| Today, everybody knows that certain elements, | | | | the dyes," he said. "It is always best to do a patch |
| such as nickel, chromium and cobalt, can cause health | | | | test of the dye on skin before it is applied to the |
| problems and allergies. Not everyone may know, | | | | hair." |
| though, that these three potentially toxic elements | | | | To use dyes or not is always the question. |
| can be found in high concentrations in hair dyes. | | | | "The answer is that either way, there are pros and |
| Studies show that constituents of hair dyes show up | | | | cons. When you factor in the benefit of a more |
| in the urine within 24 hours, which means they are | | | | youthful appearance, suddenly the quality of life gets |
| circulating throughout the body after the application. | | | | better and it seems to outweigh a lot of the cons... It |
| There is substantial evidence that nickel, chromium | | | | is worth it to a lot of people to dye their hair and |
| and cobalt are essential elements required for the | | | | look their best every day," Ted said. "When you |
| body in extremely low amounts; however, all three | | | | think of all the other chemicals and pesticides that |
| can cause serious problems in the body, when in | | | | are encountered on a daily basis, such as from |
| excess. | | | | smoking, air pollution, and food contaminants, these |
| Let us address nickel toxicity here. Excess nickel has | | | | are probably accumulating at higher rates in the body |
| been well established to be toxic to the kidneys and | | | | than six or seven applications of hair dyes throughout |
| carcinogenic. A single cigarette typically contains from | | | | the year." |
| 2 to 6 mcg of nickel. Nickel is absorbed more | | | | He searched for years to find a safer hair dye |
| efficiently in the lungs than in the gastrointestinal | | | | before he found one from Europe that actually |
| tract. Symptoms of chronic nickel exposure include | | | | provided optimal professional color for clients. |
| dermatitis, chronic rhinitis, and hypersensitivity | | | | "Some people use Henna, but Henna does not cover |
| reactions. Nickel can hypersensitize the immune | | | | gray hair well because it can create yellow or green |
| system, causing hyperallergenic responses to many | | | | tones on the gray. It will not make you blonder, is |
| different substances. Consider the type of allergies | | | | messy because it's a powder, is tedious to apply, and |
| caused by nickel in earrings or in scissors used by | | | | is limited. Compound henna products can contain fine |
| hairdressers. | | | | metallic salts; if they do, they are not compatible with |
| One study, done by Aecono Consulting, shows that | | | | most other chemical services. If henna dye could |
| allergy, in particular to nickel, is found in 10% of | | | | somehow give professional color, hairdressers would |
| women in industrialized countries. The other | | | | use it. But it does not." |
| potentially toxic elements, chromium and cadmium, will | | | | His patent-pending system involves a highly accurate |
| be addressed in future articles. | | | | way to customize your hair coloring, even though |
| You may not be showing physical signs that you are | | | | you may be miles away from his salon. All formulas |
| accumulating nickel or other toxic elements yet, | | | | are mixed to your color expectations, formulated by |
| primarily because your body has not reached a critical | | | | a certified cosmetologist for the composition of your |
| load of them. Once the body reaches the "overflow" | | | | hair. The porosity of the hair determines the amount |
| point, that is when signs and symptoms start to | | | | of color lifting and also color distortion. You can |
| appear. | | | | conveniently apply your color at home, achieving |
| Growing numbers of women and men are turning to | | | | better quality than over-the-counter products without |
| hair dyes that are known to have low levels of these | | | | the need for visiting a salon. |
| metals. One European-trained cosmetologist in the | | | | Ted made the process a simple three-step process: |
| U.S., Ted Berry, at his salon, Hair Color To Go(TM), | | | | 1. Order the hair color analysis kit, which consists of |
| has been using hair coloring imported from Europe for | | | | 22 actual hair samples to be used to determine your |
| over a decade on clients. It is one that is | | | | existing hair color and condition. The swatches come |
| documented to be low in nickel, chromium and cobalt. | | | | with full instructions and the evaluation process takes |
| Ted created a patent-pending system of affordable | | | | only a few minutes. |
| custom European hair coloring mixed for an individual. | | | | 2. Submit the Analysis information online, by phone or |
| "There is a difference between sensitivity to nickel, | | | | mail. |
| chromium and cobalt and an allergy. If someone is | | | | 3. Receive your custom-formulated hair color, |
| allergic to these potentially toxic elements, they | | | | formulated by your own personal Senior Color |
| should not use any dyes with any amounts of these | | | | Consultant. She's one of several Hair Color To Go |
| metals in them. But if they are sensitive to hair dyes, | | | | (TM) European-trained hair color technicians who is a |
| it is possible that there will be reduced sensitivity | | | | certified cosmetologist and expert in hair care |
| from the European hair color because of the | | | | science. She will contact you by email or phone and |
| extremely low percentages of these toxic metals in | | | | assist you in obtaining your first hair color product. |