Can Hair Dye Cause Hair Loss?

After dyeing your hair, you notice that it looks and feels a little thinner. Or, you might notice a few more hairs stuck in your shower drain than usual. Is there a link? Can hair dye cause hair loss, or is something else to blame?

It’s no secret that coloring your hair frequently can affect your hair health. Permanent hair color and bleaching, in particular, might leave your hair feeling dry and brittle. 

But does hair dye cause hair loss? Not usually.

If you have an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients in hair dye, it can manifest as scalp irritation and inflammation around hair follicles, potentially leading to temporary hair shedding. These allergic reactions are pretty rare, though.

More commonly, dyeing your hair too frequently can cause chemical damage, which makes your hair more susceptible to breakage, rather than true hair loss. When your hair strands break, it might look like your hair is thinner, and you might notice broken shafts of hair falling out. This can be mistaken for hair loss. 

Let’s look at how hair dye impacts your hair and how to care for dyed hair. We’ll also share some tips on how to stop hair fall after hair color, and what to do if you think you’re experiencing a hair loss condition.

Let’s get straight to it: The science indicates that it’s pretty rare to have hair loss from dyeing or coloring hair.

If you’re noticing increased hair fall after using hair coloring products, it’s possible that the dye may have damaged your hair shaft, causing your hair strands to break. In this case, the hair does not fall out at the root but rather breaks off and falls. 

It’s also possible that you’re experiencing an allergic reaction to hair dye, but this very rarely leads to breakage. Let’s explore more in detail. 

Hair Loss from Allergic Reactions to Hair Dye

Some people may find that hair dye irritates their scalp. This may be an adverse reaction to para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a common ingredient in permanent hair dyes that can cause contact dermatitis ( an itchy skin rash). 

Contact dermatitis on your scalp doesn’t usually lead to hair fall, though — in fact, hair loss from an allergic reaction to PPD in hair dye is considered exceptionally rare.

If you have an allergic reaction to your hair dye, you might experience:

• Facial swelling 

• Itchiness

• Redness or discoloration 

• Painful or burning sensation

• A rash

If you experience the above while dyeing your hair, rinse it out immediately with cool water.

Hair Breakage from Hair Dye

Damaged hair is more prone to breakage. 

And when your hair is broken, it looks and feels like you’re experiencing hair loss: You might notice more hair on your brush or find that your ponytail feels thinner, giving the impression of increased shedding. 

Several factors can contribute to hair damage — including, of course, permanent hair dyes. 

The damaging effects of hair dye can be due to: 

• Ammonia and ethanolamine. These ingredients lift the hair cuticle to allow color to penetrate deeply, but in doing so, they strip away the hair’s natural lipids. This weakening of the cuticle can lead to dryness, frizz, and a rougher texture, making hair more prone to breakage.

• One study noted that monoethanolamine-based dye formulations tend to cause more hair damage than ammonia.

• Bleaching agents. Whether you’re getting highlights or toning your hair lighter, hair dye that contains hydrogen peroxide can damage the hair cuticle and lead to breakage and split ends. 

 Learn more about which chemicals cause hair damage.

We’re not here to spoil your fun. We know that dyeing your hair can be a great way to change up your look or cover your grays (if you aren’t ready to embrace the salt-and-pepper look).

So, if you’re still keen to dye your hair, you can take the following precautions to prevent further hair damage. 

Use The Right Hair Care Products

It’s not just about keeping your hair clean — the right hair care products can nourish your hair and prevent further damage. 

Keep the following in mind:

• Don’t skip the conditioner. Try to use a conditioner after every wash to keep your strands moisturized and hydrated. Bleached and dyed hairs tend to be more porous, so they’re thirsty for moisture. 

• Use a hair mask or deep conditioning treatment. Every week or so, use a deep conditioning treatment to give your hair an extra boost of moisture.

• Don’t use a shampoo that contains sulfates. Sulfates, including sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), can make your hair dry — plus, they fade your hair color quicker, which means you’ll have to dye it more often. Opt for sulfate-free shampoo. 

