Hair Dye, Nail Polish & Salon Treatments During Pregnancy

Hair dye and nail treatments are near the top of the list of things pregnant women ask about, largely because the guidance has shifted over the years and old, more cautious advice still circulates. The current general view is more reassuring than many people expect.

Hair dye

Hair dye is now generally considered low-risk during pregnancy. The amount of chemical absorbed through the scalp during a typical colouring session is small, and there is no strong evidence linking normal hair dye use to pregnancy complications. Many midwives and dermatologists suggest waiting until after the first trimester as an extra precaution, simply because this is when the baby’s major organ development occurs and it’s a sensible general window to be more cautious about anything not essential — but this is a precautionary approach rather than one based on specific evidence of harm from hair dye itself.

Practical steps that further reduce any already-low risk: choose a well-ventilated salon, wear gloves if colouring at home, avoid leaving dye on longer than instructed, and consider highlights or balayage (which don’t involve dye touching the scalp directly) as a lower-exposure alternative if you want extra reassurance. Semi-permanent and henna dyes are generally considered fine too.

Nail polish and gel/acrylic manicures

Standard nail polish is fine during pregnancy. The main consideration with gel manicures is twofold: the chemical exposure from the gel polish itself (considered low-risk, similar to regular polish) and exposure to UV light used to cure gel polish, which is very brief and localised to the fingertips — the overall UV exposure is far lower than sun exposure and is not considered a significant concern. Choosing a well-ventilated salon and taking normal care are reasonable precautions, but there’s no strong reason to avoid manicures altogether during pregnancy.

Chemical hair treatments: perms, relaxers, and keratin treatments

These involve stronger chemical formulations than simple colouring and are typically used for shorter periods and less frequently. They are generally considered acceptable in pregnancy using the same reasoning as hair dye — low absorption, no strong evidence of harm — though some keratin treatments release formaldehyde-related fumes during the heat-styling step, which is worth being cautious about via good ventilation, or discussing with your stylist about lower-formaldehyde formulations if you’re concerned.

Spray tans

Spray tans use DHA (dihydroxyacetone), which works on the outer layer of skin and has minimal absorption into the body. They’re generally considered safe, though avoiding inhaling the spray mist directly (asking for a mask, or holding your breath during application) is a sensible general precaution regardless of pregnancy.

The general approach

None of these treatments carry anywhere near the level of concern associated with, say, oral isotretinoin for acne (see our skincare ingredients guide) — they involve brief, low-absorption exposure rather than an ongoing systemic medication. If you want to be extra cautious, waiting until after the first trimester for hair colouring and choosing well-ventilated salons for any chemical treatment are reasonable, low-effort steps, but skipping your usual routine altogether is not necessary based on current evidence.