Hair dye can be lethal

Women who have been colouring their hair for 24 years or more have a higher risk of developing a cancer called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, US researchers report. They said on Friday that their study of 1300 women could help explain a mysterious rise in the cases of the cancer that affects the lymphatic system.

Writing in the American Journal of Epidemiology, they said women who dyed their hair starting before 1980 were one-third more likely to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and those who used the darkest dyes for more than 25 years were twice as likely to develop the cancer. "Women who used darker permanent hair colouring products for more than 25 years showed the highest increased risk," said Tongzhang Zheng, associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at Yale School of Medicine.

Cancer experts note that the absolute risk of developing lymphoma is very low, informs &to=http://www.theage.com.au' target=_blank>The AGE