Dying Hair After a Keratin Treatment (Comprehensive Guide)

Keratin Treatment offers lustrous Rapunzel fairytale hair. With the time and money spent on it, you wouldn’t want to ruin it with a dreadful color splotch.

5 Beautiful Haircuts For Rebonded Hair (5)

Dying hair after a keratin treatment can cause more harm than good. That’s why it’s vital to take the proper steps and procedures.

But first, what should you do to get your hair ready for a new color?

CHECK: Best Keratin Hair Iron

Getting Your Hair Ready for a New Color

Understanding how hair color works help you assess the impact of keratin on your dyed hair.

different colored hair under title dying hair after A keratin treatment

For your hair to fully absorb the new color you’re looking to apply; you’ll need to dissolve the natural hair color first.

After the natural color dissolves, the hair cuticle must be opened to take in the new color.

So how do you do this?

You can either have a color prep treatment or a clarifying wash.

A clarifying wash/color prep treatment will help to remove the hair products that have accumulated and formed a layer over the hair cortex (1).

These hair products must be removed if the new color must get into the hair cortex.

This is followed by keratin treatment for hair smoothing and frizz control, after which you can dye your hair.

Check out this video for all you need to know about hair prep, keratin treatment, and hair color:

Effects of Hair Color After Keratin Treatment

If you dye your hair immediately after a keratin treatment, the applied dye will be distributed all over your hair in irregular patches.

Don’t get me wrong – you can have your hair shining with an incredible sheen if you color your hair after a keratin treatment.

However, the dying procedure should never come immediately after the keratin treatment; otherwise, you might get your hair unevenly colored.

A lady with colorful hair under tilte dying hair after A keratin treatment

You don’t like how that sounds!

But the truth is, your hair will need enough time for the keratin treatment to be absorbed in the hair follicles.

During a keratin treatment, a layer of keratin is applied over the hair shaft, and it takes some time for this keratin layer to bind and penetrate the hair follicles completely.

This is for the protein structure to strengthen each hair strand from the core.

Hair dying can disrupt this process and give you unpredictable outcomes.

These outcomes include uneven color distribution, frizz in patches, and prematurely washed-out keratin, which can mar your hair’s structural integrity.

I bet you don’t want these.

How Long Should You Wait Before Dying Your Hair After a Keratin Treatment?

Generally, I recommend a waiting period between 2-4 weeks. This is because it takes about two weeks for the hair follicles to absorb the keratin treatment fully.

If you apply dyes to your hair just a few days after a keratin treatment, you’ll strip your hair of some of the smoothing benefits and look a tad horrible.

lady with blonde hair in a salon under title dying hair after A keratin treatment

Most chemical dyes contain two active ingredients: hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

Hydrogen peroxide is needed for an oxidation process that helps to soften your hair cuticle. This is necessary to dissolve your natural hair color (2).

Molecular scientist, George Rogers, agrees.

According to him, “the cuticle of the hair is vital in protecting the inner structure, the cortex, from damage caused by natural environmental factors, cosmetic treatments, industrial processes, and the invention of new ones (3).

So, the second ingredient, ammonia, opens the hair cuticle for the new color to be applied.

If this process is initiated while the keratin treatment effect is still ongoing, it will result in something similar to a counteraction. This is because the hair dye will break open the seal created by the keratin treatment in straightening your hair.

This can make your hair suffer structural damage that will affect how the applied dye will work.

To find tips on how to remove your rebonded hair and get back your natural curly hair, check out this video!

Best Keratin and Color-Treated Hair Shampoo

Argan Oil Shampoo combines all the features that make shampoo appropriate for use on keratin and color-treated hair. Some of these features include:

  • Sulfate-free: Sulfate-free shampoos are ideal for keratin and color-treated hairs. Shampoos that contain sulfate can reduce natural oil production, leaving your hair dry.
  • Silk protein and phytokeratin: It contains phytokeratin and silk protein which help to nourish damaged frizzy or curly hair.
  • Suitable for all hair types: The Argan Oil Shampoo is ideal for all hair types.
  • Safety for sensitive skin: This shampoo is safe if you have sensitive skin (4). It is free from artificial colors, fragrances, and hypoallergenic that can constitute problems for sensitive skin.

Other beneficial features of Argan Oil Shampoo include the presence of antioxidants, hydration, and the ability to make your hair shiny.

Other beneficial features of Argan Oil Shampoo include the presence of antioxidants, hydration, and the ability to make your hair shiny.

An Asian lady getting hair washed

FAQs

How Long Does a Keratin Treatment Last?

A keratin treatment can often last as long as six months.

Why Can’t I Color My Hair at the Same Time as the Keratin Treatment?

You can’t color your hair at the same time as the keratin treatment because your hair will be unable to take in color at this point.
The result will be a patchy, uneven, and less intense coloration.

Should you do a Keratin Treatment After Using Relaxers?

Yes, you can. You should only ensure that your hair and scalp are in healthy condition.

Conclusion

Want that perfect dyed, keratin-treated hair?

Now, you know precisely how to go about it!

Feel free to also talk to your professional hair stylist for more expert pieces of advice on how to maximize your keratin and color treatment.

Do well to follow the rules, and you will flaunt your hair in classic style!

A lady with colorful hair.

References

  • 1. Bragulla HH, Homberger DG. Structure and functions of keratin proteins in simple, stratified, keratinized and cornified epithelia. Journal of anatomy. 2009;214(4):516-559. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7580.2009.01066.x
  • 2. Nagiev TM. Coherent Synchronized Oxidation Reactions by Hydrogen Peroxide. Elsevier; 2006. Accessed August 29, 2022. https://books.google.com.ng/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xGNdpUAcxhsC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=info:B370Jze5E60J:scholar.google.com/&ots=0TmGqEom1R&sig=7WZlNiRQnvfChlQhJLzea8bh5lw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
  • 3. Misery L, Loser K, Ständer S. Sensitive skin. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2016;30:2-8. doi:10.1111/jdv.13532