BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Hair Hair Dye and Young Children

Is there a brand of permanent hair dye that is better for young children? My son has his heart set on dyeing his hair red and he wants it to last longer then temporary dye I have used on him in the past.

His hair is light brown and I do not bleach it.

How old is your son?
Henna is a red organic coloring you can get at natural food stores and so on. It is permanent, albeit rather drying and damaging if used repeatedly. However if he just wants it red awhile and then will grow it out and cut it, no harm would be done.
I would not use professional permanent haircoloring on a child. The scalp absorbs the product, and they are not designed with children in mind insofar as the chemical ingredients are concerned.
PM user Jase as he is much more informed on this than I am ...
If you don't want to try henna. he should have a process such as foils or tipping done, so the product used is kept as far away from the scalp as possible.

Here is a link to a site that lists the ingredients, chemicals and usage for a haircoloring product - Loreal. Not only should the ingredient list alone and all the testing for side effects give you pause- but the instructions for usage state explicitly DO NOT USE ON CHILDREN.
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All brands of haircolor have much the same ingredients so one is not better than another. For a one time thing, any will do. I suggest a highlight technique done with a cap or with foils. It keeps the product off the scalp and gives some very nice affects.

One of my granddaughters has some nice bright red streaks in her dark brown hair right now.

If he prefers to look all red you could use a cap and make it a heavy highlight. You an use the cap yourself where foil highlighting takes some expertise to do an acceptable job.

As a preference, I never suggest henna.

As a reference... and preference... as a professional stylist.. I WILL NOT use permanent hair color on a child. When I say child, I mean anyone who is pre-pubescent. So for me.. thats about age 12 and younger. It is something I will not do. During my training as a stylist it was pounded into my head that the size of the particles, their chemical maekup and such should never be used ona child, a pregnant adult, or someone who's skin is counter to what we'd like.

But as I said... it is my opinion and preference.

I would however do highlights to a child aged 10-12.

I would like to ask what age is your son? I have been doing natural hair care since 1998 using henna and natural herbs. Make sure any henna used on anyone must be 100% pure and called body art quality. I also have 5 children and I have henna'ed my oldest boys who are 8 and 7. But I wouldn't recommend any henna application on anyone under 5. Kids gets henna designs from ages 5 and up.

My son will be four in December. His hair is long.

My granddaughter is 11yrs old and her father dyed her hair blond, because she wanted it that way. I totally disagree, shes to young.

One time my daughter had a stubborn case of head lice from playing softball and sharing a helmet (we bought her her own after this!). I finally used hair dye to kill the lice and it worked. I dyed it to her own color tho, I didn't change it.

I knew a woman one time who was in her 50's and had been dying her hair for about 20 years. It caused her hair to fall out finally. I quit using those products then. I'd started in my teens.

I think everyone should wait til they go gray to use these, if they choose but don't start too young.

or use products that are safer on the head like CHI who is silk and ceramic based with no amonia. It is safe enough to even eat after its been mixed.

So what does it taste like, Jase?