A new study, published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, linked the use of hair dyes and perm products with the emergence of cancer in hairdressers.

Previous studies have shown that hairdressers for some reason have an increased risk of bladder cancer.

Scientists believe that a high risk of cancer is associated with exposure to carcinogenic aromatic amines in some hair dyes.

These substances can cause non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia.

Such carcinogens in the 1970s were present in 89% of commercial hair dye products, but were banned after the US authorities imposed strict limitations on the composition of paints.

However, in the United States and Turkey, testing for these prohibited substances in hair dyes still shows that some brands contain carcinogenic aromatic amines.

In a new study, the staff of the Department of Occupational Health and Environment at the University of Lund (Sweden) decided to assess the long-term effects of constant exposure to potential carcinogens among hairdressers.

To do this, scientists took samples of the blood of 295 women hairdressers, 32 permanent consumers of hair dyes and 60 people who did not use hair dyes for the last year. Researchers also collected data on other participants' work, hobbies and lifestyles - everything that could affect the results.

The authors decided to use such a large group of professional hairdressers because they wanted to study the dose-dependent effect. This required a lot of people who are constantly in contact with toxin.

In the blood of hairdressers found carcinogenic toluidine.

In general, the level of aromatic amines in the blood was not very different in all three groups. Nevertheless, in hairdressers, the results for o- and m-toluidine (aminotoluenes) corresponded to the number of clients who had to do hair dyeing in the last week. Toluidins are known carcinogens.

Higher concentrations of toluidine were also associated with the use of curling products, which the researchers themselves called "somewhat unexpected".

Scientists say that the results of recent scientific studies have shown that o-toluids are responsible for the high risk of bladder cancer among workers in chemical plants.

Taking into account the obtained results, the authors suggest analyzing the composition of modern hair dyes and curling products in order to understand their effect on public health.

Turkish researchers have already analyzed 54 hair colors for this purpose, as a result, the concentrations of o-toluidine found in dark yellow paints are 100 times more acceptable, and in black paints - 500 times more.

"This demonstrates to us the great variability between products and supports the need for further product research on the content of carcinogenic substances," the scientists.

Meanwhile, they recommend hairdressers to minimize risk by using gloves and doing the maximum possible amount of work with the hair of customers even before the paint is applied.

In 2011, researchers from the National Center for the Study of Allergies at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) found that in people with allergies to hair dyes and latex products, the activated immune system can protect against certain types of cancer.

medbe. en.