Lemon for Hair: Benefits and Risks

Table Of Content

• Other benefits of lemon juice for the hair
• Other benefits of lemon juice
• My Enzyme Bath Experience at Hasstha Wellness Centre in Petaling Jaya
• Is it really possible to naturally lighten your hair?
• Beyond Coconut: 7 Other Natural Oils for Smooth and Radiant Skin

To lighten their hair, people need to expose it to sunlight for about 30–45 minutes after rinsing or spritzing it with a lemon juice mixture. A person can try lightening their hair by mixing 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 1 gallon of water and then rinsing the mixture through their hair. No, the citric acid in lemons requires the sun’s UV rays to lighten your hair.

Other benefits of lemon juice for the hair

Additionally, it can help balance the pH level of your scalp, reducing itchiness and dryness. In this article, we’ll go over the numerous benefits of lemon for hair, as well as how to make the most of this natural remedy. However, it is important to note that lemons have been shown to aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of heart disease, anemia, kidney stones, and digestive issues based on existing research. Anecdotal evidence also suggests a potential role in cancer prevention. Regular application of this lemon and aloe vera gel mask can work wonders for your hair, promoting nourishment, shine, and length. If you experience scalp infections or dandruff, using this hair mask at least once a week can help alleviate these issues.

Other benefits of lemon juice

Lemon juice has long been used as a natural hair lightener and can be very effective. After you create your lemon juice solution and apply it to your hair, you have to expose your hair to sunlight, so don’t forget your sunscreen! You will likely see results after about an hour of exposure, but the change will be extremely subtle. Repeat this ritual a few times in a row for more noticeable effects. Beware that although lemon juice is natural and inexpensive, it’s not necessarily a healthier way to lighten hair. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, two tablespoons of honey, and two teaspoons of olive oil.

My Enzyme Bath Experience at Hasstha Wellness Centre in Petaling Jaya

With hot and sticky summer days comes lots of sunshine, and with more sunshine comes tanner skin and lighter hair. The sun’s rays are known to bleach out melanin in hair to make it a appear lighter, but that effect can look so amazing you may want to keep it even after the season is over. While more frequently recognized as a way to naturally brighten your teeth, baking soda may do the same for your hair. And the recipe is the same for both– mix one tablespoon of baking soda with 1/3 cup of warm water, aiming for a perfectly pasty consistency that’s not too thick or too runny. Olive oil is a great carrier oil for lemon juice and can help to mollify some of the acidity of the juice, depending on how you are using it on your hair, to avoid side effects. It's worth nothing though that lemon juice won't work as a natural alternative to bleach on its own; it needs to be combined with sun exposure.

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Skin pigmentation in some people

Although safe to use on the hair, it is acidic, so it can have a drying effect. Be sure to rinse out lemon juice thoroughly after lightening, and deep condition your hair after every treatment. While lemon juice paired with sun exposure can absolutely change the color of your hair, Tang reminds us that the very process required to do so causes damage too.

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Additionally, a good leave-in conditioner is ideal for your hair’s aftercare. It works more effectively when paired with other ingredients, such as honey, chamomile tea, or cinnamon. If you've ever used Sun In, then you've likely used lemon juice to lighten your hair. For those who grew up in the later parts of the last century, it's almost like the product was a right of passage. Those in the know (or from earlier decades) realized they could achieve similar results by squeezing a lemon over their locks (via Healthline). "For better results, I recommend doing this outside," she says.

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Is it really possible to naturally lighten your hair?

However, further research is necessary to confirm how lemon juice hair remedies compare with clinical treatments. Before applying any acidic substance to part of their body, including the scalp, a person should consult a doctor. Fresh lemon juice, when applied to the hair in moderation, should not cause significant damage. However, prolonged exposure to the sun after applying lemon juice can potentially harm the hair’s outer protective layer, known as the cuticle. Therefore, it is advisable to exercise caution and limit sun exposure after using lemon juice on the hair. The anecdotal evidence surrounding lemon’s lightening effects on hair can be found in various online sources discussing natural hair lighteners.

Combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of yogurt until you have a smooth mixture. Consuming lemon juice or coming into contact with lemon and other plants like oranges, parsley, and parsnips can potentially lead to a condition known as phytophotodermatitis. This reaction occurs due to contact with certain plants and results in inflammation, blistering, and subsequent dark pigmentation spots on the skin, which may persist for several weeks.

How To Lighten Hair With Lemon Juice and Conditioner

When lightening the color of your hair, use lemon juice and sun exposure sparingly — take a 3- to 4-week break between each lightening session. If you spend a lot of time in the sun (without using lemon juice), you might notice a slight change in your hair’s tone. This is because the sun naturally changes the melanin in hair. For this to work, you need to combine lemon juice with sun exposure. When you think about lightening your hair color, using fruit might be the last thing on your mind. But lemon juice is an excellent DIY method for changing hair color.

I was even able to achieve "messy beach hair," and that rarely happens with my stick-straight, thin hair. So while it felt kind of gross, I was kinda into how it looked. Hair loss conditions such as alopecia areata are getting more and more common around the world. This is why there is a lot of research to find new treatment options for enabling hair regrowth in such conditions. Another possibility is a condition called phytophotodermatitis, which is a contact reaction to certain plants.

Both of which are known to and used to lighten dark spots and hyperpigmentation of the skin. When spraying the solution to your mane, massage it over your hair. Summer is finally around the corner, and I can practically feel the sea salt on my skin already.

Citric acid, the main component of lemon juice, is a natural bleaching agent with oxidizing properties (1). It absorbs into the hair easily and works with the UV rays from sunlight to accelerate the hair brightening process. Just like bleach, it oxidizes the melanin of your tresses, resulting in visibly lighter hair.

The high concentration of citric acid in lemon juice can be potent and may lead to skin irritation. If you notice any signs of redness, increased irritation, or itchiness, it is advisable to discontinue the use of lemon juice on the affected areas. Prioritizing skin sensitivity and seeking alternative remedies or consulting a healthcare professional is crucial to ensure the well-being of your skin. According to these sources, the citric acid present in lemon juice acts as a natural bleach or oxidizing agent. It works by chemically reducing the color pigment, or melanin, in the hair, resulting in a whitening effect.

Lemon juice works to open up your hair follicles, breaking up pigments in natural hair. It can alter your hair color, making hair look lighter and brighter. However, just like other dye-treated hair, it will fade and dull over time. You've heard the saying, "Blondes have more fun," and we're not about to debate its accuracy with you, but what we can tell you is that blondes usually have more damage. And that damage tends to be caused by the lightening process, which calls for bleach.

To effectively combat dandruff and itchiness, consider preparing a light scrub using lemon juice and olive oil, which can be gently applied to the scalp before shampooing. This combination helps to efficiently remove accumulated oil, dirt, and impurities while providing relief from itchiness. With consistent usage, this lemon-based treatment can serve as a reliable solution to eliminate dandruff and maintain a nourished, itch-free scalp in the long run. Lemon proves to be an effective remedy for treating dandruff and alleviating an itchy scalp. By incorporating lemon into your hair care routine, you can foster healthy and non-oily hair, leading to a dandruff-free mane. Even though the juice is gentle than hair bleaches, it still has acid properties.

How to Lighten Hair Naturally 6 Ways to Lighten Hair at Home

Table Of Content

• Can drinking lemon juice promote good hair health?
• What Breathwork Can Address
• Can lemon juice lighten the hair?
• Skin Care Routine Malaysia – Valerie Style
• About this article
• How to Lighten or Brighten Dark Hair With Lemon Juice

Here are six easy DIY ways to lighten hair at home without damage, using natural ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and more. As for ‘natural’ ways to lighten your hair, Liu doesn’t have any suggestions. “I personally don’t recommend playing chemist at home, especially since there are lots of available and relatively affordable coloring products in drugstores,” she says. Ultimately, you’re better off with an at-home coloring kit or an appointment at a salon.

