Interesting Observations:
Because of the increasing use of hair dye, people started concerning about the health risks in the dyes. In 2001, researchers at the University of Southern California published a paper in the International Journal of Cancer concluding that women who frequently dye their hair were twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than those who abstain.
Future research:
I would like to conduct more research, possibly an experiment in the future about hair dyes. Here are the main topics I am interested in:
- According to my interviews with the hairdressers, I found out that red and purple colored dyes tend to fade faster than most other colors, so I did some research online and figured out the reason behind this. Red or purple color doesn't stay as long is because the molecules that produce red color are usually larger in size compare to other molecules, making them hard to pass through the hair cuticles. Most of the molecules will be left on the surface thus easier to be washed off.
- The hairdresser gave me an advice for longer lasting color on the hair, it is that heat shouldn't be applied as often on color treated hair. There is also chemistry behind this suggestion. Every time you use heat (blow driers, flat irons, etc.) the hair cuticles open up due to the high temperature, resulting in the loss of colored molecules.
Because of the increasing use of hair dye, people started concerning about the health risks in the dyes. In 2001, researchers at the University of Southern California published a paper in the International Journal of Cancer concluding that women who frequently dye their hair were twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than those who abstain.
Future research:
I would like to conduct more research, possibly an experiment in the future about hair dyes. Here are the main topics I am interested in:
- How do color protective shampoos and conditioners prevent colors from fading? What chemicals in them are different from regular shampoos?
- How do different volumes of developers damage the hair?
- Can some food items (such as walnuts) really change the color of your hair or make it healthier? If so, why?