When I was about 7-years-old I got my first celebrity inspired hairdo–the Dorothy Hamill wedge. That was followed by the Princess Diana layered bob, and later I permed my hair in attempt to look like the girl from “ALF.” I blame those darn celebrities and the chokehold they have on society for my less than flattering dos. (I tried to blame my mom for paying someone to give me the cuts but she wouldn’t buy it). Looking back my cuts are nothing compared to what some teens are talking their parents into allowing them to do with their hair—all in the name of trying to look like a celebrity.
From cuts, to dye jobs, highlights, lowlights and chunking, teens want to look like their celebrity counterparts and parents are letting them. My 13-year-old niece spends way more time on her hair than I do. She has her dirty blonde hair highlighted regularly and over the holidays she started mixing highlights with lowlights ala Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria.
She tells me her female classmates’ tresses are inspired by Britney Spears, Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan. While the boys in her class try to get their locks to look like pro skateboarder Tony Hawk. Whereas I think copying a celebrity’s cut is not a huge cause for concern (unless the celebrity is Mr. T), I do raise an eyebrow when I hear about 10-year-old’s getting dye jobs. As a parent I would wonder–is it safe?
According to my stylist, who says he’s seen kids as young as six getting streaked and styled with shades of red, blonde and brown, it’s just a trend… a way to be fashionable. Later I wondered if he was the right person to ask. A quick online search revealed that years ago researchers at Yale University published multiple reports on the link between hair dye and cancer–particularly non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. According to their studies, people who used dark permanent hair dye for more than twenty years doubled their risk of cancer. But the FDA says they have research, which shows no relation between hair color and cancer. However, they say they will continue to look into any possible links. The bottom line: While the FDA says these products are generally safe, it suggests limiting a child’s exposure to them.
Would you let your 8-year-old get highlights?
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