View Full Version : uh-oh...what did I do? (long)
BranwenWolf
March 9th, 2009, 07:49 PM
I dyed my hair red with Clairol natural instincts about a month ago, with one touch up. The Clairol didn't seem to hurt my hair or scalp. In fact, my dandruff all but went away.
I'm naturally sort of a caramel blonde.
The Clairol was fading out of the rest of my hair but not really the roots. I came up with this brilliant idea of putting some highlights in for distraction factor, with one of the Fructis home highlighting kits.
Bad idea. I know. I should have listened!!:(
Let's just say Garnier needs to go over the definition of "subtle highlights". I have big 3-4 inch sections that are bright Pam Anderson blonde. The rest is strawberry blonde. It looks kind of cool in a rockstar way but in other lights I look a bit skunk-headed.:confused:
I don't have pics at the moment but I'm going to put some up later.
The worst part is my scalp is very tender. I think it reacted to the strong chemicals in the highlight kit. My hair is still very thick and not shedding but my scalp really hurts. I'm not washing tonight, last night I rubbed some aloe into my scalp after my shower.
The plan is to give my scalp a week or two to calm down and try to touch up some of the mess with the Clairol, blocking out a few of the highlights so all the work won't be for naught, but touching it up so the bleached sections aren't so huge. I will be thinning the dye out with water and going gently on the top of my head. I did not react to the Clairol the two times before.
Going to a salon isn't an option. I don't have the money.
Is there something else I might do? If I just let it grow out it's going to look really weird.
Also- can someone link to scalp-soothing hair treatments? Maybe something with moisture?
My hair is tailbone length and fairly thick and impervious.
edensapples
March 9th, 2009, 07:59 PM
I can't help ease the pain (literally!) of highlights, I'm sorry..
but I am super impressed that you dye your tailbone length hair!
how do you keep it in good condition?
I've been bottle dying mine for years.. but now that I intend to grow it out I've started thinking henna was the only thing I could do anymore, and no offense to the henna-heads but the imperfect science and perminant nature of henna is kinda scary.
It may sound bad, but I would rather keep bottling it if I at all can...
BranwenWolf
March 9th, 2009, 08:05 PM
Let's just say I wish suave naturals conditioner came in a gallon drum. I flip my hair over one shoulder in the shower, apply a palmful (meaning I cover my palm with about half an inch of conditioner, maybe 1/4 cup?) and then flip it over the other shoulder and apply another palmful, leave that in for a few minutes.
I'm just really worried because my scalp is sore. (though, it has hurt this much with a sunburn before)
I also didn't want permanent henna so I went with the Clairol, which wasn't too bad, but those highlighting kits are really harsh. Lesson learned. *sigh*
Reptilia
March 9th, 2009, 08:13 PM
I'd just leave it for a couple of weeks, and deep condition the heck out of it. Than pick a color similar to your natural color, and then DON'T TOUCH! Unless you like fried hair that is!
BranwenWolf
March 9th, 2009, 08:16 PM
Yeah, natural color might be a better idea.
I'm not sure what motivated me to do this.
(note: when bored with self try different makeup instead! It cleans up easier!)
edensapples
March 9th, 2009, 08:20 PM
You poor thing, I my scalp is starting to hurt just reading this! :/
When I dye mine, I use the salon quality stuff from Sally's Beauty Supply which comes seperate color and developer, then I buy the deep conditioning stuff in another packet for after. My only suggestion is to get some of that "after you dye kind of stuff.. it is surely full of cones but it does make my hair feel tons better after dying it.
Take care, hope you feel better.
Omens
March 9th, 2009, 08:21 PM
Hmm. I'm guessing the highlight stuff was bleachy, given that it got it blonde and all. I noticed that when I used bleach for highlights it made my scalp really tender as well---sort of red and inflamed in some places. That stuff, even just for highlights, is really hard on the skin and hair. I've seen people get entirely burned scalps before...eek.
I would say leave it alone for a little while, at least wash with some mild soap or even just water to make sure you get all of it out (you know how those chemicals take a bit to get fully rinsed from hair, sometimes a few washings; you don't want that staying on your skin and making it worse), then maybe don't wash at all for a few days, or just with water 'til it clears up for the most part.
