Plenty of us color our hair on a regular basis, and you might have experienced an itchy scalp after using certain dyes. Find out why this is and how you can maintain great hair color without damaging your hair and scalp.
Ever found yourself with an itchy scalp after dyeing your hair?
Skin reactions to the chemicals in hair dye are really common. Some hair dyes contain harsh chemicals that can irritate the scalp, especially if it is already sensitive.
When the dye sits on the scalp for any length of time, the chemicals can actually burn the surface, leaving you with an itchy rash.
How can you stop the itch?
Many stylists advise their clients to come to the salon with unwashed hair. This way, some of your body’s own scalp oils, or sebum,help form a protective layer between the dye ingredients and your skin. This strategy is helpful, but not fool proof.
If you feel post-dye irritation, you need to let your skin heal properly. Avoid other products that contain harsh chemicals, as well as gels and sprays that could build up and break down intosubstances that can irritate the scalp even more.
Also – and this is the hard part – don’t scratch! It’s very tempting to give in to the itch and scratch away, but this will onlyirritate your scalp further.
Prevent itch from coming back
Before dyeing:If you know that you’re allergic to certain chemicals or certain brands of hair dye, you can easily avoid developing a painful rash.Contact the manufacturer to ask about the chemicals in the product and if there is an alternative in case of allergies.
Make sure you do a spot test on a more hidden part of your body and wait for at least 24 hours to see if you show a reaction.
Professional salons may have a range of brands and can work with you to find one that’s most suitable for your scalp.
After dyeing: Thoroughly rinse out all traces of the dye from both your hair and scalp.
It’s good to use a deep cleaning shampoo here – and don’t worry about using Head & Shoulders, it’s absolutely fine to use on colored hair.
Check out our itchy scalp shampoos
More about itchy scalp