Member-only story
Why I use Henna to dye my hair
Yet one more result of my having cancer
Recently I was reading an article about how using hair dyes can increase the risk of cancer for women. Here’s a link to the article. A study was done that shows that both hair dyes and chemical straighteners can increase the risk of cancer by a lot. Particularly for women of color.
I’ve suspected this for years.
After I got cancer 15 years ago, I became extremely wary of any and all chemical products. We started using vinegar to clean our counters and windows. We buy the unscented detergent for washing clothes. I use pure soaps and I don’t use make-up most of the time. On the rare occasions I do, I get the stuff made with minerals like iron oxide instead of red dye number whatever.
And for my hair… I use henna.
My parents are from India, and in that country, as well as in places like Persia, brides regularly use henna to paint intricate designs on their hands when they get married. It’s called mehendi. It dyes skin and it also dyes hair. So the mehendi artist will apply the henna in elaborate, beautiful patterns and then gently wash it off. The stain will be left behind. It is temporary and will wash off eventually.
With hair, henna lasts longer but it’s not as color fast as commercial hair dyes…
