If you dye hair with a chemical process like ammonia or bleach, it will remain that way permanently. That doesn’t mean you can never have straight hair again if you dye hair with this method. However, there are some things you need to know before attempting to do so. If you want to dye your hair and then straighten it afterward, there are some steps you should take beforehand to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. There are two main factors that play into whether or not your hair will be able to be straightened after dyeing it: porosity and pH levels. If your hair has high porosity or a low pH level, it will be more difficult for you to get the results you want from your chemical processes.
Can I Straighten My Hair After Dying It?
Generally, you should wait after coloring your hair before you straighten it. If you try to straighten your hair before the color has set, you may run the risk of damaging it. Allow your hair to set for at least 24 hours before straightening it. Additionally, be sure to use a heat protectant spray to prevent damage from the straightener.
What Does Hair Porosity Have To Do With Straightening?
- Porosity refers to the “holes” in the hair shaft. It is a result of the dying process, as well as the condition of the hair before the process. If the hair is dry, brittle, and/or has split ends, there are more holes in it.
- If the hair is healthy, it will be less porous with fewer holes. The condition of the hair when you straighten it will determine how long the results will last. The more porous your hair is, the quicker your straightening results will wear out.
- Porosity also affects how your hair reacts when you use chemical processes. If you dye your hair and then try to straighten it afterward, the chemicals will seep into the hair shaft and cause it to break.
- The more porous your hair is, the more likely this is to happen. It is possible to dye your hair and then straighten it, but it will be much more damaging to your hair than it would be otherwise.
How Important Is Ph When Straightening After Dyeing?
- The pH of a product can be important because certain ingredients may be less effective at treating acne when combined with a product of a higher pH. For example, salicylic acid is commonly found in acne-fighting products.
- It works by chemically exfoliating the skin and removing dead skin cells. Its optimal pH level is between 2.8 and 3.2, but when paired with a product with a high pH, it may not be as effective.
- There are also other reasons why your skincare pH is important. Products with a low pH are also less likely to cause irritation, burning, or other undesirable reactions when applied to your skin.
Why Isn’t It Possible To Ensure Straightness After Dying?
- If you straighten your hair after dyeing it, the chemicals from the dyeing process are still in your hair. Therefore, they will react to the straightening products you use and cause your hair to break.
- When you dye your hair, the chemicals remain in your hair for days or weeks, depending on how often you wash it. Therefore, the chemicals from the dying process linger in your hair and make it much more difficult to straighten.
- It is possible to dye your hair and then straighten it. However, you will have a lot of breakages because the chemicals from the dye are still in your hair and will react with the chemicals in the straightening products.
Tips For Straightening Your Hair If You’ve Already Dyed It
Prep your hair before you start.
Before you start straightening your hair, it’s important to prep your hair. If you haven’t been washing your hair regularly due to the damage caused by the coloring process, this needs to be your first priority (and should be regardless of whether you’ve dyed your hair or not). If you’ve been dying your hair but haven’t been washing it regularly, your hair will be even more damaged than normal. Use a deep-cleansing shampoo to remove any product and chemicals leftover from dying your hair. Next, condition your hair regularly to help it stay soft and smooth, and don’t forget to use a heat protector before you start straightening. Protecting your hair before straightening reduces the damage caused by the high temperatures used by straightening irons, and will make it easier to straighten your hair again in the future.
Use heat protection.
As mentioned above, before you start straightening your hair, you should protect it with a heat protector. You can use a pre-treatment product like a heat protectant spray, or a regular heat-protecting spray that you’ll apply before straightening. Heat protectants are formulated to help your hair stay in good condition when straightening, and can help prevent split ends and breakage caused by the high temperatures. Heat-protecting sprays are formulated to be applied before you start straightening, and will help protect your hair while also helping it to dry faster. When straightening your hair after dying it, you’ll probably notice that it dries very slowly. This is because your hair is thicker, and it’s likely that it’s also discolored. Heat protectors will help your hair dry faster, which will save you a lot of time.
Treat any discoloration first.
Before you start trying to straighten your hair, you should first try to treat any discoloration. If your hair is discolored and you try to straighten it as it is, it’s likely that the discoloration will stay, and will become even more obvious. To treat the discoloration, start by applying a color-removing shampoo, such as a permanent hair color remover, to your hair. Follow the instructions on the bottle, and leave the shampoo in your hair for the recommended time before rinsing it out thoroughly. Once your hair has been thoroughly rinsed, apply a deep-conditioning treatment and leave it in your hair for as long as the instructions recommend. Deep-conditioning treatments are formulated to help your hair stay healthy and strong, and will help to make it easier to straighten. When your hair is ready, follow the steps above to apply heat protection and use your straighteners as normal.
Don’t be afraid to use a lot of products.
While you’re applying for heat protection and treating your hair, don’t be afraid to use a lot of products. Use a volumizing mousse to add volume and lift to your hair, and a root-lifting spray to help your hair stay smooth and straight all the way to the ends. If your hair is discolored, use a purple shampoo or color-removing shampoo to help the color fade quicker. Extra product will help to protect your hair from the high temperatures created by your straighteners. If your hair is thick and discolored, you’ll greatly extend the amount of time it takes to straighten it. Try to use as much product as you need to help straighten your hair as quickly as possible.
Use an ionic straightener
If you’ve tried everything above and your hair is still taking an extremely long time to straighten, or it’s just not looking or feeling very straight, use an ionic straightener. Ionic straighteners use negative ions to help your hair stay smooth and straight, and will help to reduce frizz and flyaways. The negative ions in ionic straighteners are attracted to positive ions, which causes the positive ions to be expelled from your hair. This makes your hair look smoother, shinier, and stay straighter for longer. If you’ve treated your hair and applied enough product, ionic straighteners will help your hair stay as straight as possible for as long as possible.
Conclusion
If you want to dye your hair and then straighten it afterward, there are some steps you should take beforehand to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. First, use products with low pH levels to reduce the number of chemical bonds in your hair. This will make it easier to straighten your hair after dying.
