Is it safe to dye children’s hair? The dangers you must consider
If your child is creative and loves to play with their wardrobe and personal style, there’s no doubt that they’ve asked you at one point or another if they can dye their hair.
Of course you don’t want to stifle their creativity, and you’d love to win cool points, but it’s also important to take into account the dangers of coloring your child’s hair.
There are so many conflicting opinions about coloring children’s hair. Some believe that coloring children’s hair poses no additional risks than coloring the hair of adults. Others feel that no child under a certain age should dye their hair. This article cites reputable sources so you can get accurate information about the risks of coloring your child’s hair.
In this article we will discuss two main dangers of coloring children’s hair. After reading the information below, you can make an informed decision about whether or not to dye your child’s hair.
The dangers of coloring children’s hair
Hair dye can cause severe reactions in children

According to an article published by BBC News,
“Hair dyes contain chemicals that in rare cases can cause serious, even life-threatening, allergic reactions.”
– BBC news
The National Center for Beer Poisoning backs up these claims, stating that even if hair dye is used correctly, it may cause allergic reactions. He states:
“Up to 25 different ingredients in hair dyes can cause harmful effects on the skin. Contact with the skin may cause irritation including redness, sores, itching and burning. Sometimes allergic reactions occur and involve swelling in the face and neck causing breathing difficulties.”
– National Beer Poison Center
If adults can have severe allergic reactions to hair dye, you can be sure that children, who have more sensitive scalps, are even more susceptible to these allergic reactions. This is why, according to the BBC News article quoted above,
“Hair dye manufacturers say they are not intended for anyone under 16. The European Commission insists that this warning be put on all hair dye packaging.”
– BBC news
Obviously, if the manufacturers of the hair color state that it is not safe for children under 16, we should take this precaution seriously.
What if my child has no known allergies?
Even if your child has no known allergies, he can still be allergic to any of the many chemicals in hair dye. If they’ve never been directly exposed to hair dye, you can’t tell for sure that they are are not allergic to each of its components.
What if I protect my child’s scalp and only use color on the hair?
If you are sure that your child is not allergic to the hair dye you are going to use, (this can only be determined by a spot test on his skin), still be careful. You can be sure of this, by using a scalp barrier like vaselineMake sure they don’t experience negative side effects.
This may be true in some cases, so it is up to your discretion as a parent. However, it should be remembered that prolonged and frequent exposure to chemicals can cause allergies to develop over time.
Hair dye can damage children’s hair

God National Beer Poison Center states that “permanent colors cause chemical changes that increase the penetration of the product into the hair, whiten the natural melanin and create color molecules that are trapped inside the shaft. These chemical changes may damage the hair.”
This is true for adults, but even more so for children. Since children have finer and finer hair, their hair is more easily damaged.
When a chemical dye is applied to the hair, it opens the cuticle of the hair and deposits color. Some Color types Can also penetrate into the core of the hair and remove color from it.
Either way, chemical hair color must penetrate through the hair’s cuticle, which can cause dryness, breakage, and excess frizz. for a child with a gentle, nice hairApplying chemical dye to their hair can damage it irreparably.
Keep in mind that children’s hair also changes drastically during childhood and adolescence. Can be discolor, density and even texture. Rather than further altering their hair chemistry by putting color on it, it’s simply better to allow their hair to develop change naturally.
Are all hair colors bad for my child’s hair?
Permanent hair color and bleach are particularly harmful to hair, as they penetrate into the hair core and change its chemistry. Semi-permanent colors are a little less harmful, but they are still open the cuticle of the hair and cause some damage.
The least harmful type of hair color would be temporary colors that wash out after one use. These simply coat the hair and do not open the hair cuticle or chemically alter it.
What hair dyes are safe to use on my child’s hair?

There are lots of fun alternatives to chemical coloring when it comes to coloring your child’s hair. All these alternatives are temporary, which is really great for kids because as we all know, they change their minds often.
With these options, you can promote your child’s creativity without risking their health and hair.
- hair chalk: add some fizz, temporary stripes to yours A child’s hair with this powdery hair color.
- Hair color spray: Easy, fun hair color spray perfect for “crazy hair day” at school. Just be sure to apply it in a ventilated area.
- Colorful clip-in inserts: Vibrant clip-in extensions are a great option to add color to your child’s hair without the messy clean-up.
In conclusion
Although coloring your child’s hair may seem like a fun experience, and can earn you some cool parenting points, it’s important to be aware of the dangers involved in coloring children’s hair. The chemicals in hair dye can damage their hair and even cause severe allergic reactions.
That’s why it’s better to use a fun temporary color! Trust me, you’ll still earn the cool points, but this way, you’ll protect your child from unnecessary discomfort, and give yourself peace of mind.
Main things you should know:
- Hair dye can cause severe allergic reactions, especially in children, as they have more sensitive skin and scalp.
- Hair salons are not allowed to dye a child’s hair if they are under 16.
- Children’s hair is more sensitive to damage, so it may be severely damaged by the chemicals in the hair dye.
- To temporarily dye your child’s hair, use hair chalkHair color spray, or colored clip-in hair extensions.