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Do you have the habit of using hair dye frequently? You might have to think twice before using it!! For cosmetic sake, hair dye is widely used across the globe is well known to us. Concerns have been raised over the years regarding whether frequent use of hair dyes could result in cancer. There are some chemicals present in the hair dyes and these chemicals have been labelled as carcinogenic or cancer causing by IARC or International Agency for Cancer Research. It is noteworthy that this classification was based on the evidence suggesting an increase in the risk of cancer among those who are frequently exposed to hair dyes like barbers, salon workers, hairdressers etc. Truth is that scientific studies that were carried out have examined whether the use of hair dye has been related with certain types of cancer like bladder cancer, blood cancer and breast cancer etc. Small and consistent rise in the risk of bladder cancer is witnessed especially in those whose occupation involved hair due usage. Point is that the results are less clear especially for those persons who use hair dye occasionally in their homes. There are some studies that have shown a relation between use of hair dye and cancer risk. Other studies that focussed on modern products have not shown any link. According to a famous doctor belonging to the department of uro-oncology from Hyderabad based Asian institute for Nephrology & neurology it was clear that potential risk of cancer were believed to arise from certain chemicals that were used in the hair dye formulations.  It is worthy to note that hairs pH would get increased by ammonia and would open the outer layer to allow the penetration of the dye. Hydrogen peroxide used in the hair dyes would act as a bleaching and oxidising agent and would break down the natural pigment. By this, dye would take effect. In many permanent hair dyes, PPD or paraphenylenediamine is used for creating long lasting colour. Though these ingredients could be effective, they would also lad to few side effects in us. Our scalp would get irritated by ammonia present in the hair dyes, hair follicle would get damaged due to over usage of hydrogen peroxide. In some persons, PPD could lead to allergic reactions also. After getting absorbed by the scalp, these chemicals would enter the bloodstream and get filtered by the kidneys. In the end, the chemicals would accumulate in our bladder. As the inner lining of the urinary bladder gets exposed to these substances, there are chances of getting cancer over time. It must be noted that hair dyes that were used before the 1980s contained certain chemicals that posed a greater threat of cancncer in us. Most modern hair dyes are safer to use as the formulation has been updated. Point to be noted is that for those who dye their hair at home occasionally the evidence now does not show a significant cancer risk. Persons who have been exposed to hair dyes professionally for many years might have a slightly more risk of getting bladder cancer. Finally, occasional use of modern hair dye is considered as safe. Those persons who are occupationally exposed to hair dye must be cautious and must wear hand gloves and opt for safer product alternatives etc.

If you are suffering from an allergic rhinitis issue, then this article would throw some light on how pollution outside could worsen this health issue!! Allergic rhinitis refers to a condition that would cause inflammation in the nose due to overreaction of the immune system due to the allergens such as pollen, dust etc present in the air. Point is that this issue has become a growing health concern across our country. Persons with allergic rhinitis would show several symptoms like nasal blocks, sneezing, running nose, itchy eyes/nose/throat, coughing, clogged ears etc. Some persons with this issue would have reduced sense of smell also. There are 2 types of allergic rhinitis such as seasonal allergic rhinitis that occurs at specific times in a year and perennial where allergic rhinitis would occur throughout the year. Strong association between pollution and allergic rhinitis: According to some research studies conducted in recent times it has been brought out that there is some strong connection between the pollutants present in the environment and allergic reactions in us. Truth is that air pollution caused by emissions from several vehicles has increased respiratory allergies such as allergic rhinitis. It is worthy to note that various pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), sulphur dioxide etc could make respiratory diseases such as allergic rhinitis worse. The shocking piece of information is that in India about 77% of the population are exposed to PM 2.5 levels higher than what WHO or World Health organisation recommends. Since 2019 onwards, urban areas have been affected with Mumbai having 2.6% increase in toxic PM 2.5 levels. It must be noted that a 20% increase in the upper respiratory infection cases has been witnessed in Hyderabad. Severe rhinitis symptoms are witnessed in those persons who have been exposed to PM 2.5 and PM 10. It is true that air that is present inside the houses can also be responsible for allergic rhinitis issues. Point is that indoor pollutants like pet hairs, mould, skin flakes and harmful chemicals released from household products etc could result in allergic reactions in us. This is mostly witnessed in kids and in the senior persons etc who are very sensitive to allergens. How pollution can worsen allergic rhinitis? When the air that has been polluted enters our body through our nose, our breathing system would get affected. Some particles get filtered by our nose but small particles would slip through. The particles could then go to different parts of airways depending on their sizes. Larger particles or PM19 would stay y in the nose, windpipe throat etc. Finer particles or PM 2.5 could reach deeper into our lungs and ultrafine particles or PM0.1 could travel into the air sacs present in our lungs. It is noteworthy that ultrafine particles PM 0.1 are more dangerous when compared to larger particles as they would go deeper into our lungs.  They can lead to symptoms like sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose etc in us. Our symptoms can worsen when PM 2.5 combines with allergens such as pollen, dust mites etc. Our allergy risk would be increased by pollution by increasing allergen levels leading to weak immunity, inflammation, irritation etc and would make the present conditions worse. Managing allergic rhinitis: Conventional medications might not be able to fully control symptoms due to pollution and due to this it would be difficult to manage the allergic rhinitis symptoms in a polluted environment. Therefore, addressing this issue would need a combination of medical management, lifestyle and societal changes to reduce exposure and to improve the life quality of the affected persons.