Learn more about hair product ingredients that are bad for your hair.

It’s a good idea to look for products that suit your unique hair type — for example, dry, oily, curly, straight, or dandruff-prone. 

Don’t Go Too Light

As mentioned, hydrogen peroxide — which is used to bleach hair — can be super damaging. 

The lighter you go, the more hydrogen peroxide you’ll need to achieve your desired hair color. For this reason, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends trying to stay within three shades of your natural color, and notes that going darker is better. . 

Do a Patch Test

Whenever you use an at-home hair dye product, do a patch test to check whether you are sensitive to it.

Here’s how to do a patch test:

1. Apply a tiny bit of hair dye to your skin using a cotton swab. People usually do test patches behind their ears or in the crook of their arm. 

2. Wait 24 to 48 hours. 

3. Check for symptoms of an allergic reaction, like itching, burning, discoloration, or a rash. 

If you haven’t noticed any side effects, you can go on to dye your hair. 

Don’t Dye It Too Often

The more often you dye your hair, the more you expose it to harsh chemicals that can lead to dryness, brittleness and breakage. Give your hair a break in between touch-ups. 

If you find that you need to touch up your roots very often, consider asking a hairstylist to suggest a low-maintenance hair color — perhaps something closer to your natural hair tone. You also may want to consider embracing your beautiful grays, and speaking with a stylist about how to best grow them out. 

Use Gentle Hair Styling Techniques

To prevent further hair damage (and hair breakage), do the following:

• Avoid brushing combing your hair roughly

• Reduce heat styling, or lower the heat setting on your hair dryer or straightener

• Don’t dry your hair roughly with a towel — pat it dry instead 

These tips are important for maintaining healthy hair, whether you use hair dye products or not.

If you think you’re experiencing hair loss, it’s likely not your hair dye. It could be a range of other issues, though. 

Common causes of hair loss in women include:

• Female pattern hair loss (FPHL). This is the most common cause of hair loss and hair thinning in women. It’s also called androgenetic alopecia, or androgenic alopecia (AGA). FPHL tends to get progressively worse over time, unless you treat it.

• Alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your hair follicles, leading to patchy hair loss.

• Traction alopecia. This is caused by tight hairstyles like restrictive ponytails, buns, braids, or cornrows. These hairstyles put strain on your hair follicles, eventually damaging them. 

• Telogen effluvium. This type of hair loss is triggered by a major shock to your system, leading to sudden hair shedding. This can be triggered by a severely stressful event, such as sickness, childbirth, or a nutritional deficiency. Telogen effluvium is usually temporary — it typically resolves once the underlying issue is resolved. 

When it comes to hair loss, It’s best to seek help early, as some types of hair loss can progress . The sooner you address your hair loss, the better. 

Start by making an appointment with a healthcare professional, like a GP or a dermatologist. They can help determine the cause of your hair loss and suggest a hair loss treatment plan.

It’s highly unlikely that coloring your hair will lead to hair loss or balding. That said, hair dyes and bleaching agents can cause damage to your hair, which can lead to breakage. This can give the appearance of hair loss. However, breakage differs from true hair loss, as it occurs along the hair shaft rather than from the root.

You can reduce damage to color-treated hair by doing the following:

• Dye your hair less often. Stretch the time between hair color appointments to minimize the exposure to harsh chemicals.

• Use nourishing hair products. Use conditioners, hair masks, and other hydrating hair products to restore moisture and reduce the risk of damage.

• Be gentle on your hair. Avoid damaging your hair further — don’t heat style it on a high heat setting, and don’t comb or brush your hair too roughly.

Think your hair is fried? Learn more about how to help repair chemically damaged hair in this excellent guide.

If you’re experiencing hair thinning or loss, it may be caused by something else entirely. Our advice? Make an appointment with a healthcare provider ASAP — since hair loss can get worse over time, timely action is important.

To get the strong, healthy hair of your dreams, start your consultation today.