Hair Coloring....
Here are a few answers to help you make up your mind about coloring your hair.
Are hair colors safe?
Yes, they are totally safe, in fact most of the colors today have special polymers and
conditioners incorporated in them to make them superior to hair colors available earlier.
These polymers and conditioners penetrate the hair shaft and enter the cortex, mending any
damage in the normal hair structure. They smoothen the outermost layer of hair that is
made up of cuticles, which appear like tiles on a roof under the microscope. The ultimate
effect after the use of such a product on your hair would be shinier, smoother and
healthier hair. It is a common myth that using hair colours turns hair grey. But that is
not true. Hair turns grey due to the inability of hair to produce melanin in the early
stages of hair growth.
Melanin is the colour pigment in your hair, which can be black, brown, red or yellow. The
individuality of your hair color is determined by the percentage of each color pigment,
making each person’s hair color characteristically their own. Poor diet, illness,
age, heredity, etc can cause the acceleration of grey hair and the actual use of a hair
dye has nothing to do with the graying process.
Which color suits you the best is the question you should ask your beautician. Let her
know if you had coloured or hennaed your hair earlier, the products you used and whether
you had straightened or permed your hair. Also have your hair checked out for porosity or
elasticity, both of which play a major role in how healthy you hair, will look after the
color. Discuss this with her in detail how long the process will take the cost and after
care you will require to keep up the effect. You must also take a stand test so that both
you and your hairdresser know what to expect at the end of the process.
What are the side effects of coloring?
If a professional taking into account all the above points does coloring, the side effects
are almost nil, especially if the client follows the after care recommended. However, it
is very important that your hairdresser recommends a patch test in addition to all the
points mentioned above, especially with a product you have not used before. This is to
check for allergic reaction before carrying out the coloring process. This should be done
at least 24-28 hours in advance.
What do you need to maintain the color and the quality of
your hair?
Certain fashion colors fade easily and you may need to go back for a rinse once a
month, for example, in the case of wine reds, you would need a regular touch up or rinse
to maintain their intensity. In the case of grey hair, it would depend on the individual
growth rate of hair. On an average, hair grows ?"- ?" every month, so a touch
up once in 20 days is a must for grey hair.
For those with no grey hair and a mild color not too different from their natural color, a
touch up once in six months is ideal. For those with a drastic or dramatically different
hair color, a root touch up is important.
The after care needed is usually a shampoo for color treated hair, which increases the
life of your color and conditioners to protect your hair. Too much exposure to sun, sea
and chlorine should also be avoided.
Which brand of color should you use?
It is usually best to leave the choice of color to your hairdresser. The safest
home use products now available in the market are by L’Oreal. They have a wide range
of products in different shade from which you could choose. For those of you who are
allergic to ammonia they have now launched a new product called casting, which is
available in a few fashion and basic states. So do go ahead and make a beauty statement
with your hair color.
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