From Gray to

Susannah Barley writes The Green Guide:

Hi, I'd really like to know if you can get any information about possible 'green' hair dye. Couldn't see anything listed--do you know of any research or products in this area? Thanks for your help,

Susannah Barley

The Green Guide Responds:

Look at the label of any hair dye in your local pharmacy: you'll see ten ten-syllable chemicals. That's the problem with dye--it takes a lot to penetrate the hair's shaft and leave permanent color behind. Some of those chemicals increase cancer risk; others may affect the sensitive; yet others will fry your hair. But while there are simpler natural dyes available, such as henna, they tend not to penetrate deeply or endure long. For "green" hair dye, there are only better solutions, no perfect ones.

There are two kinds of permanent hair dye: oxidation and progressive. Oxidation dyes are combinations of hydrogen peroxide, which can be an irritant, and dye; the mixture causes the shaft to swell, allowing the dye to penetrate. Progressive dyes contain lead acetate as the active ingredient, with up to ten times the lead level allowed in house paint; they react with the sulfur of hair keratin to darken hair. Most salons use oxidation dyes, which tend to be highly synthetic and petroleum-based; many contain ammonia and other often-odorous irritants. Permanent hair dyes of both kinds have been linked to cancer in frequent and long-term users and in hairdressers: A study published in the 15 February 2001 issue of the International Journal of Cancer found that women who use permanent hair dyes once a month are twice as likely to get bladder cancer as women who don't dye their hair. Especially dark dyes have been linked to cancers like multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. While dye is not a carcinogen on the level of cigarettes, there's reason enough to be wary. That the FDA has no power to pull unsafe dyes off the market shouldn't reassure you.

Also available are semi-permanent and temporary dyes, which have less structural impact on your hair. They contain coal-tar dyes, and adhere to the hair strand for a period of time before washing out. Coal-tar is a known carcinogen, but semi-permanent dyes still appear safer than permanent ones.

There are more natural solutions. The gentlest is probably henna, a plant pigment. However, henna and other plant rinses will generally only tint your hair, not truly color it. Color Me Natural by Aubrey Organics is an all-natural indigo- and henna-based dye that promises to be more effective than henna alone. If you're looking for professional color, you'll be hard-pressed to find an all-natural salon. Care2.com recommends Aveda, whose dyes contain no petrochemicals and from 97 to 99 percent plant-derived products. We were also able to find some gentler dyes on the Internet, Herbatint by Herbavita and EcoColors. Both contain some hydrogen peroxide, and EcoColors has a small amount of ammonia; however, both claim to be plant-based, to contain lower concentrations of irritants than standard dyes, and to be gentle on the allergic and chemically sensitive. The trade-off is that neither can "lift" your hair color by more than one or two levels. Herbavita also offers Vegetal Colour, which washes out after a few showers; it doesn't lift your hair's natural color, but does blend and highlight.

The inescapable fact is that the more you change your hair's natural color, the more damage you will be doing to your hair and possibly to your health. For "green" hair dye, pick the gentlest product that will get you the color you want, and use it as infrequently as possible. And for green hair dye, may we modestly propose Kool-Aid?