Hair dye can cause breast cancer: the mechanism of action

In the US, the National Institute of Health published the results of a study in which it was reported that persistent dyes and hair straighteners increased the risk of developing breast cancer by 8 and 30%, respectively.

The results of the work of American specialists were commented on by the head of the scientific laboratory of cancer chemoprevention and oncopharmacology of the National Institute of Oncology named after MM Petrova Volodymyr Bespalov. According to him, there were earlier studies showing that long-term use of hair dyes increases the risk of breast cancer and other tumors.

– When pregnant women used them, their future children had a slightly increased the probability of developing cancer of the brain and other parts of the nervous system, as well as cancer of the kidneys, musculoskeletal system, and leukemia. It is not surprising that hair straighteners have a similar effect, the professor said.

He added that “the presence of carcinogens in them, as well as in dyes, is quite probable.” Moreover, we are talking about the long-term use of these products.

According to a number of studies, most hair dyes contain special substances – secondary amines. Their main danger is that when they react with various compounds in the air, for example, with tobacco smoke, they release a large number of powerful carcinogenic compounds.

The most dangerous thing is that secondary amines can “settle” on the scalp, and for a long time – months and even years, and it does not matter how long ago a person used the paint.