Can drinking lemon juice promote good hair health?

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Staying hydrated is considered the best way to prevent kidney stones, so be sure to drink plenty of water. Lemons contain citric acid, which could help break down smaller kidney stones. Drinking lemon water is a common home remedy for kidney stone prevention, and there’s some research to back it, according to Harvard Medical School. Lemon has clarifying properties that help to remove buildup while also allowing your hair follicles to breathe and smooth your hair.

What Breathwork Can Address

I reached out to Joe J. Cincotta, PhD from Federici Brands to find out the science behind this lemony hair hack. He explained that the fruit does, in fact, have a lightening effect. The oxidizing process chemically attacks and reduces the melanin (a.k.a. your hair’s color pigment).

Can lemon juice lighten the hair?

It helps break down the sugars and keeps the honey from spoiling. But, if you add water to your honey, the glucose oxidase creates tiny amounts of hydrogen peroxide—an ingredient that can lighten the hair. Byrdie got the low-down on using the yellow citrus fruit to brighten your hue.

Lemons also have bleaching properties, which is why they’re often found in cleaning and skin care products. The highly acidic nature of lemon juice can strip dye from your hair. Add the basil stems and garlic and saute for three to four minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and turning golden. Add the cherry tomatoes and saute for four to five minutes, or until the tomatoes start to blister and burst. Meanwhile, if you’re using saffron, use a mortar and pestle to grind the threads with the sugar to a rough bright powder.

The reaction is marked by inflammation and blisters, followed by spots of dark pigmentation on the skin that can last for several weeks. If you’re thinking about using lemon on your hair, read on to learn how it works, as well as the potential drawbacks and side effects. Sadly, I’m yet to find one that behaves the same way in the pan, so it’s better to cook the pasta separately, halve your stock allowance and toss the cooked pasta through the sauce at the end. If burrata is eluding you, tear in some pieces of buffalo mozzarella or blob in some ricotta. If you’re looking for the perfect side dish for your tofu and legume entrées, look no further.

About this article

It also has a variety of textures from ingredients like pine nuts and olives. Cook with fresh lemons, lemon zest, and lemon juice to get more of this beneficial citrus fruit. You can use lemon juice or lemon peels to repel ants and mosquitoes.

"Lemon juice works best as a natural highlighter in the sun for people with blonde and dark blonde hair." With salons back open and hair appointments back on the cards, many of us have now had our much-overdue bleach fix to brighten up our lengths again ready for summer. However, once I got older and heard whispers about how it was bad for your hair, I stuck with lemon juice instead.

No matter how you’re looking to lighten your hair, keep these four tips in mind to do it safely and effectively. All these effects make rosewater a perfect thing to add to a hair care regimen. Lemons — and other plants such as oranges, parsley, and parsnips — can cause this condition in some people.

The acidity and potent nature of lemon juice can have varying effects on different hair types and sensitivities. Hence, it is essential to monitor the time of application and perform a patch test before full application to assess your hair’s reaction to lemon juice. Additionally, mixing lemon juice with other ingredients or diluting it with water can be a safer approach to ensure a more gentle and beneficial treatment for your hair. Honey acts as a natural conditioner, so after using this hair mask, you may not need to condition your hair separately.

If you walk into any hair salon, you can easily find treatments guaranteed to lighten or brighten your dark hair. Unfortunately, most of these treatments come with hefty price tags. Lucky for you, there are cheap, DIY ways to lighten and brighten at home. With some lemon juice and a few other basic ingredients, you can create sprays and treatments that add some sun-kissed streaks to dark hair for a fraction of the salon price.

Dying Hair While Pregnant: Is It Safe?

Table Of Content

• Other ways to reduce chemical exposure from hair dye
• Ammonia:
• Hoping to add a fun new shade to your locks while pregnant? Go ahead, but take some precautions.
• Is there any risk with inhaling fumes or chemicals while dyeing your hair that could be harmful to a pregnancy?
• The Biggest Loser? – Weight Gain and Loss During Pregnancy

Keep reading to see why applying hair toner is safe to do during pregnancy. If you're wondering whether you should bleach, dye, or highlight your hair during pregnancy, we've gathered specific recommendations from the American Pregnancy Association to help answer your question. If you're concerned about chemicals but need to keep up your appearance for professional reasons, consider getting highlights or using a natural dye.

