Women who dye their hair at higher risk of breast cancer

NEW DELHI: It’s something that many women do regularly without thinking twice, but if you dye your hair, you may unknowingly be increasing your risk of developing breast cancer . A new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health has revealed that women who use permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners have a higher risk of developing the disease.

In the study, the researchers analysed data from 46,709 women, and found that those who had used permanent hair dye in the year prior to enrolling in the study were 9% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who didn’t dye their hair. Meanwhile, using chemical hair straighteners was found to increase the women’s risk of breast cancer by about 30%. Worryingly, among African American women, using permanent hair dyes every five to eight weeks or more was associated with a 60% increased risk, compared to an 8% increased risk for white women.