Will Dyeing My Hair Make My Thinning Hair Worse?'

Jolyon

Question: I'm going to a music festival for my mate's stag do and we're all going to dye our hair green but my hair is thinning a bit so I want to make sure it won't make it worse.

Answer: Hi Jolyon. You're very on-trend with your green hair plans, however, you are right to have concerns if you are experiencing hair loss.

Left to Right: Zayn Malik, Ricky Hil and Jared Leto

Male trendsetters like Jared Leto, Zayn Malik, and rapper Ricky Hil have embraced the look that female celebrities from Katy Perry to Lady Gaga have also experimented with, all using temporary dyes. The dye is not generally an issue, unless of course you suffer an allergic reaction, which is why patch tests beforehand are so important when using any kind of hair dye or bleach.

In order to go green, it’s first necessary to go blond - platinum blond. And, depending on how dark your hair is to start with, that is what can sometimes lead to trouble due to the harshness of the bleaching process needed to lift the hair to the right shade.

The bleaching treatments used to strip out your natural hair colour, or any existing dye, contain strong chemicals such as ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down melanin in the hair shaft, which can lead to a general weakening of the hair, causing hair breakage. This is where the hair snaps along the shaft - as opposed to coming out at the root as happens with hair loss conditions - leaving frizzy strands and split ends behind.

Although this type of styling damage is not likely to be permanent, and bleaching does not make your hair any thinner, the texture of the hair shaft changes and can become coarse due to the bleaching-then-dyeing process. This can make hair look thinner. Dyeing your hair such a bright colour will also draw attention to your hair which some men with signs of hair loss may not be comfortable with.

Given you are experiencing thinning hair, if you want to achieve a green haired look just for the stag do, we recommend you opt for a temporary spray.  This may not give the same vibrancy as bleaching then dyeing your hair, but is likely to be far less damaging. Another bonus is that it can actually make your hair appear thicker due to the spray also colouring your scalp, creating the illusion of a solid block of colour as no skin will show through.

If you have particularly dark hair and want to try getting a more vivid hue, look for a temporary hair colour spray in white to use underneath, or use dry shampoo to create a paler base on which to build your colour. Once you have sprayed this all over, leave it to dry before colouring your hair with the temporary green spray. You will most likely need to reapply the colour daily and should be careful of colour transfer onto your pillow when you are sleeping - follow the directions on the spray packaging. As soon as you are home, take care to wash your hair thoroughly with a gentle shampoo - it may take a few washes to get all the dye out - and follow with a nourishing conditioner to help counteract the drying effect of the colour.

Whilst this is by no means good for your hair, if it is just for the weekend, the damage should be minimal. If you are concerned about your thinning, speak to a hair loss specialist who will be able to diagnose your level and pattern of shedding. From this they can then tailor a bespoke male hair loss treatment programme, comprising clinically-proven treatments and specially-selected hair growth boosters to help thicken your hair through regrowth. We hope this helps - enjoy the stag do!