When receiving a hair color treatment, do you feel like screaming or taking the nearest pointy object to scratch your head to death? If so, then you could be experiencing hair color sensitivity. It’s a common problem.
Here are some things to keep in mind to help control the discomfort when heading off to the salon. Scalp sensitivity can be caused by dilation of the hair follicles and pores, espcially those around the hairline, behind the ears, and at the nape of the neck. Therefore, if your scalp is sensitive, you should avoid things that open the follicles right before a color service: 1) Don’t go to the gym and work out right before your salon appointment. 2) Don’t jump in the shower with steaming hot water and scrub your scalp with shampoo. 3) Sensitive women may try avoiding hair color application during the height of your menstrual cycle. 4) Skp the coffee or soda (caffeinated beverage). These four things can and will dilate your scalp, exposing sensitive areas below the surface that can react with heat, itching, swelling, and burning, even up to 48 hours later. Many people have strong sensitity to caffeine and don’t even know it.
Be honest with your stylist, especially if you know you have a senstive scalp, speak up! Hormore fluctuations during menstuation or meno/andropause can cause problems with hair color taking correctly. Yes, even with men! Its all about body heat, and hair color is impacted by surges in heat that usually flow out of the top of the head. It can take 90 days or more for the body to get used to medication, and the molecules from the medication actually lodge inside the hair shaft and will remain there until they are cut off. The body’s process of acclimating to the medication can throw hair color off. Thyroid medications are a common culprit. Tell your stylist about your medications and/or hormone issues if you have experience reactions to hair color.
Many people in the pacific northwest have private wells at their homes. Hard or heavily mineralized water can create a barrier that impedes hair color application. Some water can even have heavy metals in it that can cause chemical reactions. One lady I remember had her house plumbed with copper pipes, and the copper leached into her hair and turned it bright green. It was almost impossible to get out. Stylists use prooducts that help correct these problems.