growing out Dye = Hair thinning?

[Green Eyes]

hey guys

I know this has probbly be mentioned before but i cant find any recent threads, i have stopped dyeing my hair as of december 2011 and have now been growing it out. Since then i have noticed that my hair is a lot finer than usual.

ive always had fine hair and for years was told dyeing it woul make it slightly thicker but of course i found out it actually made is coarser and more damaged than anything. I met up with my mother who has even mention it feels a lot thinner than normal . Im trying to baby my hair as much as i can, i think i can see new growth as i have loads of wispy bits all round hairline, i wash every 2-3 days, coconut oil it on wash days as well as oiling inbetween at the ends.

am i acting silly or can my hair just being thining now becuse ive dyed it that may times??

[Allychan]

Dyeing your hair can make it 'feel' thicker. There are actually some dyes that describe themselves as 'volumising'. The 'volumising' is in actual fact your damaged hair shaft. When you dye your hair the cuticle is lifted when the dye is deposited, after dyeing the cuticle never sits flat like it does on virgin hair. The cuticle, after dyeing, is no longer smooth and flat it is now open. The thickness you feel after dyeing your hair is your cuticles catching on each other (kinda like after you go to the beach and your hair feels really thick because salty water and air can also raise your cuticle too). Some people can dye their hair until the cows come home and not have any noticable damage, others, myself included have hair that can not tolerate hair dyes well and see damage pretty much after the first time it is dyed

As for your hair thinning, it no longer has the 'volumising' of the hair dye and all those open cuticles on your hair shaft leave your hair to an increased likeihood of damage.

Hope that makes sense

[Green Eyes]

Dyeing your hair can make it 'feel' thicker. There are actually some dyes that describe themselves as 'volumising'. The 'volumising' is in actual fact your damaged hair shaft. When you dye your hair the cuticle is lifted when the dye is deposited, after dyeing the cuticle never sits flat like it does on virgin hair. The cuticle, after dyeing, is no longer smooth and flat it is now open. The thickness you feel after dyeing your hair is your cuticles catching on each other (kinda like after you go to the beach and your hair feels really thick because salty water and air can also raise your cuticle too). Some people can dye their hair until the cows come home and not have any noticable damage, others, myself included have hair that can not tolerate hair dyes well and see damage pretty much after the first time it is dyed

As for your hair thinning, it no longer has the 'volumising' of the hair dye and all those open cuticles on your hair shaft leave your hair to an increased likeihood of damage.

Hope that makes sense


It does, i can just remember my hair being that fine, i kinda hope that with the new growth i see that it might make it feel a tiny bit thicker, was just a bit worried likes thanks x

[Anabell]

My hair fells too more thin that usual after I dyed it, but after a while the thickness return. Of course it still more tend to brick and damage than the undyed hair, but it doing better now. It also depends on what color do you dyed. the bright colors have a bigger rate of oxygen inside, which more harmful. The dark colors (especially black) have more pigment that oxygen, so it cause less damage...

[Green Eyes]

My hair fells too more thin that usual after I dyed it, but after a while the thickness return. Of course it still more tend to brick and damage than the undyed hair, but it doing better now. It also depends on what color do you dyed. the bright colors have a bigger rate of oxygen inside, which more harmful. The dark colors (especially black) have more pigment that oxygen, so it cause less damage...

yeh wel i kinda jump from one to another one min it was bright red then next it was dark brown, i hope it kinda thickens a wee bit.

[blondie9912]

I have the same problem. It only seems thinner because dying your fine hair has made it break off (therefore reducing the amount of strands you have, and making your hair thinner overall). Don't you just wish those new baby hairs would hurry up and grow?! They are the key to regaining your thickness, so just wait patiently :) If you observe, you'll see those who have stopped bleaching/dying their hair tend to have a lot more baby hairs growing in than those with virgin hair. I'm in the same boat, I've just gotta wait for my baby hairs to grow long to feel like I have a normal-sized ponytail once again.

Don't stress, you're doing all the right things, all it takes is some patience. Good luck!

[vanillabones]

I dyed and backcombed and bleached and blowfried and damaged my hair on purpose to get the 'thicker' feeling from my hair, but that is all I was doing... damaging it. I did do it for aesthetic reasons but I learned that will never get me pretty hair it just prevents it. My hair feels completely different to the touch compared to the bleached parts. It feels like completely different hair because it is, it's virgin! It is soft and not juiced upchemicals and naturally my hair is very thin. We just have a very fine hair type.

[coffinhert]

It probably feels thinner because the longer you don't dye it, the more dye comes out of the hairs. The dye probably did make it a little thicker, but now you're not adding more dye and the thickness isn't permanent and you're left with damage. I think if you have good hair care and take care of your scalp, eventually the new healthy growth will be much thicker because it's not damaged. I experienced something similar, it took about 2 years for it to grow out enough to be thick. Good luck.

[Green Eyes]

Thank guys for all ur comments, I feel a lot better about it lol il just need to continue braiding it back and forgetting about it in a way lol I love finding new bby hairs makes it feel like I am doin something right for my hair and not seeing loads of splits ends for once