Hair Dye Research Paper
Thousands of people across the world dye their hair; dating back all the way to 3400 B.C.
when “people used extracts from plants or minerals that contained pigments like those of henna
or black walnut shells”("History & Future Discovery of Hair Dye."). In 1932, hair dye was
refined to create chemical reactions in the hair to change the natural structure and color of hair.
Cosmetologists are near a plethora of chemicals every day that include carcinogens and
mutagens they would never suspect. People who use products to color hair should know what
chemicals that are in the product, how they work and the risks they give to people who do not
use these products according to directions.
Hair is made up of three different proteins, keratin …show more content…
The ratio and quantities of pheomelanin and eumelanin create
the natural color of someone’s hair. “Pheomelanin is responsible for blond, red and ginger colors
while eumelanin is responsible for black and brown colors. The absence of either type of melanin
create white or gray hair colors”( Helmenstine). Hair has overlapping cells that become
progressively imbricated with continued growth, which are rich in cysteine.
Chemicals in hair coloring products have functions that first, prepare the hair to accept
the dye by opening up it’s cuticle, the outer layer of the hair shaft. Next, they alter hairshaft
biology in the cortex of the hair to maximize the color change by removing the old color,
melanin. Then, minimizing chemical damage to the hair shaft by replacing the meanin with a
similar structured aromatic amine. Finally, the chemicals set the dye to make the color change
permanent until the dyed hair is shed in the normal cycling of hair growth.
Common chemicals in these products include hydrogen peroxide which is known to be a
bleaching agent and ammonia which makes the fibers in the hair swell for better acceptance of
the dye. These two chemicals are crucial to permanent hair dye because of their functions …show more content…
The aromatic amines all require activation with microsomes for mutagenesis; this is
characteristic of a variety of aromatic amine carcinogens. Nitrocarcinogens, such as
2nitrofluorene mutate the bacteria without microsomal activation though, the bacteria contains
nitro reductases which activate them.
Many hair dye components such as, pphenylenediamine, 2,5diaminotoluene, and
2,5diaminoanisole become strongly mutagenic after oxidation by H2O2
gives a very strong mutagenic response with strain when sulfur is present, which is located in
the hair. As mentioned before, it can be hard to know what the results of these studies mean,
due to many other factors that might affect the results that are hard to account for. Neither
subjectbased or participantbased lab study provides enough evidence on its own to determine
real threats to users. If the directions are properly followed there is a very low chance of
someone contracting any of the aforementioned ailments. People have dyed their hair
when “people used extracts from plants or minerals that contained pigments like those of henna
or black walnut shells”("History & Future Discovery of Hair Dye."). In 1932, hair dye was
refined to create chemical reactions in the hair to change the natural structure and color of hair.
Cosmetologists are near a plethora of chemicals every day that include carcinogens and
mutagens they would never suspect. People who use products to color hair should know what
chemicals that are in the product, how they work and the risks they give to people who do not
use these products according to directions.
Hair is made up of three different proteins, keratin …show more content…
The ratio and quantities of pheomelanin and eumelanin create
the natural color of someone’s hair. “Pheomelanin is responsible for blond, red and ginger colors
while eumelanin is responsible for black and brown colors. The absence of either type of melanin
create white or gray hair colors”( Helmenstine). Hair has overlapping cells that become
progressively imbricated with continued growth, which are rich in cysteine.
Chemicals in hair coloring products have functions that first, prepare the hair to accept
the dye by opening up it’s cuticle, the outer layer of the hair shaft. Next, they alter hairshaft
biology in the cortex of the hair to maximize the color change by removing the old color,
melanin. Then, minimizing chemical damage to the hair shaft by replacing the meanin with a
similar structured aromatic amine. Finally, the chemicals set the dye to make the color change
permanent until the dyed hair is shed in the normal cycling of hair growth.
Common chemicals in these products include hydrogen peroxide which is known to be a
bleaching agent and ammonia which makes the fibers in the hair swell for better acceptance of
the dye. These two chemicals are crucial to permanent hair dye because of their functions …show more content…
The aromatic amines all require activation with microsomes for mutagenesis; this is
characteristic of a variety of aromatic amine carcinogens. Nitrocarcinogens, such as
2nitrofluorene mutate the bacteria without microsomal activation though, the bacteria contains
nitro reductases which activate them.
Many hair dye components such as, pphenylenediamine, 2,5diaminotoluene, and
2,5diaminoanisole become strongly mutagenic after oxidation by H2O2
gives a very strong mutagenic response with strain when sulfur is present, which is located in
the hair. As mentioned before, it can be hard to know what the results of these studies mean,
due to many other factors that might affect the results that are hard to account for. Neither
subjectbased or participantbased lab study provides enough evidence on its own to determine
real threats to users. If the directions are properly followed there is a very low chance of
someone contracting any of the aforementioned ailments. People have dyed their hair