Shedding lots after temporary dye - Help!

[Ambystoma]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone has had a similar experience or can shed (ha!) some light on why this is happening :(.

About a week and a half ago I used a temporary 6-8 wash colour in dark brown since I felt like a bit of a change for winter. My hair is unprocessed apart from the odd use of these rinse out dyes, I probably use one every few months or so to brighten up the colour a little for a while. The last time I used one it was Goldwell soft colour about 2 months ago, with no problems at all. This time I used Schwartzkopf LIVE, which I'd used in the copper shade many times in the past, again with no problems.

I'd never used this shade before, and I know that this brand has PPD in it, but I'd used the brand before many times, plus I used to dye my hair black for years and never had a reaction.

For a little backstory, after being on the LHC for a while, I noticed my shed rate was really really low - about 5 -15 hairs per day, and I've shed at that level for almost a year, aside from a weird 5 day blip a few weeks after joining where I was losing between 90 and 120 per day. I've had a growth stall for the last month (before I coloured it) as well, only growing barely a 1/4 inch down from my usual inch plus.

As soon as I washed the colour out, I noticed an unusual amount of hairs coming out, and it's been like this for a week and a half now, I'm now losing between 50 - 80 hairs per day (97 on wash day) and I'm completely freaking out! My scalp didn't hurt during or after the dye, it looks nice and healthy, I can't work out why this is happening.

The shed hairs all have a root bulb, so it's not breakage, and there are a few short baby hairs coming out too :(

So my question to all of you is, should I be this worried? Is it a seasonal shed that just happened to start on the same day by coincidence (since the weather has changed dramatically over the last 2 weeks)? Is it a minor reaction to the PPD or other chemicals in the dye, and if so WILL IT STOP!?

[Nymph]

If you had a reaction to the PPD I think your skin would have started to itch, on the scalp or around the eyes (classical place for allergic reactions). My guess is more on some sort of enhanced seasonal shed...

[Ambystoma]

If you had a reaction to the PPD I think your skin would have started to itch, on the scalp or around the eyes

That was my line of thinking too, it just seems really strange that it only started as I was washing the dye out. I combed it right before I applied the dye and only lost 1 or 2 :(

[heidi w.]

To ensure it stops and returns to your normal levels or more normal levels overall, which is 100 hairs per day of shedding, clarify the hair with a purchased agent that includes the word "clarify" in the description under the name of the brand you're buying, or by mixing your shampoo (3 T.) with 3 T of baking soda; blend real well til there's no lumps, and apply to ALL of the Wetted hair. Then condition the length only; not the scalp at all. Lean to one side and then the other to get plenty of conditioner on the length.
That should be all you really need. You can probably do as many as 2 clarifies; and if clarifying still doesn't work, THEN proceed to chelating. Don't chelate till you know clarifying doesn't work.
heidi w.

[heidi w.]

One other thing I just thought of: I would not be surprised if clarifying doesn't work as it only hits the top of the hair; dye I think affect the innards of hair and requires chelating (pronounced key-lating) to undo the bind that has occurred. The color will likely remain for a long time, and an itchy scalp is something you'll have to put up with til this dye is gone. Make a record of the color you used, and never use it again. Ever. Nix-nae for that dye. Future dye jobs should be tested on purpose to ensure you don't have a reaction again.
heidi w.

[lapushka]

So my question to all of you is, should I be this worried? Is it a seasonal shed that just happened to start on the same day by coincidence (since the weather has changed dramatically over the last 2 weeks)? Is it a minor reaction to the PPD or other chemicals in the dye, and if so WILL IT STOP!?

That would be my best bet, but if you feel that it's the dye, then... well, just keep an eye on it for a while. Seasonal shed should stop after about a month or so (does so in my case, anyway).

[Ambystoma]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!


One other thing I just thought of: I would not be surprised if clarifying doesn't work as it only hits the top of the hair; dye I think affect the innards of hair and requires chelating (pronounced key-lating) to undo the bind that has occurred. The color will likely remain for a long time, and an itchy scalp is something you'll have to put up with til this dye is gone. Make a record of the color you used, and never use it again. Ever. Nix-nae for that dye. Future dye jobs should be tested on purpose to ensure you don't have a reaction again.
heidi w.

The thing is, it was only a temporary dye, the 6-8 wash type, with no developer so I think those are only supposed to create a coating on the outside of the hair shaft and not penetrate the hair at all. My scalp is feeling fine, it felt fine when I coloured it and looks completely healthy and normal which is strange, I would expect a chemical insult to cause irritation as well, not just increased hair loss :shrug:

I've washed it twice since then, as I wash every 3 or 4 days normally, with my usual products (that my hair seems to respond really well to) and the colour has already faded quite a lot, (these types of dyes normally only last 3 or 4 washes on me, I just use them as a special occasion "pick me up" since they make my natural colour a little richer and shinier than usual ) but I'll try clarifying and no conditioner on the scalp - and don't worry, NO hair colour, of ANY type is ever going anywhere near my head again!

(shed count today, 67 :()

[heidi w.]

Ok, then, as explained it's temporary. Then clarify only; don't chelate at all. 67 shed hairs is in the range of normal for a human head; although it may not be your normal.
heidi w.