- No; dyeing hair doesn’t make it grow slower.
- Hair growth starts at the root while hair dye acts only on the visible part of the hair. Even though it penetrates the hair fiber, it can’t reach inside the root.
- In this article, we’re going to debunk some myths about hair dye and hair growth.
- I’ll also tell you about a client who didn’t want to dye her hair out of fear that it would stop growing.
- We’ll also see how different types of hair dyes and other hairdressing treatments damage the hair.
- Stay tuned and read this article to find out everything you need to know about hair dyes and hair growth.
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Debunking hair dye and hair growth myths
As I said, it’s not true that dyeing your hair will make it grow slower.
No dye brands can slow down hair growth.
Low quality dyes can indeed affect your hair health by thinning the hair fiber. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll make your hair grow slowly.
Do you notice that your hair is growing slower?
Rest assured that the reason isn’t the hair dye. In this case, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with a dermatologist to find out where the problem is coming from.
You should know that there’s no product, be it hair dye, bleaching, perms, hair lotions, shampoos, or any other hairdressing product that can make your hair stop growing.
On the other hand, there are pharmacological products on the market that promote hair growth, such as those with amino acids in their formula.
Also, growth retarding tips are only myths. None of them have been scientifically proven.
Hair growth and hair dye: how to know whether your hair grows or not
Our hair usually grows between one and two centimeters per month.
The best evidence of this is hair color and the infamous roots.
In my years of experience in hairdressing, I have seen all kinds of situations where clients blamed the dye for their various problems.
When you go to the salon concerned that your colored hair is growing slower, the growth proves it’s not.
My strategy to reassure you that your hair continues to grow permanently is to explain that, on average, hair grows one centimeter per month.
Therefore, if you have root growth, it’s a sign that it has been about a month since your last visit to the salon.
A real case: the client who was afraid that her hair would stop growing
I always remember Johana, a young woman who came to trim only the ends of her hair every three or four months because she believed that her hair didn’t grow.
She had curly hair, so I explained that her hair did grow. She just didn’t notice it because, as it curled when growing, it seemed that it always stayed the same.
Johana was afraid that if she dyed her hair, it would slow down her hair growth even more. I never managed to make her understand that this was a myth.
Time went by, and the first gray hair started to appear on her temples and sideburns: this convinced her to start applying a tone-on-tone to color those first gray hairs.
It was only then that she understood that her hair was growing normally. She could see that month after month she had about one centimeter of growth, which I had explained to her on several occasions.
Today, I regularly color Johana’s hair with traditional dyes, (or highlights) and her hair hasn’t stopped growing.
Hairstyling products and hair growth
If you’re worried that your hair will stop growing, you should know that different processes on hair have distinct consequences.
Each treatment will have a different impact and consequence on your hair.
Let’s take a closer look at what can happen to your hair with each treatment.
- Semi-permanent hair dye: your hair won’t be damaged because the product is applied with a 6 to 8 vol developer. So, you won’t notice anything in its texture.
- On the other hand, permanent hair dye is applied with a 20-vol developer. You may notice some quality loss in your hair if you use low-quality products. The difference may be slight, but your hair won’t be the same as it was before.
- Alternatively, a lightener is mixed with peroxides between 30 and 40 volumes. Therefore, it’s detrimental to your hair. It may dry out and make it difficult to untangle, among other issues.
- Bleaching, in turn, will cause severe damage to your hair. It’ll leave it damaged, dehydrated and hard to comb.
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- Perms are overly aggressive treatments for your hair, and the difficulties they cause are the same as bleaching.
As you’ll see, none of these treatments affect the growth of the hair fiber. They may damage the hair to a greater or lesser extent, but your hair will continue to grow.
Even the most damaged hair continues to grow!
The hair dye can damage your hair to a higher or lesser extent according to the peroxide used.
The dye’s exposure time should also be taken into account. If overexposure occurs, this can cause your hair to become drier, more dehydrated, undernourished, or hard to style.
If your hair has already been bleached or permed before, it could be really damaged and in very bad condition.
But there’s more: if your hair is fine or very fine, there’s the possibility (in extreme cases) that it may break at the roots.
So far, I have given you an extremely bleak picture. But don’t be afraid, it’s almost impossible for this to happen. However, if you faced such a catastrophe, your hair would grow again, just like seed sprouts.
Nothing related to hair dyes will influence the normal growth of your hair.
Conclusion: ask your hairdresser if you fear your hair will stop growing because of the hair dye
In this article, we’ve analyzed why hair dye doesn’t slow down hair growth. Furthermore, I explained in detail the damage caused by each hairdressing treatment.
Anyway, if your fear is that hair dye can slow down your hair growth, ask your hairdresser to clear all your doubts. If you still suspect the dye, make an appointment with a dermatologist.
Rest assured that stylists are often the first to detect anomalies of the scalp. Don’t hesitate. We’ll always be on your side!
