Hair dye can sometimes be damaging to your hair, and may trigger shedding in some. Learn more about hair loss and hair dye here.
Dyeing your hair can be a great way to switch up your look, have a little fun with your appearance, or even cover up grays. But, for some people, they may experience increased shedding or breakage due to some of the harsh chemicals involved in the process.
That being said, a lot of people color or bleach their hair, and very few end up dealing with hair loss consequences from the process. It’s all about using the right technique and choosing the products used wisely.
Below, we will delve into hair dye and hair loss, including if hair loss is indeed possible from changing up your color, just how common hair loss or breakage may be, and some ways that you may be able to reduce the risks of negative hair effects when dyeing your hair.
Learn More: Can Hair Products Lead to Hair Loss? Get Hair Care Answers
Technically, yes, it is possible to experience some hair shedding or breakage from dyeing your hair. But, it is not a given.
There are a few different ways that hair dye can have some not so great effects on your hair.:
Some of the chemicals involved in dyeing your hair like peroxide, bleach, and ammonia have the job of opening up your strands and extracting color pigments, or inserting new color pigments (or both!). During this process, the individual strands can lose some of the natural proteins inside the hair and may tend towards more dryness and brittleness. Ultimately, this can present as hair that breaks off and leads to hair loss or shortened length in this way.
Most hair coloring or bleaching products are not known for their gentle nature. In fact, it is possible for your scalp to have a reaction to hair dyes or bleaching agents. This reaction, if extreme enough or left to persist, could result in severe scalp irritation that could lead to more hair shedding than usual. Always perform a test patch of new products on a small area of your wrist before going into the scalp area to identify any potential reactions, and always try to apply coloring or bleaching agents strictly on the hair strands, not directly onto the scalp.
Sometimes the hair dyeing or bleaching process can mean a lot of brushing, tugging, adjusting, and general manipulation of your hair. For some, this may mean that more hairs in the resting phase (on their way to coming out) can be loosened and pulled out during the process itself.
As we mentioned above, dyeing or bleaching your hair does not 100% guarantee that you experience some hair loss or breakage. It is all about the products used, the technique applied, and the current state of your hair to begin with.
If you go about dyeing or bleaching your hair through a professional who can time everything out correctly, apply the chemicals appropriately, and honestly assess the state of your hair in the beginning, you shouldn’t have to worry too much. Also, asking your stylist about the risks of breakage of your partial head of hair can help give you some ideas as to what to expect.
Also Read: The Best Homemade Hair Masks For Hair Growth
You can help reduce the risk of negative consequences when dyeing your hair by choosing products carefully, abiding by the correct timing suggested, avoiding application to your scalp and surrounding skin, and choosing to opt for hair colors that are darker as opposed to lighter. In general, lightening your hair is more damaging than darkening your color or leaving it about the same.
Going in to have the process done at a professional hairstylist may make it easier to do things the correct way, and may be more gentle on your hair (while probably also getting a better end result).
Also, if your hair has already been processed multiple times, is already dry and brittle, or very fine and damaged, it may be wise to steer clear of dyes and bleaches for a while until it is in better shape. Dyeing hair that is not the healthiest may make it more prone to shedding and breakage after coloring.
Most forms of hair loss and excess shedding are not from changing up your hair color, they are from androgenetic alopecia, which is also known as male and female pattern hair loss.
If your thinning began before you went in for a new color, or you feel like your shedding may not be entirely hair-dye-based, you may be able to consult with a doctor to see if androgenetic alopecia is the real culprit here.
At Strut, we offer a variety of oral and topical hair loss medications that can be customized to your goals and preferences and contain multiple active ingredients to maximize your results.
If you are interested in seeing if a prescription hair loss medication is the best fit for you, simply choose the medication you are considering and have a free online questionnaire and image-based consultation on our secure telemedicine platform in under 15 minutes.
Once the doctor reviews your information, if you are a good candidate for the selected medication, your treatment plan will be put together and shipped to your front door with our fast and free shipping.
.png)
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
