Luckily, a professionally done hair color is not the main cause of permanent hair loss or thinning out your hair. On the other hand, hair color products, be they permanent, demi-permanent, or temporary, are designed to alter the hair shaft (the part of the hair that is visible) and therefore they usually do not go deep enough to cause permanent damage to the hair follicle (the root located under the scalp).
However, even though permanent hair loss is very unlikely, you can definitely experience temporary hair shedding and breaking as a result of coloring if the process is wrong or you have a sensitivity that is not known to you.
The problems associated with hair coloring fall into two main categories: breakage and chemical reactions.
1. Hair Breakage (The Most Common Issue)It is the most common reason for people to wrongly assume that their hair dye causes hair loss the most.
Apart from real hair loss (where the root is lost), this breakage is the result of a chemical damage which leads to the hair snapping, thus the length and thickness of the hair are getting shorter and thinner, respectively.
|
Issue |
Cause |
Appearance |
|
Over-Processing |
Leaving color or bleach on too long, or overlapping applications. |
Hair snaps easily; ends look frayed and thin. |
|
High-Lift Bleaching |
Stripping hair color requires strong chemicals that weaken the hair structure. |
Hair feels dry, brittle, and breaks off near the root or mid-shaft. |
2. Color-Related Hair Issues Explained
The problems that come with hair coloring can be divided into two major groups: breakage and chemical reactions.
3. Chemical Sensitivity (Rare but Serious)
For instance, some individuals may be hypersensitive to an ingredient like paraphenylenediamine (PPD) which is a common component of most permanent dyes. An allergic reaction on the scalp may cause severe itching, inflammation and trauma, which all can result in hair shedding (Telogen Effluvium).
The over-application of bleach agents directly to the scalp or leaving it on for too long can cause chemical burns that, in turn, can not only injure but also scar your hair follicles, thereby in the severest situations, the small bald spots that result from scarring can be the ultimate outcome of this kind of hair loss.
If you are a die-hard fan of hair coloring, here is how you can still keep the damage at bay to a large extent:
Even though the question of can hair color cause hair loss is absolutely reasonable to be asked, the possibility of permanent baldness is negligible. The major risk factor for this is hair breakage due to over-processing. Do not forget to be gentle with your colored hair, take care of the scalp so that it can offer you both color and volume.