Q: If I have thermal restructuring done can I color my hair, and also how soon after the process?
A: According to the Yuko Systems website (Yuko Systems being one of the three main Japanese Hair Straightening products companies and
the company founded by the creator of the Japanese Straightening process) you can color or style your hair in any way you desire after
you have the straightening process done.
The company does recommend, however, that you wait at least one week between getting the hair
straightened and performing the color process. This is to allow your hair a chance to adjust to the process and “normalize” again,
minimizing the potential for problems.
You can also have the color done prior to the straightening treatment, but will still need to wait
one week between the different treatments. Yuko Systems recommends that if you have gray hair that you are coloring, you wait to have
the color applied after your straightening process.
You should also note that if your hair is already lightened from the natural hair color - whether
from using high-lift developer haircolor, or bleaching agents – your hair could process faster than normal, and a strand-test should
be done to determine the proper processing time. In the case of highlights this is especially important because highlighted hair can
process faster than the other hair on your head.
Remember, any time you have a chemical service done a strand test and a patch test should be
performed. This becomes doubly important if you are having one chemical process performed over another (as in this case). The strand
test will assure the hair’s ability to withstand the process and will let the stylist know precisely what amount of processing time
is needed for the desired result. The patch test is to make sure you have no allergic reaction to any of the products used. Both of
these tests should be performed any time you have a chemical service done.
