How much do you know about hair colouring?

There are four types of hair dye, which includes: Gradual, temporary, semi-permanent, permanent.

Which is used most often?
Ans: Permanent
Permanent hair coloring agents, which don't wash out, make up about 80% of the market. Gradual (or progressive) hair dye is applied over a period of time to achieve a desired shade, temporary color can be washed out in the next shampooing, and semi-permanent agents stay through multiple washings.

Which type can do the most damage to hair?
Ans: Permanent
Permanent hair-coloring agents chemically alter and bind to hair, weakening the hair shaft and making it dryer and more brittle. This damage can be minimized by using conditioning shampoos or conditioners that contain silicone.

Bleaching your hair will make it fall out and create bald spots.

Ans: False
Bleaching your hair (such as with hydrogen peroxide) removes color, leaving it white or yellowish white. This process shouldn't make your hair fall out in large patches, but it can make the hair dry and brittle, just as dyeing it can. However, new hair growth isn't

affected by the bleach, so it will be healthy.
To minimize damage to your hair, how long should you wait between colorings?

Ans: At least 4 weeks
Frequent color changes may cause irreversible damage to your hair, including split ends and dry “weathering.” To avoid this, wait at least four weeks between colorings. To maintain the color change affected by permanent hair color, you only need to re-dye the hair when new hair grows and the roots begin to show. Hair on the scalp grows about 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm per day, so it would grow only 8.5 mm to 11 mm (a little more than a third of an inch) in four weeks.

What can damage color-treated hair?
Ans: Exposure to water Exposure to sunlight
Damage to color-treated hair can be prevented by limiting exposure to water and sunlight. Hair can become dry with frequent washing, and sunlight can cause fading.

You should use the same products to color your eyebrows to match your hair.

Ans: False
Products used for coloring the hair on your head should never be used on eyebrows (or eyelashes) because the dyes can cause serious reactions when put in direct contact with the eye. The American Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) prohibits the use of hair dyes on eyebrows or eyelashes, even in salons. In general, you shouldn't try to match the color of your eyebrows to your hair color, but if you'd like to darken them, you can use an eyebrow pencil or a powder or gel specifically made for eyebrows.

You may want to adjust your hair color as you age to avoid looking pale or washed-out.

Ans: True
Our skin becomes more transparent as we age, so hair that's too dark can make you look pale and hair that's too light can wash out your complexion.

If your hair is more than 50% gray and you're not happy with the new you, which type of hair coloring may work best to cover it?

Ans: Permanent
Permanent hair coloring generally works best to color hair that is more than 50% gray. Gray hair has reduced pigment (the substance that gives your hair color); the permanent hair coloring process removes the pigment from your natural hair so when the artificial color is added to both the gray hair and the natural hair, you get a uniform, more natural look.

What percentage of women over age 18 use some type of hair color?

Ans: More than 30%
More than a third of women over 18 use some type of hair dye. The motivation for coloring hair is different for each individual and can include a desire to make a fashion statement or add some excitement to life or cover gray hair.

What percentage of men over 40 use some type of dye on their hair?

Ans: 10%
About 10% of men over age 40 use some type of coloring on their hair.

How many different chemicals are used in the various types of hair dye?

Ans: More than 5,000
More than 5,000 different chemicals are used in various hair coloring products. The chemicals used depend on the type of coloring agent and the color change that's desired.

Which natural dye is made from a plant?
Ans: Henna
Henna is a natural dye made from the leaves and roots of the mignonette tree. It's a semi-permanent coloring agent.

Henna typically produces hues of what color?

Ans: Brown
Henna typically produces a brown, orange-brown, or reddish-brown tint, though other ingredients can be added to it to produce other colors, such as black and blue.

Which type of hair coloring agents may contain lead acetate, which is classified as a “probable human carcinogen”?

Ans: Gradual
Gradual or progressive hair dyes are typically used by men to color gray hair. Some of these gradual rinses contain lead acetate, which is classified as a “probable human carcinogen," based on lab tests on animals. However, the FDA says these products -- which carry a warning about lead acetate -- can be used safely. Be sure to follow the product's instructions carefully and keep the products away from kids.

A pooled analysis indicates that women who began using hair dye before what year may have a slightly increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma compared with women who have never used hair dye?

Ans: 1980
A pooled analysis of four studies showed that women who started using hair dye before 1980 may be at increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma than those who had not dyed their hair. Manufacturers changed the formulas for their dye products in the mid- to late 1970s, but the research does not prove that hair coloring agents were to blame.

Research indicates that it's most likely safe to color your hair when you're pregnant.

Ans: True
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says little dye is absorbed through the skin, so dying your hair during pregnancy is “most likely safe.” However, the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends avoiding exposure to hair dye and treatments during the first three months of pregnancy as a precaution. If you're pregnant and concerned about coloring your hair, you may want to consider highlights instead because fewer chemicals are involved.