Other ways to reduce chemical exposure from hair dye

The bleach does penetrate your skin, but not to a degree that most doctors would consider harmful,” says Dr. Zanotti. If you decide to bleach your hair while pregnant, there are some safety precautions to keep in mind. In your efforts to keep your growing baby safe, you've dropped your second cup of morning coffee and stopped using retinol cream in the evenings. When you get a text about your upcoming hair color appointment you booked prior to finding out you were pregnant, it leaves you wondering if it's safe to have your hair bleached when pregnant. Hair bleaches are generally considered to be low in toxicity (5). However, many doctors recommend waiting until after the first trimester to bleach your hair.

Ammonia:

If you want to be extra safe and cautious, there are a few precautions you can consider before stepping foot in a salon. Her hair was and is still perfectly platinum—and of course it's not natural. You may also experience heartburn, swollen ankles, and exhaustion. It points out that the amount of chemicals the scalp may absorb is very low under typical use and very little would reach the fetus. Natural dyes may not be as long lasting as chemical dyes and may fade sooner. They may also not produce as strong a color as chemical dyes or have as many colors available.

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Hoping to add a fun new shade to your locks while pregnant? Go ahead, but take some precautions.

So, if you’re wondering whether you can bleach your hair during pregnancy, here’s everything you need to know. If you’re at home, open up the windows so you’re breathing in fresh air, not toxic fumes. Always wear gloves if you’re applying the product to your own hair, and slip into a long-sleeved shirt for extra coverage. Follow the manufacturer’s directions, leave the dye on for the minimum time recommended and be sure to wash your scalp thoroughly when the job is done. When it comes time to start coloring, experts agree you should take some extra safety precautions.

Are there any hair-coloring alternatives that may be safer than traditional dye and bleach?

Join us as we set off on a journey through pregnancy and hair care, discussing what is okay and what is not and how to rock those fabulous locks without compromising the well-being of your unborn baby. A semi-permanent color may not last as long as a permanent hair color, but it can reduce your exposure to chemicals and toxins. Small amounts of hair dye can get on your skin during a treatment. Although dye may come into contact with your forehead or scalp, only a small amount of the chemical is actually absorbed into your skin. It’s a small amount, so the chemical is unlikely to have any harmful effect on your baby’s developing body.

Your hair may react differently to bleaching than it usually does, and it might become more or less absorbent, frizzy or unpredictable. For a safer alternative, try techniques where color is painted directly on to the hair shaft — highlights, lowlights, frosting and streaking, for example. Pulling hair through a cap and then applying color is a less common method but equally as safe, since the cap covers the scalp.

Popular Pregnancy Resources

Since there is an extremely low risk to the unborn baby, getting your hair treated with a hair toner can help you relax, recharge, and allow you to indulge in some self-care during your pregnancy. Rëzo says the average person will leave a toner on for between 15 and 25 minutes. Despite the fact that the product is applied to the hair, and a small amount will touch the scalp, there is little, if any, cause for concern.

Test the hair dye first

Therefore, the chance of them entering the milk and posing a risk to an infant would be unlikely. There was a time when the ingredients in dyes and bleaching agents were a lot more dubious than they are today. "Are there any carcinogens in it? No. Are there any things that should create problems in pregnancy? No." According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), previous animal studies have found that high doses of the chemicals used in hair dye don’t cause any serious birth defects.

Still, while it’s generally considered safe to dye your hair during pregnancy, Reavey recommends avoiding it until the second trimester. “The first 13 weeks of pregnancy are critical for baby’s growth, so I’d err on the side of caution and avoid using hair dyes during this time,” she explains. Or, if you’re looking for a new hairstyle, but hesitant about completely dyeing your hair during pregnancy, Reavey recommends opting for highlights. “This will change the color and dynamic of your hair, without directly putting color on the scalp,” she says. Ross agrees, noting that treatments like highlights, streaking and frosting have little contact with the scalp and can be safer alternatives during all trimesters of pregnancy. Hydrogen peroxide is the main ingredient in several beauty products designed to alter hair color or lighten the appearance of body hair.

