People Are Upset Because a Mom Dyed Her 2-Year-Old Daughter's Hair

By Korin Miller, Self

Hair dyeing is so common that most people barely react when someone has a new hue. But when kids are involved, it’s a totally different story. That’s what blogger Charity Grace LeBlanc discovered after she dyed her two-year-old daughter Felicity’s hair pink and posted a video of it on YouTube.

[post_ads]In the video, Felicity, who also goes by the name City, adorably tells her mom how much she wants pink hair and shows next-level excitement when Charity says it’s time to get started. “Are you excited, City?” Charity says. “Yeah!” says Felicity. “Is this the best day ever?” her mom asks. “YEAH!” is the response. (In the YouTube caption, Charity says that Felicity has been begging to have pink hair for a long time.) Felicity used Manic Panic Hot Pink dye, which she says is a “direct dye” (i.e., it’s water-soluble) and is “safe for kids.” It’s also vegan. “It washed out in about three to four days,” she added.

The video is sweet and it’s worth watching even if you aren’t looking for information on how to dye hair pink, just to see Felicity’s reaction at finally achieving her dream of having pink hair. But while many people wrote in the comments about how cute it was, plenty of others freaked out—and they didn’t mince words.

“This is so irresponsible of you,” one person wrote. “Of course she’s going to want it. She’s a kid! She doesn’t know what she wants! And you, the parent should know better! She’s going to be bald by the age of 20.” Another said: “How can u do that to such a cute child I feel so bad for her.” There were also plenty of others who questioned whether it was healthy for a child of her age to be exposed to hair dye.

While Felicity isn’t the first child to have dyed hair (and she won’t be the last), experts say you probably shouldn't try this at home.

Let's first say that no matter the science in this case, the level of mommy-shaming in LeBlanc's comments is out of control. There are ways to kindly alert parents who may unwittingly put their children in danger, and these comments aren't it.

With that said, James G. Wagner, Ph.D., an associate professor of pathobiology and diagnostic investigation at Michigan State University, tells SELF that he recommends children use hair dye “as little as possible, or only as necessary.” Hair dye safety is evaluated by testing animals and adult humans—not children, he points out.

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“We generally consider children as more sensitive to toxicant exposure—lower body volume means higher doses,” he says. “Growth and development of some body systems, especially those responsible for endocrine, metabolic, neurocognitive, and reproductive functions, can be sensitive to DNA-altering chemicals, and host-defense systems may not be fully mature to detoxify foreign substances.” Basically, while your body may be able to easily clear the chemicals in hair dye, it can be tougher for a little kid’s body to do the same thing.

Daniel Ganjian, M.D., a board certified pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, also isn't a fan. "I don't recommend it because a child's hair, scalp, and brain are still developing and are sensitive to the ammonia and other harsh chemicals that can be found in hair dye," he says. "I don't consider it completely safe."

Dr. Wagner says that research on hair dye’s impact on overall health have been inconclusive or conducted by industry sponsors, so it’s tough to make definitive conclusions based on the data available, which generally recognizes hair dye as safe. (The American Cancer Society, for example, notes that there has been a small link between certain forms of cancer, like that of the bladder, and hairstylists who dye hair often, but also says that it's "unclear" how much personal hair dye use might raise a person's cancer risk, if at all.) But, again, studies have been conducted on adults, not children, and are overall pretty inconclusive.

Joshua Zeichner, M.D., a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in the Department of Dermatology at The Mount Sinai Hospital, tells SELF that he’s also not crazy about the idea of dyeing a child’s hair. “In kids, hair is generally much thinner and strands of hair themselves are finer, so dyes may have a more potent effect,” he says. There's also a chance that a child will have an allergic reaction because children's scalps are so much more sensitive, Dr. Zeichner says.

While the idea of vegan hair dye may sound safer, it actually doesn't mean much.

[post_ads]Dr. Wagner says vegan hair dye actually isn't much different than regular hair dye—it just means it’s not tested on animals. “Natural” labels also don’t necessarily mean it’s safer, he says, because the term doesn't have a specific, regulated definition. And, while temporary dyes might be easier on a child’s hair, Dr. Wagner isn’t convinced that they’re safer for their health even though they theoretically involve less exposure time for the child.

However, if you do want to dye your child’s hair, Dr. Zeichner says that temporary dyes are a better option for the hair and scalp. “They are more gentle than permanent or semi-permanent options,” he says, adding that it’s best to stick to the tips of your child’s hair and keep dye away from the root and scalp, where it can cause irritation. If you can wait until they're a little older, even better. Dr. Ganjian says it's really best to wait until after a child is done with puberty.

Sure, plenty of children have used hair dye and been just fine, and if you’ve dyed your child’s hair in the past, you shouldn’t panic over it. None of this means dyeing a child's hair is actually dangerous in every case, or that LeBlanc deserves the rampant mommy-shaming in her comments. But it may be best to take a pass on dyeing a child's hair in the future. “We just don’t know if there are additional risks to children, so why not play it safe?” Dr. Wagner says. “The less exposure, the better.”

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