Nothing beats a good hair day! A bad hair day makes you feel disappointed and hamper your mood – enter hair care procedures. From drying out your hair with the latest product to going for the latest treatment at the salon, hair care procedures are on the rise. While hair care is an essential part of personal hygiene, it can be a nightmare for people who suffer from migraine.

A migraine is a severe headache that typically affects one side of the head and can be throbbing, pulsating, or severely painful. You may experience high light and sound sensitivity, as well as nausea and vomiting after certain procedures. A migraine episode can cause discomfort that is so severe that it interferes with your daily activities and lasts for hours or even days, explains Dr Rajnish Kumar, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram, Haryana.

Why should be careful of hair care treatments if you suffer from migraine?

Dermatologist Dr Chandni Jain Gupta at ELANTIS Healthcare, New Delhi explains that most hair care procedures use chemicals like formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen found in almost all hair treatments. Studies have shown that it may cause cancer or help cancer to grow. This particular component may also trigger other health side effects.

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Dr Gupta points out that the Food and Drug Administration Trusted Source warns that formaldehyde and related compounds in keratin treatments may contribute to:

• Eye irritation
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Nausea
• Chest pain
• Vomiting
• Rash

“The effects tend to happen during or shortly after a keratin treatment using products containing formaldehyde. It’s unclear whether keratin treatments containing formaldehyde have long-term health effects or not,” adds the dermatologist.

Consequences of having a hair care treatment if someone has a migraine

Headache is one of the frequent side effects of hair transplant recovery along with swelling following a hair transplant surgery. “A majority of individuals may experience headaches following their operation. Headaches are a result of the scenario because your immune system attacks the hair follicles. The majority of the time, these attacks cause your hair grafts to fall out,” elucidates Dr Kumar.

During the procedure, your scalp experiences trauma, therefore it will naturally attempt to mend itself. Therefore, the majority of headaches experienced after surgery pose no risk to your health or the success of your hair transplant.
If you develop a headache, you should see your doctor right away and get the proper medicines. Never take painkillers without first talking to your doctor. Furthermore, it could take up to 9 to 12 months for your body to fully heal. The benefits are evident, as is the progression in hair density. As a result, following a hair transplant, you must be patient and meticulous, he adds.

Dr Gupta says there could be other consequences of getting a hair care procedure after a migraine. These include nausea, dizziness, rash, worsening of migraines, and confusion.

Hair care treatments those with migraines should avoid

If a hair care procedure is on your mind, but you happen to suffer from migraine, try to avoid these procedures that may aggravate the problem, as recommended by Dr Gupta.

• Keratin
• Cystine
• Hair straightening
• Smoothening
• Rebonding
• Hair botox
• Hair extensions
• Hair PRP
• Hair transplant
• Hair weaving

Talk to your doctor immediately if you experience any unexplained symptoms post the hair care procedure.