Be cautious if you dye over some of the highlights. I dyed my bleached sections over with black (since my hair's dyed black anyway), so it wasn't a problem, but if you do it over with red, I'm wondering if it might end up being a little lighter than the rest of it. That would be way better than super-bright platinum stripes though. Anyway, probably best to do a strand test so there are no disasters. Sometimes products do weird things that weren't intended. Go on the side of caution. ;)
BranwenWolf
March 9th, 2009, 08:29 PM
Oh, didn't think of chemicals staying in. I might rinse it again tonight anyway- my scalp doesn't seem to need shampoo for now so I may do just water. What sounds really good right now is cold water and aloe. I might even take some advil.
My scalp is normally really oily and now it's dry so I know something is up!
I used this same highlighting thing in summer '06 and don't recall it doing this.
jojo
March 9th, 2009, 08:38 PM
Is henna an option?
BranwenWolf
March 9th, 2009, 08:44 PM
Probably not.
I'm not sure I want to go red permanent, and I do have quite a few plant allergies. (oftentimes "natural" things set me off more than chemicals but not in the case of highlights)
I may try henna down the road but I don't want my first experience to be done as a frantic cover-up.
Willow
March 9th, 2009, 10:55 PM
Your scalp is probably just irritated from the chemicals. Maybe a slight chemical burn. I would say to just leave it alone and wash with water only or a small amount of sulfate free shampoo for a week or so. It'll get better. Next time you do any kind of highlight, do not let the bleach/dye touch the scalp. Most highlighting procedures are designed for off-the-scalp application. If you do decide to go back over the blonde and try to match it to your darker hair, you must take into consideration that your bleached hair is missing some pigment that your darker hair is not missing so the same color you put on for your darker color is not going to come out the same color.
misspriss
March 9th, 2009, 10:59 PM
I recently highlighted my hair, and I got the sore head thing too.
I used the Loreal kit that comes with color and highlight, and I got really subtle highlights. You don't see them unless you look really close. I just wanted something to break up the color because I was dying back to my natural color and I can't ever get it exactly right.
The pain went away though, I conditioned well and gave it time.
Debra83
March 9th, 2009, 11:20 PM
1) When I was dyeing my hair blond, pre-LHC, I let my best friend do it, and the first time she used a comb to make sure that it got ALL the roots. I was fine during the application, but, boy, after I had a chemical burn for sure, and it killed the ends too cuz she used the whole bottle on it. I went to the hairdresser to get the ends trimmed off, and she told me that I was very fortunate, she had seen chemical burns that melted the hair off at the root, and that the hair wouldn't grow back after on the patches that were really burned.
2) A client came in one time to the bank, and noticed that I dyed my hair, and warned me that the previous summer her hair melted after applying a different brand of dye than her usual one. It kinda all melded together and she had to have it all cut of about an inch from the scalp. So be verrrrrrrry careful what you do next.
Ash
March 9th, 2009, 11:32 PM
Scalp soothing - Aloe is good. If you are not allergic to cucumber, this may help- If you scrape out the insides of a cucumber and strain out the juice, this can be used in a hair dye bottle to get at your scalp easily. It will help cool down the irritation.
****I am not a stylist, nor am I an expert at coloring, this is just based on my own experiences....****
I am not exactly sure from your description where the light parts are, but if your roots are brighter and the rest is dark, perhaps you could redye them in a shade that blends with your natural color and the rest? It would ease the growing out transition. Or, you could find a strawberry blonde shade that is one shade darker than the other parts to use. The reason I say this is because as far as I know, most blonde dyes contain peroxide and there is a chance that it could lighten your hair too much. Also a very diluted vinegar rinse on the highlighted parts will help restore its ph balance, might help to do in the next couple of days.
Maybe one of our resident stylists could help here?
misspriss
March 9th, 2009, 11:52 PM
Oh everything I've used containing bleach says not to apply to the first 1/4" of hair closest to the scalp. When I bleached my hair, you didn't apply to the 1" closest to the scalp til the last 10 minutes. The heat from your head causes the bleach to develop much faster. And it burns the scalp, obviously.
brok3nwings
March 10th, 2009, 07:01 AM
unfortunatly normally the chemicals from those kind of kits that you buy in the supermarket, even colour dye, have more chemicals then what they use in the hairdressers. I think you should treat your scalp first, i had i too once and its a bit scary but it heals dont worry. :) About your hair colour you should give it a toner that is basicly something to make them blend a bit better, i woudnt put any permanent colour or even semi over it. A toner should be enough, if you are willing to try henna without the permanent you could try a henna/cassia (that gives strawberry) treatment (sorry i have forgoten the name) that is made with conditioner and left for half an hour, it will only give you a bit of colour. Im sorry that this happened to you, hair colour sometimes is risky
twilight
March 10th, 2009, 07:13 AM
been there...
