Any long hair ladies out there use hair color (not henna)?

[MermaidOH]

Hello All,
I am currently in the process of trying to grow out my abused and damaged hair. I previously was a bleach and tone girl (I know shock and horror) but I decided the damage and breakage that I was causing was just too much, so I decided to go for a deep red shade level 5/6(for reference I am a level 5/6 dark blond/brown). I have lots of breakage :( on my crown, and front and back hairline that I really baby, my longest length is 3" short or my bra strap. But here is my question I color my hair about every 6-8 weeks my roots and freshen my ends I get this done at an Aveda Salon, am I causing more and more damage to my ends and hair or because I am not lightening it or stripping the color is this OK? Can I actually achieve length even when coloring hair with "chemicals"? I am very wary to try Henna because I absolutely love my hair color. I baby my hair only washing once or twice a week, I use jojoba oil or NightBloomings Panacea Salve or Triple Moon Oil or some combination at least once a day, I don't blow dry or heat style, I use a boar bristle brush and or a smooth wide comb on wet hair, and I am cone free. And trying to find protein free products I believe I am protein sensitive. If yo have read this far THANK YOU! I have gained sooooo much great knowledge from this community. Any advice at all (truly) is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!

[Alaia]

We have some lovely members here with long, bleached, lovely hair (Justgreen is the one that springs to mind, her hair is stunning).

I had TB length hair that was lightened from a Dark Ash Blonde to Medium Ash blonde (and has some highlights).

I think all colour probably causes some sort of drying even if no damage occurs, so just make sure to baby your hair afterwards.

One thing I would say is it's probably not a good idea to use a BBB (boar bristle brush) on WET hair. It's better to use it on dry hair. Depending on your hair type, combing while wet might not be a good idea either. It's not good for my hair to do that, certainly.

[Siiri]

What type of hair dye do you use? Permanent and demi-permanent hair dyes have peroxide, but semi-permanent and temporary dyes don't, so they are more likely to cause less damage. It depends on how strong your hair is too, some hair tolerates hair dye better than other. I could only grow to APL when I used permanent dye, after that it started to took dry.

There is this thread you might be interested in: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=889

ETA: Demi-permanents are better for hair than permanent dyes, they have less peroxide.

[LisaB234]

Ericthegreat has amazing hair that looks like it is in perfect condition and it's lightened - I think he's experimented with various colors on his long hair. . . Maybe he'll chime in. . . ERIC - where are you? ;-)

[long&blonde]

It is surely possible to dye your hair, and grow it long.
My hair is past waist, headed towards hip, and dyed since age 15, I'm 56.
For the last year and a half, I've switched from doing it myself(Nice & Easy's light ash blonde #102 was enough to keep me light blonde:did not do double processing. Bought 2 boxs at a time to deal with length)
To;Salon doing it for me. About every 3 months, so I have a good inch & a half growth:my roots are coming in white.
The salon gets the under portions of my hair better than I did;more even color.
However, yes, they are super annoying.
I just called to get a dye apt.w/the stylist who frenchbraids my hair so well.
They asked length of my hair. "Waist" I replied. "We are scheduling you for a CUT and dye at 10" they said. "No CUT!" I kinda holler. The constant "cut" word. The politely having to listen to stylists;whose hair you do NOT like, put your hair down & tell you that you should trim/cut it:gets to you. No way does it make me want to listen to them;it just makes me want to not go back!
But yes, you surely can have long hair & dye it.
Just don't cut it, and don't be intimidated by stylists/others telling you that you should cut your hair.
Hate to get into it w/this stylist about the "cut" word. I've never mastered french braiding;and she is Excellent.

[MermaidOH]

Thank you so much for your encouragement, it is great to hear that it actually can be done!:)

[Amraann]

I dye my naturally blond hair tail bone length hair, red. I have been dying it for about 10 years. (while it grew to this length)

I use L'oreal. My aunt has a friend who owned a salon for 40 years. She could still purchase salon color but she uses the same shade of L'oreal that I use. Go figure?

I would not run it through the ends every time.