Evidence is accumulating that use of hair dyes, especially dark permanent coloring, can increase breast cancer risk. Both permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes have been reported to be associated with increased risk, but study results are inconsistent. Now a review of research from 1964 to March 2025 has reported that most studies have found a significant association between hair dye use and breast cancer.
African American women appear to face higher risk
African American women appear to be especially vulnerable to hair dye-associated breast cancer risk. For example, one study reported that use of permanent hair color was associated with 45% higher risk of breast cancer in African American women compared to 7% higher risk in white women. However, such findings might be a result of concomitant use of other products by African Americans (for example, hair relaxers, root stimulators and hair oils) that are also suspected of increasing breast cancer risk. In fact, African American women appear to be faced with a greater variety of potentially harmful hair care products marketed specifically to them and their daughters.
Latest research finds link between hair dye and breast cancer
The study referenced above was designed to review the association between hair dye use and risks of all common cancers. To conduct the study, the authors reviewed relevant studies from January 1964 to March 2025. Here, we will summarize only the breast cancer-related findings.
Breast cancer risk increases with increased frequency and duration of permanent hair dye use. Hair dye use that starts during the twenties is associated with higher likelihood of developing breast cancer compared to use that begins at age 40 or older.
The type of hair dye, and whether it is used in combination with other hair coloring products, also influences breast cancer risk. For example, those using two or more types of hair dye products have been found to have three times the increased risk as long as they have at least 90 lifetime hair dye applications. On the other hand, breast cancer risk appears not to be significantly higher for women who dye their hair after bleaching or who use frosting or rinses before dyeing their hair.
The association of breast cancer with hair dye use varies by race, especially for permanent hair dye. African Americans who use hair dye every five to eight weeks, particularly black colored dye, have been found to have heightened breast cancer risk. Those also using hair straighteners every five to eight weeks experience additional risk. African American women using dark hair dye shades tend to develop estrogen receptor positive (ER+) disease. Note that light colored permanent hair dye has also been found to be associated with significantly increased breast cancer risk among white women.
The authors conclude that breast cancer risk may be elevated among frequent and long-term users of dark permanent hair dyes, and African American women in particular.
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