Sore and Tingling Scalp

Woman with short hair an a sore scalp
Photo: Misha Beliy/Shutterstock
Q: Approximately 4 days ago I had my hair colored. I have it done approximately every 4 weeks because I am all gray. The color I wanted was brown with some red in it. What I got was orange hair. Yesterday (3 days after I had the first process which was a single process) I went to a well-known salon to try to get the orange out.
 
My hair was treated once with a color (I do not know the product they used) for 10 minutes. Unfortunately, there was little to no change. The colorist treated my hair a second time with another product and this time the procedure included heat. The end result was that my hair turned black with some red in it.
 
Problem one: My scalp is sore and tingling. What can I do to help my scalp?
 
Problem two: I am a professional and my black hair is embarrassing. Can I go to a salon again (in two days) and have them try to correct the problem? What can they do to prevent any further damage to my scalp and correct the color?
 
A: Well, given what you've told me, what you are experiencing (soreness and tingling) is likely a result of chemical burn. Exposure to a number of products designed to penetrate the hair (which, in turn, will react with the keratin in the skin as well) has left your scalp irritated. To soothe the scalp, I suggest using a rich, creamy conditioner on your scalp to help soothe the burn.
 
As for correcting the color results once more, you'll want to consult the stylist who will perform the correction to make sure the hair will withstand addition processing so close to previous services. What I would advise trying first and foremost is to use a peroxide cap.
 
To do this, the stylist combines 20 or 30-volume hydrogen peroxide developer with equal parts of moisturizing shampoo or conditioner and applying it to the hair. The shampoo mix is massaged into lather and allowed to sit for 10-20 minutes, then rinsed away. The conditioner mix would be applied to the hair covered with a plastic cap and you would be sat under a dryer for 10-20 minutes.
 
Each of these mixes is designed to gently lighten the existing color. Hopefully, one of these will be sufficient to lift the color to a more satisfactory tone. If not, the stylist may need to use a stronger formulation to lift the color level higher.
 
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See also:
 
Scalp problems
 
Hair color allergies
 
Burning sensation and pain on the scalp when coloring hair
 
Are there any hair dyes which do not cause allergic skin reactions?