Should I pump out milk before coloring my hair? | Hair coloring during the nursing period

Should I pump out milk before coloring my hair?

The influence of hair dyes on breast milk has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Therefore no general statement can be made about how long the contact time of the mother with the dye product must last in order to be absorbed in relevant quantities. In addition, no statement can be made about how long this quantity takes to transfer into breast milk. For the reasons mentioned above, the pumping out of milk before the dyeing process cannot be considered as generally protective, as the mother’s milk may be interspersed with ingredients of the dye for a currently unknown duration. However, nothing has been proven to the contrary so far, which means that pumping out can be done at the request of the mother to bridge the period directly after the dyeing process.

Is hair tinting better?

Tinting the hair causes only a temporary change in hair color and is therefore not a permanent coloration. Therefore, more gentle methods of action are usually used to change the hair color. In addition, hair colorations are often composed of larger molecules, which, in contrast to the smaller components of permanent colorations, can be absorbed less through the scalp and are wrapped around the hair shaft like a coat. Therefore, it is assumed that hair colorations are more compatible and less risky during the breastfeeding period. This should be the case especially with dark color shades, as here aggressive bleaching reactions during coloration can be avoided.

Can I dye my hair with henna?

Hair dyeing with henna during the breast-feeding period is a sensible and gentle alternative to industrially manufactured products, in addition to other natural colorants. However, attention should always be paid to the quality of the product and the package insert should be carefully studied to determine whether it is a purely vegetable and harmless product. Meanwhile, artificially produced henna is also available on the market, and not much can be said about its effects during the nursing period.

Therefore it is recommended to prefer the vegetable variant in the form of natural products and in good quality. In addition to henna, natural colorants, which are extracted from walnuts, chamomile or chestnuts, represent other vegetable hair coloring options. Despite the gentler effects of natural dyes, the body can still react allergic. In this case, the product causing the allergy should be avoided and alternatives should be sought.