Table of Contents:

• What is color-damaged hair?
• Is coloring hair bad for you?
• When can coloring your hair be bad for you?
• What are the symptoms of color-damaged hair?
• Steps to treat Color Damaged hair
• Give it a break
• Deep treatment of hair
• Be gentle with the towel 
• Be careful about styling accessories
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Oil your hair regularly 
• Protect your hair from the sun

What is color-damaged hair?

To put it in simple words, color-damaged hair is nothing but hair damage that is a direct consequence of coloring your hair. There are no hidden caveats to this. If you color your hair incorrectly or with poor quality material, it will inevitably damage your hair.

Like most hair-related problems, color-damaged hair is not a problem in isolation. It is when you combine different factors, then color-damaged hair becomes a big deal. Let's give you an example.

If you already have brittle hair that is prone to breakage, color damage can make it even more brittle. As a result, you would be losing hair faster than you would normally. The damaging effects of chemical colors would be even more if you combine them with other pre-existing hair issues.

The bottom line is this - the better your overall hair health, the less the effect of chemical colors and dyes. However, this works both ways. Coloring your hair can lead to damage and give rise to problems that did not exist earlier. That's why it is very important to be very careful of what you are doing and using when coloring your hair.

When can coloring your hair be bad for you?

To put it roughly, coloring your hair can be bad if either of these two things happen. 

First, you try to home dye your hair with colors you have bought from the drugstore without any prior research. It is almost always a recipe for disaster. 

When buying hair color, you should not try to cut corners and save some money by buying a cheap item. That's because the hair color is something you put on your hair and it stays there for a long time. The cheaper the thing is, the more harmful chemicals it would have. In the long run, it is a very unwise thing to use cheap hair colors or those with high concentrations of harmful chemicals.

Alternatively, you can also damage your hair by using hair color incorrectly. 

Professional hair stylists follow the exact steps that are required for pre- and post-color treatment. When you go to a professional to get your hair dyed, the chances of hair damage are much less. 

Hairstylists know what they are doing, and they would not do something careless to their clients. Beyond that, hairstylists color your hair with perfection, following the exact steps that you should. If you color your hair once in a while, it might be better to let a professional stylist do it for you.

Another thing that contributes to color-damaged hair is excessive use of heat. As most of you know - too much heat is never good for hair. 

Unfortunately, heat treatment is an integral part of hair coloring. The less heat your hair goes through, the healthier it would be in the long run.

Steps to treat Color Damaged hair

Treating color-damaged hair has several steps, and not everything would work for everyone. However, we have tried to compile the most effective solutions that would work for most people. 

At the same time, you should discontinue doing anything that is causing more damage to your hair. If one or two of these steps do not suit your hair, skip them and move on.

Here are a few possible treatments and remedies for color-damaged hair.

Give it a break

The very first thing we are going to say might disappoint some of you. If you have color-damaged hair, the best thing you can do is not damage it further.

And how can you do that? 

By not coloring your hair.

Before you panic, let us reassure you that we are not talking about permanently giving up on hair colors. 

Instead, the idea is to give your hair follicles and cuticles time to breathe and self-repair. The human body is extremely capable of repairing itself. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for any part of your body is to just let it be.

If your hair is damaged due to colors, consider not coloring for at least a month. You can extend it beyond that if you wish. 

Ideally, you should observe your hair to see when it is back to its previous bounce and shine. After that, you may color your hair following a few precautions.

Deep treatment of hair

The chemicals in hair dye stay in your hair and scalp for a long time. Over a long time, it would inevitably have some negative effects on your hair and scalp health. You can undo some of this damage by deep treatment of hair.

One of the easiest ways to give your hair and scalp a deep treatment at home is by using a hair mask. Choose a hair mask that has deep hydration properties and can treat your hair scalp from within.

A hair mask should be an internal part of your hair care routine if you are coloring your hair. It is a simple thing to use, and the benefits are well worth it. However, remember to pick a high-quality hair mask, preferably something with all-natural ingredients. You do not want more chemicals to fight chemicals.

Be gentle with the towel

So many of us have the habit of vigorously rubbing our heads with towels after a bath. It is a bad practice in itself, but becomes even more terrible when done to colored hair.

When our hair is wet, it is already weaker than normal. Wet hair is much more prone to breakage than dry hair. Colored wet hair is the most vulnerable. 

Remember to never vigorously use a towel on wet hair, especially if it is damaged. Instead, pat it dry gently, and with care. It is a simple thing that can save you from a lot of trouble.

Be careful about styling accessories

Hair color and hairstyling accessories go hand in hand. If you are not using the right accessories, color-damaged hair would be an even bigger problem for you.

The first thing to note is that heat is bad for your hair. If you are using heat straightening techniques, never overdo them. The same goes for blow dryers that use a lot of heat.

A good option would be to move to alternatives that do not use heat. If that is not an option, try to use heat products as little as possible.

Oil your hair regularly

Regular oiling your hair and scalp with high-quality, natural hair oils is a great way to revive color-damaged hair. Oiling goes deep into the scalp and restores the damage from inside out.

If you want to get the most out of it, consider doing a hot oil treatment every week. It is a simple practice that will give your hair bounce and shine like nothing else. Once you get into the habit of oiling your hair and scalp regularly, your hair would never be the same.

Protect your hair from the sun

Colored hair is dry as it is. If you add sun damage to it, the results can be very bad. On top of that, heat from the sun can damage even non-colored hair. Protecting your head from the sun is important for everyone.

While you can use serums that have UV protection, a better alternative would often be simply using a cap or an umbrella. Whichever route you take, remember to be disciplined with this. Protecting your hair from sun damage will go a long way toward protecting color-damaged hair.

Treating color-damaged hair is all about making smart decisions at the right time. If you follow the simple steps we talked about, you will also be able to bring back the lost bounce and shine of your hair. Remember to be gradual in your treatment and do not try to do everything at once.