Many people color their hair oblivious of the effects coloring could have on hair. The reasons why people do color their hair is because of wanting to change how they look, covering up gray hair, or just simply staying in fashion i.e. going with the trends. People also color their hair in an effort to restore their original hair color after discoloration from hairdressing practices or over exposure to sun that leads to hair bleaching.

Far more ladies color their hair than men do, and on a more frequent basis, although it seems that men too are catching up with this trend. Hair coloring is smart, but ONLY when the right precautions are taken. What most people do not know is that hair coloring can cause unforeseen damage to their hair, sometimes even leading to baldness.

So what makes hair coloring bad? Well, it is not as ‘bad’ as many people have been led to believe. However, hair coloring is done using dyes, dyes which are manufactured with chemicals and other stringent ingredients. The active ingredients in hair dyes are what normally make the hair follicles weak which in turn can lead to falling off and eventually balding.

Most hair dyes contain peroxide and ammonia, indeed damaging and abrasive chemicals considering the fact that hair is so sensitive in nature. The combination of these two major factors can lead to unexpected damage and may eventually lead to baldness if correct measures are not taken.

The other common cause of balding after hair coloring is because of using the wrong hair dye. Misusing or overusing hair dye treatments, leaving the color in the head too long than the recommend duration, or mixing the chemicals incorrectly can all lead to hair loss and balding. As such, it is normally advisable to consult a qualified and experienced hair specialist. Your beautician is in a good position to tell you the right hair dye to use on your type of hair.

Additional side effects of hair coloring apart from balding and hair loss include hair breakage, scalp irritation, and allergic reactions (such as swelling on the face, itching in different parts of the body, and difficulty breathing are also experienced).

In order to reduce the chances of balding and hair loss or hair breakage after coloring,

– It is recommended that you seek professional care when looking to color your hair.
– Ensure your hair specialist follows all the directions as per the manufacturer
– Never leave the coloring agent in longer than recommended
– Reduce the frequency in which you color your hair. This gives your hair a ‘window’ period to grow and rejuvenate, making it stronger and healthy in the process
– Ensure you have a well balanced diet in place to counter the effects that the chemicals could have on your head.

When the worst comes to the worst, do not color your hair any more. The good news is that hair will grow back to normal once the right measures are effected. It is also to be mentioned that rarely does anyone experience balding after hair coloring when the right hair dye is used, unless there are other underlying conditions that trigger hair loss and balding.