Plus, you’ll be using less of the product, so you might find highlights a better option than a full bleach. Ask your stylist about gentler options, like color with an ammonia-free base. Swollen ankles, stretch marks, an itchy belly...some things are inevitable when you’re pregnant. Nitha is a writer and a go-to source for the latest in beauty and fashion. An ardent advocate for inclusive beauty, she is continuously inspiring women to create an authentic self-image.

Products used to bleach hair usually contains between six and 10 percent hydrogen peroxide while bleaching creams used on body hair contain even less. Research has shown that bleaching creams, with their low concentration of hydrogen peroxide, are also only superficially absorbed and metabolized quickly. Hair grows faster during pregnancy so you may find that you have to touch up your roots more often than you normally would.

"The research on hair dyes and treatment chemicals in pregnancy has always been quite limited but most indicates they are relatively safe to use during pregnancy," says Dr. Masterson. Be sure to consult with a healthcare provider about your circumstances if you have any questions about bleaching your hair while pregnant. Many experts consider hair straightening treatments, or relaxers, to be as safe as using perms, bleaches, or hair dyes while pregnant. “If a dye says that it’s ‘all natural,’ the idea that that’s necessarily safer is not really true,” Sterling says.

Can I Bleach My Hair While Pregnant: Safety Tips and Guidelines!

Table Of Content

• Can I Get a Spiral Perm While Pregnant?
• Are there any hair-coloring alternatives that may be safer than traditional dye and bleach?
• Alternatives to bleaching your hair during pregnancy
• Hoping to add a fun new shade to your locks while pregnant? Go ahead, but take some precautions.
• Can You Dye or Bleach Your Hair While Pregnant?

But you should still take precautions to minimize the risk of causing harm to your baby. Many hair dyes contain chemicals, so you might be worried you’ll expose your baby to toxins. If a person has any questions or worries about hair treatments during pregnancy, they should speak with a healthcare professional.

Can I Get a Spiral Perm While Pregnant?

If the smell of your shampoo or hair spray becomes too strong to tolerate, switch to a fragrance-free version. In poorly ventilated spaces, the fumes from bleach can make you feel dizzy and potentially expose your growing baby to harmful chemicals. Rapid growth and development takes place during the first trimester. It’s important to provide a protective environment for your baby during this time. A person should perform a patch test every time they dye their hair.

Are there any hair-coloring alternatives that may be safer than traditional dye and bleach?

For maximum safety, you can apply the same chemical exposure cautions that you did when pregnant. Usually present as hydrogen peroxide in hair color products, this ingredient has a crucial role in the process of hair coloring. It lightens the natural color of your hair, making your hair more receptive to the new hue. Although peroxide does not generally cause safety issues, some people may be allergic to it.

Alternatives to bleaching your hair during pregnancy

Highlighting your hair, by putting the dye only on to strands of hair, reduces any risk. The chemicals used are only absorbed by your hair, and not by your scalp or bloodstream. Always do a strand test first, whether you're using hair dye for the first time or it's a product you've used before. This is because your hair may react differently during pregnancy. Whether you’re in your 2nd or 3rd trimester, pregnancy can affect your hair's normal condition, so it’s worth remembering that your hair may react differently to colouring than it usually does.

If you’re more of the DIY type, consider a semi-permanent color — it doesn’t contain ammonia and typically doesn't contain peroxide (bleach). Plus, it's more forgiving than permanent dyes, and fades gradually after a month or so. According to Ross, as long as you’re carefully following FDA safety guidelines, it’s safe to get your hair dyed every six to eight weeks. It’s also important to note that coloring your hair while pregnant may lead to different results than it did before baby. “Many hairstylists notice that the various coloring processes during pregnancy can be unpredictable due to the strong hormonal effect on the hair itself,” Ross says. However, not all of these hair dyes are equally safe for use during pregnancy.

