March
2003
Revised 5/01/07
March 21, 2003
Fading Hair Color?
Question
Dear
Karen,
I
recently moved to a different part of the country. About one
month after I moved I noticed that my hair color started to fade
very quickly compared to how it faded in the past. Can you
help me figure out what might be causing my hair color to
change? Could it be the different environment? Any help
would be appreciated.
JJ
Answer
Dear
JJ,
There
are several reasons why hair color might fade including the water
you shampoo with, the cleansing and styling products you use on your
hair and the amount of time you spend out in the sun. The
environment may have an impact as well.
Make a list of
any possible changes that have occurred with your hair since you
moved. Have you changed the shampoo, conditioner or styling
products you normally used in the past? Are you spending more
time in the sun or surf? What about the water in your new
home. Does it contain a higher amount of chlorine? Have
you changed the brand of hair color that you use? What about
medications. Have you recently changed or added medications?
One
condition that could have a hand in your hair color loss would be
the amount of chlorine or chemicals in your local water
supply. You can check chlorine and other chemical levels by
contacting your local water provider and asking for a report on the
chlorine levels in your water. You might also contact your
former water department and compare the two water supply chemical
ingredients. Does this make a difference?
Absolutely.
If you don't
wish to contact your new water providers you
can experiment with temporarily washing your hair with bottled water
to see if that makes a difference. You can also consider
installing a filter on your faucet or shower head.
When it comes to new behaviors in your hair it pays to spend some
time and give some thought to what has changed in your normal
routine. If you can't find an obvious cause then consider the
possibility that your hormone levels may be changing. Hormones
and health can impact hair in many ways ranging from subtle to
obvious.
Finally, locate a hair color expert in your new area and book a
paid consultation. Be sure to let the color expert know that
you want to pay for their time to consult about your hair and that
you want to formulate a long range plan, rather than take a new hair
color action. During the consultation be prepared to talk with
them about how your hair is colored, what products you use on your
hair, including styling products, and the changes you have recently
noticed.
A good hair color expert should be able to help you find some
answers and offer some possible long term solutions.
Best wishes,
Karen
March 11, 2003
Fading Hair Color?
Question
Dear
Karen,
Any tips on how I can make my hair color last longer? I
pay so much at the salon I want to make sure that I care for it
properly to make sure it lasts as long as humanly possible.
Deidre
Answer
Dear
Deidre,
The best thing
you can do to maintain your freshly colored, highlighted or low
lighted tresses is to wait a minimum of 48 hours after your color
before you wash. When possible wait even longer. This
allows the color to fully penetrate deep into your cuticles.
One trick that
works for those in the know is to get their hair colored on a Friday
morning and then wait until first thing on the following Monday to
wash. While some shampoo products like volumizing formulas
(that blow open the cuticle) will speed up fading, plain tap water
can also strip hair of added colors.
Washing your color hair less often will also stretch the color
vibrancy cycle.
Selecting
shampoo and conditioning products specifically designed to maintain
color treated hair is another good plan. Opt for shampoo and
conditioning products that are known for their color conservation
and provide UV filters. The sun is another major case of
accelerated color fading. Maintenance formulas that protect against
ongoing solar exposure is very beneficial.
If your hair is
known to fade quickly, investigate the possibility of having a clear
or color appropriate glaze applied every four to six weeks as a
color refresher. A glaze also adds shine and gives color
treated hair an extended life.
If you find
that your hair color fades quickly, discuss your options with your
hairdresser. It's possible that your hair color is fading
because your hair is extremely porous or doesn't hold the color
well. Your hairdresser can explore additional options.
Best wishes,
Karen
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