce skin and eye irritation.  The solution is to replace aniline-based dyes with plant-based dyes.  Unless you happen to be allergic to a particular plant, botanical hair care products are as safe and free of side effects as the many herbal medicines available today. 

 

 

HEAL AND PREVENT

 

Medical professionals have long alerted us to the importance of a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.  The same is true to hair care.  For the well-being of your hair, scalp and body, your products must be properly balanced and contain the healthy botanical ingredients that naturally heal, prevent and enhance beauty.  Natural colors, perms, shampoos, conditioners and styling aids are available from Creative Aires for home application or delivery to other salons.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR         

 

Lee Kassai is the founder and owner of Creative Aires, a holistic beauty salon located in North Hollywood, California.  Creative Aires uses only natural, botanically-based hair colors, perms, shampoos, conditioners and styling aids.  Lee also provides these products to other salons and for home use. For further information, visit www.creativeairs.com or call 818-769-3666 for a free consultation.