If I stop dying my hair, will it thicken? No, it won’t get thicker, and here’s why

 

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Are you feeling discouraged now that you know that even if you stop coloring your hair it won’t get thicker?

Well, in these cases, it’s best to do what my grandmother used to say: “see the glass half full, and don’t get stuck with the empty half.”

What do I mean by this?

 

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I’ll explain it with another example.

A few years ago, my father was advised to stop smoking because tobacco was severely affecting his lungs.

The first thing my father asked the doctor was if by quitting smoking, his lungs would return to normal.

Obviously, the doctor told him that they wouldn’t. The chemicals and toxins in cigarettes irreversibly destroy the cellular structure of the lungs.

 

So, my dad asked him what would be the point of quitting smoking if his lungs would never be the same again.

And the doctor wisely answered: “you’ll stop worsening the situation, and you’ll enjoy your children and grandchildren for more years.”

Obviously, my dad quit smoking.

 

That’s what I mean by seeing the glass half full.

 If you’re worried that permanent hair dye is thinning your hair, it’s worth stopping, even if your hair doesn’t regain its natural thickness. 

 

Your new hair, that precious little inch and a half that grows every month will grow back to its natural thickness.

Then,  after a year, you can enjoy about twenty centimeters of healthy, thicker hair. 

 

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So, one last question. Will you go with the empty half or the full half of the glass?

Have you chosen the full half?

 

Then, stick with me because I’ll help you understand why dye thinned your hair. I’ll also give you some tools to use while you wait for your new hair to grow thicker.

 

Why does permanent hair dye thin your hair?

When you color your hair with permanent hair dye, you change its structure forever. Chemicals such as ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are used during coloring.

When the developer opens the hair cuticles, some of them break leaving empty spaces.  Then, the hair becomes thinner. 

 

Why are there gaps?

Because the chemicals in the dye remove proteins, collagen, and elastin. And part of one of the most important vitamins that dye removes is keratin.

Keratin is the protein that thickens your hair.

 

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I’ll give you an example to help you understand what happens to the thickness of your hair when you color it.

Imagine that your hair is an electricity cable coated with PVC. Inside, it contains copper wires that conduct the electric current.

If the PVC breaks, cracks, or wears out, the copper strands will start to wear out.

 

Keratin is the PVC in your hair. When you apply permanent hair color, the cuticles open and many of them break. And as they break, your hair loses moisture, vitamins, and minerals, which reduces its thickness.

 

 In addition to losing thickness, you’ll notice that your hair is dry and damaged. 

 

How will you notice?

So,  it’s time for you to make a decision: do you keep coloring and thinning your hair? Or, do you stop coloring your hair with a permanent dye? 

 

And I know what you’re thinking.

“Alejandra, that’s a very difficult decision. I can’t stop dyeing my hair because I’m full of gray hair and I don’t like it.”

 

I will tell you, “go back and read what I wrote.”

What I said was, “  stop dyeing your hair with a permanent dye .”

 

Again, I ask you to focus on the glass half full. And to help you do that, I invite you to read on.

A plan to grow your hair to its natural thickness

The first thing you need to do is be patient.

I know it’s easier said than done. But as the saying goes, “patience is bitter and its fruits are sweet.”

With patience, let’s move on to the plan to grow your hair to its natural thickness.

 

• Trim at least five centimeters from your hair

That way,  you’ll remove some of your dye-damaged hair.  Your ends are probably split ends due to the chemicals in the hair dye.

Split ends are also unsolvable. They make your hair lose moisture and nutrients.

Therefore, if you remove them, your hair will be healthier.

 

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• Color your hair with a semi-permanent hair color

Semi-permanent dyes don’t need a developer or contain ammonia. So, they’re much less aggressive for your hair.

This way,  while your new hair grows back to its natural thickness,  you won’t have to suffer from gray hair or give up the color you like to wear.

The only downside to semi-permanent dyes is that they fade faster than permanent dyes. However, you’ll gain points for the health and thickness of your hair.

 

• Use sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners

Sulfates are detergents that dry out the hair. You’ll also extend the duration of your semi-permanent hair color.

 

• Apply a keratin treatment to your hair

 Keratin will fill in the gaps in your cuticles and promote thickening of your damaged hair. 

As this treatment is heat sealed, I recommend that you go to a salon to avoid damaging your recovering hair.

 

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• Avoid using heat tools

If you want your hair to return to its natural thickness, you’ll have to be willing to make some sacrifices.

The high temperatures of styling tools, curling irons, flat irons, and blow dryers remove the hair’s natural moisture and also some of the keratin.

Also, don’t forget to protect your new hair that is growing thicker. So, keep your spirits up!

 

• You can include a hair thickener in your hair beauty routine

These products are cosmetic.

What do I mean?

 

They simply  won’t make your hair thicker. Instead, they’ll make it look thicker. 

One of the most popular brands of hair thickener is THE COSMETIC REPUBLIC. It’s a kind of spray for damp or dry hair. Then, you brush through to distribute it.

 

It contains keratin microspheres. So, it gives the hair a thicker look.

But as I told you before, it won’t thicken your hair. Instead, it’ll simply give it a thicker look until you wash it out.

 

If you follow this plan patiently, you’ll have twenty centimeters of new hair with its natural thickness in the next year.

Your effort will have been worth it, right?

 

Conclusions

Permanent hair dye thins the hair. Even if you stop coloring it, it never regains its natural thickness.

But if you replace the permanent dye with a semi-permanent dye, your new hair will grow back to its natural thickness. In the meantime, you can apply a keratin treatment in a salon and avoid products with sulfates and the use of heat tools.

Therefore, after a few months, you’ll have healthier and thicker new hair