Hair Color Stripping

Woman who is unhappy with her bad hair color
Photo: Mitja Mithans/Shutterstock
Q: My hair has been dyed a lot. So much so that now my hair won't dye. I've been told about color stripping and I'm very interested in it, but want to know what it is. Help, please!
 
A: Color stripping is simply a process to strip the color from the hair. Usually, this is done in a hair salon environment with professional assistance, or by using one of the varied permanent hair color removal products found at beauty supply stores.
 
Most of the reviews on these products indicate that they work well, but are usually designed to remove unwanted hair color prior to applying a new color. The most common complaint about the products is that they often leave the hair a flat, beige color, which usually must be re-colored in order to look even remotely natural.
 
I am concerned however, about your claim that your hair "won't dye", which indicates a significant level of hair damage. Unless, that is, you mean that your hair has been dyed so much that it is so dark that it won't show new color? Is it possible that you are trying to use a deposit only color over hair that is darker than the desired color?
 
If the issue is that you cannot even change the color to a darker color, you may need to see a salon professional to assess the problem and potential damage your hair has sustained. At the very least, I don't advocate using a hair color remover if such is the case.
 
In spite of claims, if an over-use of chemical processes has resulted in your hair losing the ability to absorb and retain color, you could be risking complete destruction of the hair by continuing to perform chemical processes on the hair.
 
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See also:
 
Hair coloring
 
Signs of damaged hair