Can I Dye My Hair After Chemotherapy?
Updated: 8 hours ago
When your hair starts to grow back after chemotherapy, it can feel like a real milestone. Along with the joy, though, there can be a few surprises: you may have heard of chemo curls, but many people tell us that their initial hair regrowth is much whiter or greyer than their original hair. It's completely natural therefore to want to add a little colour to feel more like yourself again.
We hear from lots of people who are wondering when it's safe to pick up the dye, so we've pulled together what we know. As always, this isn't medical advice. It's shared knowledge to help you have the right conversation with your care team.
Why it's best to wait
When it comes to colouring your hair after cancer treatment, there's a lot of conflicting advice, and it can be hard to know what to believe. So the first thing to understand is why some of the advice recommends that you wait a while after your hair initially starts to regrow.
Your scalp may still be sensitive. Chemotherapy can leave skin dry, tender and more reactive than usual, even after treatment has finished. Hair dye contains chemicals that can sting, irritate or cause an allergic reaction on skin that's still recovering.
New hair is delicate. Regrowth is often finer and weaker than the hair you had before. Strong chemicals, and bleach in particular, can dry it out or cause it to break while it's still finding its strength.
Your hair might not behave as you expect. Many people find their hair grows back with a different texture, thickness or even colour. That means dye can take unevenly or give a result that surprises you.
Your body may still be recovering. Everyone's treatment is different, and some medicines can make skin more prone to reactions.
So when can I start colouring my hair?
We've heard lots of different opinions on this with the general consensus being to wait around 6 months after finishing chemotherapy, because it take about 6 months for the hair to become stronger.
However, Cancer Hair Care, the UK's leading hair loss support charity suggests the following six steps to check whether your new hair is ready to colour:
Your hair growth is stable, meaning that you are not still shedding hair.
You have at least 1 inch of hair growth.
Your hair is in a good enough condition to colour.
Your scalp is in a healthy condition.
You do the manufacturers sensitivity test.
Avoid bleach products until you have at least 3 inches of good quality growth.
We rate Cancer Hair Care's advice because they are one of the only cancer charities we are aware of, who have hands on experience of hair loss and new growth after chemotherapy treatment. They have coloured hundreds of heads of hair of new hair growth and have therefore developed a huge wealth of knowledge and experience in this highly specialised area.
Choosing gentler colour
When you've had the go-ahead, these tips can help ensure you are not going to damage your hair or scalp.
Consider a semi-permanent colour first. These coat the hair rather than changing it chemically, and they're usually gentler than permanent dye.
Look at the label. Ammonia-free and PPD-free formulas are a sensible starting point. PPD (paraphenylenediamine) is a common cause of allergic reactions.
Avoid bleach and heavy lightening for now. These are the harshest on new hair.
Keep colour off your scalp where you can. Ask a hairdresser about techniques such as highlights that avoid direct contact with the skin.
Look after it afterwards. A mild shampoo and a nourishing conditioner or mask can help hair recover.
Which product should I choose?
We're often asked about specific products and we recommend It's Pure Organics Hair Colour. As hair grows back after chemotherapy, new hair is often fine, and the scalp can stay sensitive for some time, so we look for the gentlest option rather than the strongest one.
It's Pure Organics is a plant-based dye made from henna and herbs, which is free from PPD, ammonia, peroxide and metallic salts. It gives a semi-permanent layer of colour rather than lightening your hair, so the shade range is more limited, but it's the gentlest product we have found.
Please, always do a patch test
Even if you've dyed your hair for years, do a patch test at least 48 hours before every colour. Your skin may react differently now. Follow the instructions on the box, and don't use the dye if you notice redness, itching or swelling.
Also it's important to note that 'natural' doesn't mean risk-free, so patch test before every use, as people can be allergic to natural ingredients too.
Not ready for dye? There are other ways to play with colour
If you'd rather wait, there are plenty of ways to experiment in the meantime, from scarves and wigs to temporary colour sprays and hair fibres. Many people find it a fun way to try something new while their hair grows.
The most important thing
Be patient with your hair, and with yourself. Give your scalp time to recover, check with your care team, choose gentle products and always patch test. When the time comes, a fresh colour can be a lovely way to celebrate how far you've come.
This article is for general information only and isn't medical advice. Please speak to your oncology team or GP about your own situation.
CancerPal sells a range of It's Pure Organics Hair Colours as well as other products to help care for fragile chemo hair in the Hair and Scalp Care Section of the CancerPal MarketPlace.
