Did you know that due to their reactive chemistry hair dyes are among the most studied and regulated consumer products?
There is a lot of safety data on hair dyes and it’s obviously for a good reason.
… Just what is the true cost of putting dye on your hair?
Stay with us.
We will look at both the pros and cons of dyeing your hair and share tips on how to safely dye your hair should decide to.
Is It Bad to Dye Your Hair?
While the long-term effects of hair dyes are not known, the truth is that hair dyes can damage your hair if not used properly.
The key is to ensure you use the right dye, get your hair dyed properly, use dyes in moderation and take good care of your dyed hair.
Let’s take a look into the Pros and Cons of dyeing hair.
Cons of Dyeing Hair
1. May Result in Dry Hair
Dyeing the hair involves adding chemicals to alter the it’s natural color. Inherently, some form of damage will occur.
This is especially true for oxidizing hair dyes since they seep into hair cuticles.
The chemical reactions strip the hair of its protein and moisture leading to dry and weak hair.
2. Allergic Reactions
Some people may develop allergic reactions.[1]
Common symptoms of an allergic reaction include itching and swelling on the scalp and face, swelling of hands, eyelids, red rash, blisters, among other symptoms.
These symptoms can range from mild to severe.
To prevent severe allergic reactions, always ensure you do a patch test before you apply dye on your hair.
3. Requires High Maintenance
Maintaining colored hair is not a walk in the park.
For one, you need to follow specific hair care instructions to keep the color vibrant for long.
You will also need hydrating products and deep conditioning treatments to hydrate and nourish your stripped strands.
Additionally, you need to invest in specific products for colored hair. These products ensure that the color does not fade and remains bright on your hair.
4. Staining of Surfaces
Dyeing hair can be a messy process during application. There is always the risk that color will get on the wrong places.
Even after dye application, hair will usually rub off on surfaces such as pillowcases, bed sheets, and towels.
For this reason, always plan with this in mind for instance you may opt for darker colored beddings.
5. Hair Color Gone Wrong
Hair dyes can at times not turn out as expected.
This can be due to several reasons.
For example, the complexity of the color might make it difficult to achieve the desired results without several hair treatment conditions.
Skipping essential steps in the dyeing process might lead to a final color that is off or appears patchy.
Woe unto you if you use a permanent dye and end up hating the outcome!
Take note that using low-quality products or unqualified professionals will usually result in unfavorable results.
Pros of Dyeing Hair
1. Versatile looks
The coolest thing about hair dyes is that they give you a chance to play around with your looks.
You can totally elevate your look by adding some highlights to your ends or coloring the whole head.
2. Compliments the skin
Selecting a hair dye color that goes with your skin tone means that the color will flatter your existing skin tone accentuating your face.
3. Gives the appearance of a more volume
Because the hair dye is being absorbed into your hair strands, they become bigger.
Overall, these give the feel of thicker, fuller, and more textured hair. This is great if your hair is lighter in density and you would like to switch it up.
Additionally, you can consider doing two colors instead of one to add some dimension thus giving the appearance of thicker hair.
4. Gives the appearance of shiny lustrous hair
Lighter dye colors can pick and reflect light onto different surfaces. This, therefore, gives the impression of shiny and lustrous hair.
This is however subject to using the right dyes that are gentle on hair with the right procedures.
5. Covers up Lint in Locs
One big secret that people in the locs community don’t reveal is that they use dye to hide lint and sebum build-up.
Unfortunately washing Locs doesn’t always do the trick when it comes to hiding those white stubborn flakes. That is why color comes in handy!
How Do Hair Dyes Work?
Hair dyes are classified into four: temporary, permanent, demi-permanent, and semi-permanent.
This classification is based on the hair dye`s ability to sustain the color of hair. Demi-permanent and permanent dyes are made up of oxidizing agents which react with the existing hair color to form a new shade.
Temporary and semi-permanent dyes work by coating hair strands with color.
While temporary hair dyes only coat the hair cuticles, semi-permanent dyes can be absorbed into the hair cortex. Because these two hair dyes only work by coating the hair dyes they are referred to as non-oxidative hair dyes.
With temporary, semi-permanent, and demi-permanent dyes it is possible to get rid of the color after several washes depending on the dye type.
For permanent dyes, however, the color remains on hair unless the hair is cut. The roots however will grow in your natural hair color therefore constant retouching is necessary to maintain the color.
- Related: Can you dye wet hair?
How To Dye Hair Safely
The following tips are essential to follow to keep yourself and your hair safe during the hair dyeing process.
1. Do a patch test before applying the hair dyeing product
A patch test works in testing for any allergies on a small strip of skin.
This helps catch any possible allergies and since it is applied to a small surface area, the impacts are minimal.
2. Follow the hair dye instructions carefully
The safest bet when it comes to using hair dye is to keep to the instructions.
Especially when switching from one hair dye to another, the instructions might not apply.
It is therefore important to observe caution and pay attention to detail throughout the whole hair dyeing process.
3. Use protective gear
To protect other parts of your body from the dye, it is important to wear the required protective gear.
In line with the first point, the instructions will always show any necessary gear and equipment you need.
A good staple is a protective glove that protects your hand from chemical harm and discoloration from the dye.
4. Avoid mixing dyes
Different hair companies have different sets of ingredients that make their products.
Mixing hair dyes means risking possible chemical harm arising from these chemicals mixing up violently.
It is advisable to use products or a treatment plan from the same provider to reduce any chances of chemical harm to your hair or scalp.
5. Thoroughly rinse off the dye from your hair
Thoroughly rinsing off hair after the dyeing process ensures that there is no product remaining on the scalp.
This reduces the chances of irritation, rashes, or blisters occurring as a result of prolonged exposure to dying chemicals.
