Hair Color and Pregnancy

I can not give you a personal opinion because I am not your doctor. However, just being "behind the chair" for so many years has given me the opportunity to share with you some information. Maybe it will  help you decide what's best for you.

Most common things Doctors say about hair color and pregnancy: When you ask...can I color my hair?...it's usually a Yes or No answer and here are some explanations...

• "Yes, it's not a problem"...some doctors say that hair color has no affect either way on the birth and health of your baby
• "Yes, but only after the first trimester"...some doctors feel that the first 3 months are the most crucial and it's best to wait until you are out of this time frame
• "No, you should wait until after the baby is born"...some doctors believe it can be toxic to the mother and baby 
• "Not while breast feeding"...some doctors believe chemicals from hair color might get into the blood stream through the scalp
• "Yes but only if it doesn't touch your scalp"....again some docs believe the chemicals touching your scalp are a problem. However, if you are getting a foil highlight or a cap highlight  the product does not have contact with you scalp and therefore it's OK
• "Yes but only if you aren't using peroxide"...if you are lightening your natural hair color through single process and/or highlights, or covering grey hair with permanent hair color,  peroxide is a main ingredient, so some docs would say no to your specific hair color. But, if you darken, glaze or use semi permanent hair color there is typically zero peroxide in the formula, so your doctor might give you the OK.
• "Yes but only using up to 20 volume developer of peroxide"...the less intense the developer is, the less penetration into the hair shaft and some doctors believe the same to be true for your scalp

Your hair shaft has 3 layers...the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla.

• Cuticle layer: The outer most layer of the hair shaft. It's scale like cells open and close to regulate your hairs moisture. It's transparent and acts like a protective layer for the cortex.
• Cortex layer: This part gives your hair it's elasticity and shape. It also holds your hairs natural color pigments (melanin) 
• Medulla: The innermost layer or the core. It's loosely bound cells contain keratin (protein)

Alright so now lets discuss the 3 different types of hair color. The basic difference is the penetration level into the hair shaft.

1. Permanent: usually contains some amount of ammonia and is mixed with a developer (peroxide). The developer has different strengths 10 volume being the most gentle and 40 volume being the strongest. The developer lifts the cuticle layer of the hair, and removes natural pigment in the cortex layer so that the hair color can replace it.  Although it says "permanent", color usually starts to fade or dull after 6-8 weeks.
2. Demi-permanent: does not contain ammonia therefore, is not as strong as permanent. It is still mixed with a developer (peroxide) and will last up to 20 shampoos. This process deposits hair color under the cuticle layer only. Think of it as laying on top of the cortex, not penetrating it.
3. Semi-permanent: contains no ammonia, no developer (peroxide). This is deposited on the outside of the hair cuticle and usually lasts up to 10 shampoos. It's more like a hair stain or glaze because it doesn't lift the cuticle layer at all.

The picture below shows how a foil protects your scalp from hair color chemicals.

*Your hair stylist might have their own opinion, but you should always take the advice of your doctor*