What Would You Do: On-Scalp Haircolor While Pregnant

“Body pH will change throughout pregnancy, affecting the intended results of the formulation of all oxidative color—however, that doesn’t mean it will not work… As long as there is no contact with the blood stream, the child would be unharmed. Discuss this all with your client and let them know the chemistry. That said, if a client has an allergic reaction to a topically-placed color, theoretically that could affect an unborn child by stress on the client’s autoimmune system.” – Matthew Wayne

“I told one of my designers to pour a shot of tequila on her head every 5 minutes and let me know how many it takes to get her buzzed. She then colored her hair through all her pregnancies. Use common sense!” – Carole LaBute

“I’ve been doing hair for 10 years, and I have absolutely NO IDEA whether it’s safe or not during pregnancy. We are not doctors. To flippantly just say ‘it’s fine’ is irresponsible and out of our scope. I always suggest just doing foils with my pregnant moms and to ask them to discuss it with their OBs or midwives.” – Cara Berlin

“I did 10-volume, on-the-scalp bleach for one hour every four weeks during my first pregnancy with no problems. My second pregnancy, I attempted the same, but my hair just would not lift past gold, even with 20-volume. Moral of the story, every woman and every pregnancy are different. It’s up to you if you want to take the risk.” – @gabriellemkhair

“Anything you put on your skin or scalp is absorbed to a degree into your body… I’d go for heavy foils as opposed to on-scalp application.” – Ana Livia

“What do your manufacturers’ instructions say? Because if that little leaflet in the box of color says ‘do not use while pregnant,’ then that’s what we should be doing. If anything happened, our insurance is invalid. Then we are in a whole lot of trouble.” – Jamie McDermott

“In my 18 years of coloring, I’ve only had two instances where the color didn’t come out exactly as it usually did on pregnant women, but their babies were perfectly fine. Ask your doctor, not your friends or mommy blogs, and go with your gut instinct. You could always do a shadow root with an ammonia-free demi if you’re still uncertain!” – @kristendana_

“Listen to their doctor. Their license trumps yours and the health of their child, every time. So will the law if you defy a doctor’s orders, and there are consequences.” – Dana Wexler