while i am a henna-head (and ok with the imperfect science and all in entails) i can certainly sympathize about preferring bottle color. my recommendation at this point is to get a single-process (rinse-in, rinse-out) color to tint the bleached parts. this will not damage; it's basically a colored conditioner/stain and will soak into the bleach no problem.
i can't think of any of the brands right now but they are all in little bottles and DO NOT need mixing with anything--just pour 'em in and wash 'em out.
for the future colorings i strongly recommend a demi-permanent from sally's (or whatever you have where you are); they use much weaker developer and are gentler on the hair. box colors tend to stick you with 30vol developer because they are made for all people... but if you are a blondish and going red, you don't need to lift at all and can get away with a much weaker formula to prevent damage. you have to buy the color and activator separately but you have a lot more control over the end result and damage.
talking to the chicks at sally's will help if you get confused (i used to work there)! good luck :)
happymommy
March 10th, 2009, 10:00 AM
I've done the whole chemical burned scalp thing too. I used tea tree oil and a needless syringe to kind of inject the oil all over my scalp. It was very...odd feeling, kind of tingly. Pros: my scalp was great three days later. Cons: the smell was overpowering.
If you know you don't have a bad reaction to tea tree (spot test!) may I suggest you give it a try? Maybe you could mix it with the aloe even! HTH!
edensapples
March 10th, 2009, 10:34 AM
that tea tree oil is strong stuff.. an antibacterial! imo it shouldn't be used on a sore scalp.
I like the suggestion of aloe or cucumber much better.
just my $.02
atlantaz3
March 10th, 2009, 10:58 AM
I see someone else chimed in with the aloe thought - soothes irritated or sunburned skin why not scalp? Although I would consider not doing anything if possible to let it heal on its own.
ratgirldjh
March 10th, 2009, 11:13 AM
ACV is very soothing to burns and may take the residue (if any) off of your scalp
but it may burn at first
and i'm sure you would want to dilute it
maybe you could make a compress and see if it helps and another one with water handy in case it burns
but i think it would help
it sounds like a chemical burn to me - google apple cider vinegar for burns
ratgirldjh
March 10th, 2009, 11:15 AM
this is off the subject - but how long have you been using CO to care for your hair? do you think that this helped you to grow so long?
just curious because i am trying very hard to get my hair to grow past APL
Heidi_234
March 10th, 2009, 02:39 PM
I had highlights long ago, and I just recalled recently how I used this chamomile sort of medical shampoo, which turned them from that bleach out ugly blond to nice golden strawberry blond.
lora410
March 10th, 2009, 02:52 PM
Regular dye seriously irritates my scalp. i am sure you hair looks FAB and you are being to hard on yourself :)
BranwenWolf
March 11th, 2009, 11:48 AM
Forgive me for disappearing, darn sporadic internet....
My scalp felt better yesterday and honestly, it was making me physically sick to look at my hair. These pictures don't show how bad the contrast is- must be my bathroom lighting.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Mighty_Mule/003-1.jpg
Though you can kinda see the flattering dark roots.:mad:
Here's how weird the color looked- I think you'd call it "brassy". This is NOT my natural color!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Mighty_Mule/005-1.jpg
I bit the bullet yesterday and bought Clairol's "Amber Shimmer- lightest golden brown" because that's the hair color at the top of my head.
It came out a lot redder than I expected, but pretty nice because it's exactly what I had before this highlight nonsense.
After:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Mighty_Mule/006-1.jpg
Bonus length pic: (I did the V hemline myself!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Mighty_Mule/008.jpg
The corner that looks like it's still blonde is not that way in real life. I have no idea why it's showing up like that on the camera.
My scalp feels okay, if a bit greasy because I put half the tube of the after color treatment on there.
I'm going to not wash today if I can stand it.
I'm going to just let this color fade out no matter how weird it might look. It couldn't possibly be as awkward as those huge chunks I had before!
Sorry the pictures are so blurry but that's all I can do, living by myself and all.
Thanks for the replies and sympathy. I'm done fiddling with my hair, too darn many chemicals!
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