Hair dye ingredients have long been the cause of much debate when it comes to which ingredients are the biggest risk factors to health. It isn't easy to avoid all the ingredients there is doubt about when you are seeking to permanently and/or drastically change your hair color. Quite a number of permanent hair dyes contain PPD (p-phenylenediamine), which is an ingredient that has raised health questions. PPD is the reason many people have allergic reactions when dying their hair and cancer also has been linked to it according to beauty consultant and Naturally Healthy Hair author, Mary Beth Janssen.



For those who want to color their hair but find the chemicals in widely available dyes and highlighting treatments too harsh, a new crop of products promises to do the trick without causing allergic reactions or other health problems. While green-friendly permanent hair dyes still require some of these chemicals--such as ammonia, peroxide, p-Phenylenediamine or diaminobenzene in order to be effective, alternatives do exist that contain smaller amounts...

Organic Color Systems has permanent hair dyes and other products that are better than any of the ammonia containing hair dyes on the market. This line of products, which is devoid of displeasing side effects, is only available in professional styling salons. In addition to hair colors, Organic Color Systems' line of products includes activators, lighteners and concentrates, as well as hair care products that are available only in salons that can be used to repair damage to hair that are compatible with the hair colors. A great advantage to using Organic Color Systems products is that you get healthy, gorgeous hair without damage, ammonia fumes, burning or itching, hot roots, brassing, banding, plastics, sulfates, parabens, animal testing or animal products.

Meanwhile, temporary dyes and highlight treatments should be able to color hair without the need for harsh chemicals. Naturcolor and Vegetel are shorter-lived options that do not contain any damaging chemicals, although their effect will only last a few washes.

Henna is a true, natural dye that is temporary and has a long history that goes back at least to Cleopatra's time. The leaves of Lawsonia, a desert shrub, have been powdered to make henna as a dye for skin and hair for thousands of years. Rainbow Henna is the maker of a wide range of hair products that are 100% organic, providing dyes for just about every color from blonde to black. For those who prefer something of a more traditional style packaging, Light Mountain has application kits of organic henna. Products such as Organic Color Systems, might only be available in salons but many others can be found in your local natural health and beauty supply shops.

Recent studies have given those worried about the traditional hair dyes they use new reasons to switch to less harsh alternatives. A 1994 National Cancer Institute report found that deep-colored dyes (like dark brown and black), when used over prolonged periods of time, seemed to increase the risk of cancers such as non-Hodgkins lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Meanwhile a 2001 study by the International Journal of Cancer found that people who use permanent hair dye are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as those who go au naturel regarding hair color.