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When is the best time to dye your hair after alopecia?
Hello everyone,
This is my first bout of Alopecia. I lost all my body hair in August 2013. My hair is slowly growing back bright white (my natural hair is dark black - although I'm 33 and had a few grey hairs anyway). I just wanted to know how do you know when your hair is ok to be dyed? I feel confident showing off my head without wearing a wig anymore however it is the colour that is holding me back. If it wasn't bright white, I would be ok with showing if off. Please will somebody let me know? I'm a bit scared as I know Alopecia hits you 4 or 5 times sometimes before it stops (if it does).
I had 16 patches on my head including a gigantic patch at the back of my head. All patches have grown about 1-2 inches and the gigantic one has only just started to grow. I understand you are not suppose to dye your hair after Alopecia but if my hair does grow back properly, I would want to show it off.
Many thanks,
Amy
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Epo on
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To be very honest, I think only you/your doctors can make that call... do you think your hair texture and strength is back to what it was pre alopecia? When you do the tug test, are you in a normal range? I think if you and your doctors think your hair is basically back to pre alopecia / good health, dyeing it could be okay but at the same time, dyeing causes damage to even hair that hasn't gone through the ringer like the hairs during alopecia. I think its a tough call, but I get what you mean - who wouldn't want to show off their hair if it is finally growing in! I personally am more of a cautious person, so I would probably hold off dyeing my own hair, but that's just me.
If you still aren't sure what you want to do, have you thought about temporary dye type thigns, I know there's this Rita Hazan root concealer spray that my mom uses on her grays, and it stays on until you wash your hair. She gets it from Sephora. It takes a little practice to use correctly but then it covers up my mom's gray hairs very nicely.
Good luck!
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I agree with Epo - best to go with what the doctor recommends, If it is a yes, work with a knowledgeable hairsdresser - many of them are very familiar with AA and are a wealth of information. You definately don't want to do any damage to the new growth. I know that when my son had regrowth, the hairdresser commented that originally the texture and growth pattern is much different than the surrounding hair.....given time it blends it.....
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Permalink Reply by Nathan Paul Prince on
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My hair came back white in patches, and eventually came out brittle and too fine to stay for very long, so I never got to think about dying my hair ... I actually thought it was over-dying my hair that killed my hair, but it was Alopecia. I did have darker hair, so when I was patching, I actually had to start tinting my scalp with eyeliner to "cover the patches" so they wouldn't stand out as much... I would definitely say your hair is your choice :) Have a groovy day!
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Permalink Reply by Amy on
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Hi Epo, my hair has started to grow as I realised 97% of the things I was stressing over really didn't matter. Now I let everything go over my head, I've still got a long way to go though before I get long lush tresses back (fingers crossed) x
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Also you asked me what I used. I used Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo and I also try to massage my head a few times a day when I have a bit of spare time on my hands, hope this helps
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Permalink Reply by Ruthie on
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Hi Amy, I just read you're post that you're hair is growing, and I just wanted to say how great for you. When mine was patchy I would have it colored, but they used a color that didn't have the harsh chemicals in it, peroxide my hair stylist was great helping me, I also used protein conditioner on it after coloring. It was only when I was told by the doctor that it was o.k. to color it. It actually made my hair feel so much better and looked in better condition. I did finally lose it all, but had kept it with going for 3 years and I am still hopeful. Good luck!
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Aww thanks for such a lovely comment. I cried for 3 weeks, shaved my hair and haven't cried since, I will have lush locks again hopefully x
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Amy, we are all here for you! I just wanted to tell you I am from England also, living in the States now since 1983. I am coming home in April for a family wedding, wish you were closer to where my family lives, would have loved to meet you. Oh and by the way, I'm a Man U. fan, haven't kept up with it lately though, too much other stuff going on. I do still cry after i shaved my head, but mainly as my eyebrows and eyelashes are on the way out now too!! i think i am more devistated by that, than I was by my hair. You get used to one thing and then comes another. Take care
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Permalink Reply by Sierra D on
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Hey all! Everyone will be different in how their body responds to Alopecia, obviously, but my experience was about the same- it came in white and fluffy and had to get at least 1/2 inch before I started seeing pigment. I wanted to be able to see all the fine hairs better so I used an AMMONIA free semi permanent color, and not one bit of it took to my hair. So I don't know how anyone else's hair will respond, but mine was the exact same color as soon as I washed it out. I have thought about trying henna dye, but have never really heard anything about it? Anyway, good luck with your growth, and color!
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Hi Sierra, everyone around me is telling me to leave it well alone and when I'm ready, to go to a proper hairdresser which I'm going to do (not yet) :0 )
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Reade, MD on
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Hi, Did you ever get a reason for the total hair loss? I would be cautious to dye your hair at all. I would also discourage too much optimism too. This is an unpredictable disorder. I would hope for the best but prepare for the very real possibility that it will all fall out again. Sorry. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you
Dr. Sarah
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Hi Sarah, the doc put it down to stress, I was in a very stressful job (one where you're sat in your spare time at home wishing you really didn't have to go in and stressing over it) I had 16 patches on top, I found a new job and 3 weeks later I have 1 patch left which is growing slowly. If it's going to fall out again, I hope its now (when its short) rather than grow it long and it happen. I do feel prepared for the next fall out? but if it does happen, at that time I won't know how I'm going to feel. Thank the lord for sites like these, we all know each others pain and what the situation is like. If it does happen, hopefully it won't be as harsh a slap in the face as the first time round x On a positive, could never colour my hair before as it was jet black, now I can have a different colour wig for every day: )
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