Personal use of permanent hair dyes and cancer risk and mortality in US women: prospective cohort study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the associations between personal use of permanent hair dyes and cancer risk and mortality.DesignProspective cohort study.Setting and participants117 200 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, an ongoing prospective cohort study of female nurses in the United States. The women were free of cancer at baseline, reported information on personal use of permanent hair dyes, and were followed for 36 years.ExposureStatus, duration, frequency, and integral use (cumulative dose calculated from duration and frequency) of permanent hair dyes. Age at first use and time since first use of permanent hair dyes.Main outcome measuresAssociations of personal use of permanent hair dyes with risk of overall cancer and specific cancers, and cancer related death. Age and multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by using Cox proportional hazard models.ResultsEver users of permanent hair dyes had no significant increases in risk of solid cancers (n=20 805, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers; hazard ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 1.01) or hematopoietic cancers overall (n=1807; 1.00, 0.91 to 1.10) compared with non-users. Additionally, ever users did not have an increased risk of most specific cancers (cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, melanoma, estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, progesterone receptor positive breast cancer, hormone receptor positive breast cancer, brain cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, and most of the major subclasses and histological subtypes of hematopoietic cancer) or cancer related death (n=4860; 0.96, 0.91 to 1.02). Basal cell carcinoma risk was slightly increased for ever users (n=22 560; 1.05, 1.02 to 1.08). Cumulative dose was positively associated with risk of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, progesterone receptor negative breast cancer, hormone receptor negative breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. An increased risk of Hodgkin lymphoma was observed only for women with naturally dark hair (based on 70 women, 24 with dark hair), and a higher risk of basal cell carcinoma was observed for women with naturally light hair.ConclusionNo positive association was found between personal use of permanent hair dye and risk of most cancers and cancer related mortality. The increased risk of basal cell carcinoma, breast cancer (estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative, hormone receptor negative) and ovarian cancer, and the mixed findings in analyses stratified by natural hair color warrant further investigation.

Oxidative-Stress-Induced Cellular Toxicity and Glycoxidation of Biomolecules by Cosmetic Products under Sunlight Exposure

“…Apart from heavy metals such as Hg and Pb, a variety of established toxic chemicals are still being used as common ingredients in cosmetics, which are prohibited by many countries. For example, it is well established by earlier research studies that some hair dyes and cosmetics have a potential role in inducing carcinogenesis [50].…”

Adolescent use of hair dyes, straighteners and perms in relation to breast cancer risk

“…The null association for adolescent hair dye use is largely consistent with previous studies of adult hair dye which have suggested that any hair dye-associated risks with overall breast cancer may be small. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27]42 However, most, but not all, of these studies have been conducted in predominately white study populations; therefore, these findings may not be applicable to black women.…”

“…Women in our cohort would have been between the ages of 10 and 13 years between 1939 and 1987 and thus the findings presented here represent exposure to products during this time. Although some of the main constituents of hair products appear to be relatively stable over time, 42,43 formulations have changed 44 and would vary by brand. As such, we are unable to identify specific chemical constituents which may be contributing to risk.…”

Bioinspired polymeric pigments to mimic natural hair coloring

“…21 In addition, it has been demonstrated that the use of synthetic hair colorants increases the risk of basal cell carcinoma, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. 22 However, minor progress has been made to avoid such defects of synthetic hair dyes. 21,23,24 During the past decade, nanotechnology has provided novel approaches for new types of hair dyes.…”