Strip Hair Color

Fading red hair color
Photo: Eugenio Marongiu/Shutterstock
Q: Last year I had highlights done on my hair but I put a dark red permanent color on it 7 months ago. For the last 7 weeks I have not colored my hair and the color is fading, I want to remove the color and highlight my hair.
 
Is it possible to remove the color, then dye it light ash blonde and put ash brown lowlights? And after 4 weeks when the re-growth appears with my 70% white hair color it to ash brown? Thanking you for your quick response.
 
A: The biggest factor to having your hair color-stripped and then colored with multiple processes is the condition of your hair and its ability to withstand the multiple color processes. Without being able to physically examine your hair to assess its condition, I cannot tell you whether or not it would be safe for your hair to perform these processes on it.
 
If you intend to perform these processes on yourself, you will want to do a strand test on the hair before each stage of color-stripping and coloring. This will require taking a lock of hair from an inconspicuous place on the head and performing the processes on it before performing them on your hair.
 
Be sure to dry the lock fully and examine it closely to make sure the hair remains in good condition. If at any point the hair starts to appear dry or frizzy, you'll know you shouldn't do any more to it. You can use one lock of hair and simply perform the different steps on it.
 
I do recommend that you make sure to use deposit-only color after the color-stripping. Deposit-only color will be less harsh to the hair, and you can add the ash blonde after the color-stripping then follow that with the ash brown lowlights.
 
If you plan to have these processes performed in a salon, be sure to use a stylist you trust or make certain he or she performs a strand test to make sure you don't end up with unwanted results or damage.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
How to dye hair
 
The different types of hair color
 
Can I color my hair and add highlights at the same time?