The skin can absorb these chemicals through the skin during application to the hair. Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that pregnancy, in itself, can naturally change the hair’s texture. Pregnancy may also cause your hair to react differently to perming or coloring. If this is the case, you may want to wait until after pregnancy to treat your hair. Even if you bleached your hair often before becoming pregnant, it’s also worth noting that pregnancy can affect your hair’s normal condition, so you should be aware of this when bleaching during pregnancy.

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Read on to learn more about the safety of using hair dye while pregnant, hair dye alternatives, and the safety of other hair treatments during pregnancy. Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor to book the salon appointment, you may want to reconsider which service you get. Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear answer here, as each person’s circumstances will vary.

Hair sheds less and thickens during pregnancy so hair might take longer to dry – take care not to damage your hair. You can also choose a more natural approach to hair color by using henna or vegetable dyes. Many women decide to continue to use these gentler practices throughout their breastfeeding journeys as well to minimize any breast milk exposure to chemicals. Reducing the amount of chemicals in hair coloring is never a bad choice. Bleaching products are also considered safe to use while breastfeeding. Since very little of the chemicals used in bleaching hair or body hair enters your bloodstream, not much is likely to be passed on to your breastmilk.

Is it safe to bleach the hair during pregnancy?

Plus, she and Ross recommend taking extra precaution to ensure the product isn’t directly applied to the scalp. “During pregnancy, your skin is often more sensitive to new ingredients, so prolonged exposure to the scalp/skin can cause irritation,” Reavey says. “The most sensitive time of pregnancy in terms of fetal development is during a period called embryogenesis, and that’s through the eighth week of pregnancy,” Dr. Sterling says. If you are looking for the safest ways to dye your hair and minimize any potential risks to your pregnancy, consider all of the different options for coloring hair available to you. Instead of dyeing all of your hair, you might choose a treatment like highlights or balayage. These treatments generally keep the hair color off of your scalp and skin which is where chemicals can be absorbed into the body, even in very small doses.

Alternatively, you may choose to use henna or vegetable-based dyes. Studies have shown no evidence to suggest that pregnant hairdressers who handle chemicals for perms and dyes multiple times per day have any greater risk of pregnancy complications (1). The most common risk, Dr. Sterling points out, is increased irritation. If you are using hair dye or hair toner at home, be sure to take proper steps to limit any risk. “Wearing gloves, carefully following the directions on the package, and being in a well-ventilated area can also reduce the risk of exposure,” says Dr. Sartin. “Consider waiting until your second trimester of pregnancy to color your hair when the risk of harming the baby is much lower,” says Dr. Sartin.

A patch test involves applying a small amount of dye to a person’s skin before dyeing their hair. However, researchers do not mention how frequently people dyed their hair before becoming pregnant. Additionally, they did not collect data regarding hair dye use during pregnancy.

After bleaching, be sure that the product is completely rinsed out. If you struggle with taming your tresses, you may wonder if there’s any harm in getting a perm while pregnant. Even our hair wants to get in on the action and often goes crazy because of hormone fluctuations. As your body seems to be changing in every possible way, you may wish to keep a sense of normalcy where you can. Expecting mothers often worry about all sorts of things and might even be concerned that blow drying their hair could somehow harm their baby.

You won’t have control over all of the physical changes taking place. There is currently no evidence to suggest that a person should not perm or relax their hair during pregnancy. OBGYNs explain why it’s probably OK to change your hair color during pregnancy — but why you may not want to nonetheless. If you’re worried about bleaching all of your hair while you’re pregnant, a good alternative is just to do highlights. Yes, you can dye your hair while you're pregnant — as long as you take certain precautions and mention your pregnancy to your stylist.

Research from 2018 found that females who dyed their hair prepregnancy had a higher chance of their baby having a low birth weight. These are the foods and drinks you should avoid or cut down on to protect your baby. From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.