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Women who regularly dye their hair could have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, a new study by a London surgeon has found.

Professor Kefah Mokbel found a 14 per cent rise in rates of breast cancer among women who colour their hair.

According to the breast cancer surgeon, who works at the Princess Grace Hospital in Marylebone, central London, women should colour their hair a maximum of five times year, the Sunday Times reported.

People should aim to use products with as many natural ingredients as possible – such as henna, beetroot or rose hip.

Professor Mokbel said: "What I find concerning is the fact that the industry recommends women should dye their hair every four to six weeks.

“Although further work is required to confirm our results, our findings suggest that exposure to hair dyes may contribute to breast cancer risk."

Sanna Heikkinen, of the Finnish Cancer Registry, said separate research in Finland found women who use hair dye were more likely to get breast cancer.

But she added: “We did observe a statistical association between hair dye use and risk of breast cancer in our study.

“However, it is not possible to confirm a true causal connection. It might be, for example, that women who use hair dyes also use other cosmetics more than women who reported never using hair dyes."

Haircare professionals at the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association said hair dyes were covered by robust safety requirements.

