In a new study released last week, researchers published some disturbing results. They suggest that of the thousands of ingredients contained in the hair products we use to color and straighten our hair, some may play a role in causing breast cancer in women. However, it is primarily about women who are already at risk. So before you panic anda hair coloring from your calendarTo rule it out completely, we have to explain a few things here.
To dye your hair or not?
“Researchers have long studied the possible link between hair dye and cancer, but the results have been inconsistent.” This is reported by one of the authors of the study, epidemiologist Alexandra White from the National Institute of Health Sciences in the USA (NIH). In this case, researchers studied a group of people with a family history of breast cancer. These were those who already belong to a higher risk group.
Among nearly 47,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer, researchers from NIH and the University of North Carolina found a significant increase in disease rates. This occurred in those who frequently color or straighten their hair. The possibility of such an association is not exactly new, as it has been closely studied in the past. But as is often the case with potential health risks, research has not provided a clear answer. The effects of such a correlation are often quite small.
The fact that hair dyes are among the many sources of potential endocrine disruptors and carcinogens in our environment has drawn attention from researchers looking for links to adverse health effects.
New research
Some recent studies have also shown that the use of dark hair dyes is also linked to the chances of developing breast cancer. However, as some epidemiological research finds no evidence of an association, this issue has not yet been satisfactorily resolved. The NIH study provided researchers with the ideal opportunity to return to the question, this time with a larger sample. The participants came from various states in the USA and Puerto Rico. They answered a questionnaire with information about the frequency of hair care product use.
Almost one in ten participants was considered African American, allowing the researchers to divide the sample into different racial groups. Among subjects who identified as white and used permanent hair dye at least every five to eight weeks, the risk of later developing breast cancer was 8 percent higher than those who did not use hair products.
For those who identified as African American and also regularly used hair dye, the jump was far greater, up to 60 percent. When it came to hair straighteners, there was no clear distinction between racial groups. However, there was still a noticeable effect, according to the researchers.
Individual results
All in all, it is impossible to conduct a study for a single person. Science just doesn't work that way. For relatively small jumps in risk like this, it is even more difficult to discuss how we want to change our habits.
In this case, the exact cause of the difference in relative cancer risk, or even whether the association is causal, cannot be determined based on the results alone. We could speculate based on how different groups color their hair, not to mention the varying quality of healthcare.
Based on this and previous research, it's still possible that there's something going on with hair dye exposure. However, this is not the clear evidence you would need toto make this claim.
