Cosmetics, traditions, and the simple want for change; coloring hair at home has become an increasing trend among students here at Kennedy. Although a great advancement in the cosmetic industry, these chemicals within dyes can have harmful effects on not only hair, but also health.

“It was disastrous,” Diymell Candia, soph., said when talking about the first time she box dyed her hair. “My first time was in 7th grade, red bangs and red tips.” The box dye had such a harmful effect on Candia’s hair she eventually ended up cutting the dyed parts off.

Hair coloring can cause rough edges, dryness, and sometimes even loss of hair itself. Mackenzie Stump, sr., experienced this first hand when coloring a strip of her hair for fun with her friends. “We put bleach in my hair, and by the time it was my turn to rinse it, my hair had completely fallen out, it was one of the grossest things I’ve probably seen in my life,” Stump said. The problem Stump faced is common among non-natural color hair dyes. “I’ve died my hair before, but I’ve never had that problem.”

Many hairstylists recommend not using box dye. “With box dye, you never know what color you’re going to get,” Arianna Aulc, beautician at Cost Cutters said. “The chemicals are never spot on and you can really damage your hair. Aulc recommends staying away from box dyes and putting your money’s worth into getting it professionally done.

Read more about the harmful effects of hair dye in the upcoming issue of The Torch.