Can I Use Hair Dye After A Hair Transplant?

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Can I colour my hair after transplant?

Getting a hair transplant can do wonders for your self-esteem. Not only do you get the full head of hair that you have been dreaming of, but it is a great confidence booster. You will feel more confident and it will show.

Following your hair restoration surgery, you might notice some grey hairs popping out through your growing hair. To go along with your new head of hair, you might even be tempted to change your natural hair colour for a whole new look.

Before you reach for the hair dye, learn about the risks of hair and graft damage that come from using chemical hair dyes.

Table of Contents

Can I dye my hair before hair transplant surgery?
What are the risks of dyeing my hair before hair transplant surgery?
How to treat your transplanted hair
Can you dye transplanted hair?
Do some hair transplants take longer to heal?
What are the risks of using hair dye after hair transplant surgery?
Do I need to do a patch test?
Which is better: Salon or boxed hair dye?
When can I get a haircut after a hair transplant?
Are you worried about the health of your hair?

Can I dye my hair before hair transplant surgery?

If you haven’t had your hair transplant surgery yet, it’s a good idea to schedule a trip to the salon before you go under the knife. If you dye your hair in the run-up to your hair transplant, you should have a good window before it needs topping up.

Make sure to dye your hair at least a few days before your surgery, as the dye can stain your scalp and make it more difficult to identify healthy hair follicles for extraction. This makes it harder for your hair transplant surgeon to see where the incisions for your hair transplantation need to be.

What are the risks of dyeing my hair before hair transplant surgery?

Dying your hair can damage your hair and even cause it to fall out, which in turn can limit the number of viable hair follicles needed for a successful hair transplant. Therefore, it’s essential to limit how often you colour your hair, especially if you’re experiencing any kind of hair loss.

Some reasons why it is recommended that you do not dye your hair days before your hair transplant procedure include the following:

Compromised hair graft quality. Dyeing your hair right before a hair transplant procedure can make it more difficult for hair transplant surgeons to distinguish damaged hair follicles from healthy, viable follicles for extraction and implantation.
Risk of an irritable scalp. After colouring your hair, the harsh chemicals from the hair dye leave a residue on your scalp which can cause irritation and pain, making the healing process more difficult and increasing your risk of hair transplant infection.

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How to treat your transplanted hair

For a while after surgery, you’ll need to treat your transplanted hair follicles very carefully. That means no vigorous washing, no itching, and definitely no dyeing. At Wimpole clinic, we recommend that patients use a special shampoo or a saline solution in the first week post-surgery to help the scabs heal.

You need to wait for your hair grafts to heal and settle in before you use any harsh chemical treatments such as dyes or bleaches on your hair. Colouring your hair too soon can seriously damage your hair transplant results.

In the first few weeks, you should also avoid other products like toners even if they are safer for hair than hair dye or bleach.

Can you dye transplanted hair?

After your hair transplant surgery, you will be able to dye your transplant hair however not immediately.

Experts recommend that you wait a minimum of 4 weeks after your hair transplant procedure before you colour your hair. You need to allow time for your scalp to completely heal. The healing process can vary from person to person, so it is always better to err on the side of caution. If you can wait 6 weeks before dyeing your hair, that’s even better.

This includes semi-permanent and wash-in-wash-out hair dyes. All hair dyes pose a risk of infection and/or disturbing your newly grafted hairs, so don’t be tempted by short-term fixes either.

If you’re not sure whether your scalp has healed enough for you to dye your hair, speak to your hair transplant consultant. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action.

Do some hair transplants take longer to heal?

The type of hair transplant procedure you’ve had doesn’t directly affect how soon you can dye your hair. However, FUT patients tend to find that their hair transplant takes a little longer to heal. You need to wait until all redness, tenderness and swelling have completely settled and all scabs have fully healed before using hair dye to color your hair.

Find out more about the differences between FUT and FUE transplants.

What are the risks of using hair dye after hair transplant surgery?

Hair dye contains a number of harsh chemicals. Some dyes contain bleaching agents and peroxides. The hair follicles of your newly transplanted hair are far more sensitive than your natural hair, so it is very important to avoid exposure to these harsh chemicals for as long as you can.

It is far better to wait a little bit longer to dye your hair than to damage the newly implanted hair follicles by using harsh dye on your hair too soon.

Do I need to do a patch test?

Even if you’ve used the hair dye before, you need to do a patch test when you’ve had a hair transplant. Your new hair grafts may react differently to the product, so it’s vital that you do a patch test on the inside of your arm 24-48 hours in advance of dyeing your hair. This can help prevent any adverse reactions or damage to your hair transplant.

Which is better: Salon or boxed hair dye?

If you normally dye your hair at home, you might want to consider having it done in the hair salon the first time after a hair transplant. A skilled colourist will be able to pick a product that is best suited to your new hair.

If this isn’t an option for you, you should still remember to do that all-important patch test at home.

When can I get a haircut after a hair transplant?

We recommend that you wait to get a haircut until your grafted hair follicles have fully settled and your scalp is fully healed.

It should take around a month or so for you to fully heal from the hair transplant, however, you should consult with your hair transplant surgeon before scheduling a haircut just to make sure.

As always, make sure to speak with your barber/hairdresser ahead of time to let them know about your fragile grafts and scalp.

Are you worried about the health of your hair?

If you have questions or concerns regarding hair loss or are worried about the health of your hair, contact one of our trichologists today.

Wimpole Clinic is proud to have been voted the UK’s ‘Best Hair Transplant Clinic Award’ for 2023 and the past 3 years running. Our award-winning team of hair loss specialists is more than happy to answer any questions you may have about hair loss conditions including the causes, symptoms, and possible treatments.

Book a free consultation today to learn more about how we can best help you.