Hair Dyeing and Damage

[KDude]

Can hair be permanently damaged from dyeing? I used to dye a lot, and I've been freaking over the past year...wondering if the top of my head is thinner. I even shaved my head just to let it grow out evenly.. But I swear my hair is not as thick as before. Has this happened to anyone here?

 

[Tallulah]

I don't think dyeing your hair will generally cause it to fall out permanently. You might damage the hair itself, but it should grow out fine. Usually thinning is more related to other factors like genetics, stress, hormones or allergies. In some cases, it rights itself.

 

[miss fortune]

bleaching damages the hair but dying it a darker color or your natural color (esp if you have dark hair) isn't really that bad... especially if you regularly use a deep conditioner

 

[prplchknz]

are you male? it could just be male pattern baldness.

 

[Laurie]

For some reason I thought darker colors were worse than lighter because they need to get darker. (that's other than bleach colors which are obviously bad for your hair)

 

[miss fortune]

^hmm I'm just going by what things like Glamour say... that adding color is a lot better for hair than stripping it out... I'm not sure on the technical stuff about it though

 

[KDude]

i haven't dyed in awhile, but i used to bleach the hell out of it - (my hair is naturally dark, so i'd have to do that to get a red to come out right).

anyhow... not sure if it's male baldness. really doubt it. my hair line is perfect, and my top (the back crown) isn't bald either.. it just seems like the area right behind my hairline is just a tad thinner. can't make sense of it. friends think i'm crazy and don't see it.. it's just one of those things i can notice about myself, i guess.

 

[teslashock]

Can hair be permanently damaged from dyeing? I used to dye a lot, and I've been freaking over the past year...wondering if the top of my head is thinner. I even shaved my head just to let it grow out evenly.. But I swear my hair is not as thick as before. Has this happened to anyone here?

The portions of the strands that are repeatedly dyed can be damaged, yes. They become drier and more susceptible to breaks.

As for the hair that has not even seen the light of day yet, no it is not going to be damaged from the dye. The dye damages the strands, not the roots (and it certainly doesn't seep into your bloodstream/cells and somehow alter the genes --> proteins that make up your hair), so once the hair that has been introduced to the chemicals is gone, there's no damage left.

I've been dying on and off for a few years now, and I've noticed that after I dye, it's especially dry for 3-5 days. Just make sure you dye it when it's oily (like the day after you've last washed it), and don't wash it for at least 2 days after you dye. This will optimize the level of natural oils that your hair maintains immediately after dying.

Also, make sure that you use some kind of deep conditioner (boxed dyes come with it, and hair salons sell it) every 7-10 days. This really helps prevent dryness, and it can help heal really raggedy hair.

 

[cathleen]

yes dying does damage ur hair.bcoz it contains certain chemicals.even though the r herbal they r harmful.be the natural way that is the best way to be safe.dying hair also causes cancer.u can use henna which is not at all harmful

 

[BerberElla]

Vegetable hair dyes are one alternative, you can't make drastic changes, and they are only semi permanent, but my friend swears by them.