How to Color Damaged Hair

Co-authored by Michael Van den Abbeel and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: October 26, 2024 References

Coloring your hair isn’t always a great idea, especially if it’s already damaged. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to tell if your hair can handle a dye job. Pull on a small section of your hair so it’s completely taut, then drip a drop of water on top. If it takes less than 10 seconds for the water to soak into the strands, your hair is too damaged and needs to be repaired before you can color it. ^{[1]
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Research source} If your hair passes the test, give your locks a bit of TLC before applying any new color. With the right products and precautions, you can safely color your hair without putting it at risk.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Hair Care and Prep

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1
Space out your dye sessions by 2 months or so. Don’t color your hair too frequently, or you'll worsen the damage. ^{[2]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source} Instead, wait at least 10 weeks before you dye your hair again. ^{[3]
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Research source}
- This is especially important in the winter, when your hair is dryer. ^{[4]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Academy of Dermatology
  Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
  Go to source}
2
Trim away any split ends. Unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire way to permanently fix broken hair besides giving it a trim. Comb through your hair and pinch the bottom of the strands with your pointer and middle fingers. Grab a pair of clean, sharp scissors and snip away any damaged, broken hair. ^{[5]
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Research source} Take a close look at all your hair to make sure you’ve snipped away any broken, damaged sections. ^{[6]
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- Unfortunately, natural hair tends to get damaged more often since it’s so bendy.
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3
Double-condition your hair . Lather your damaged hair with a nourishing conditioner while you’re in the shower. Rinse out the extra product before stepping out of the shower. Afterwards, massage a leave-in conditioner into your hair while it’s still damp. ^{[7]
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- Once a week, you can switch out your traditional leave-in conditioner for a deep conditioner.
4
Nourish your locks with a protein treatment. Protein treatments can help strengthen and replenish damaged hair. You can get one done at a salon, or try an at-home treatment. As a general rule of thumb, only do protein treatments every 1-2 weeks—otherwise, they could actually make your hair more brittle. ^{[8]
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Expert Source

Michael Van den Abbeel
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 7 January 2019.}
- Make sure that you follow all of the instructions for using the protein mask. Leaving the product on for too long can cause your hair to become brittle.
5
Use a conditioning hair mask the day before coloring your hair. Apply a deep conditioning mask the day before you plan on dyeing your hair. Then, leave it in for the recommended time frame before washing it out. ^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Michael Van den Abbeel
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 7 January 2019.} Look for a mask labeled as “hydrating,” which helps nourish your hair before you color it. ^{[10]
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Research source}
- You can find hair masks at a salon or department store. These products help hydrate your hair before you actually dye it, which minimizes further damage. ^{[11]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Michael Van den Abbeel
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 7 January 2019.}
- Some great hair mask ingredients are honey, egg, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, green tea, and more. ^{[12]
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  Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Best Products and Practices

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1
Pick out a semi-permanent dye to prevent extra damage. Permanent hair dyes can do a lot of damage to your hair, and aren’t a great option if your hair is already damaged. Instead, try a semi-permanent hair rinse that can change up your hair color without doing a lot of damage. Look for products that have some nourishing ingredients in the formula, like aloe vera, jojoba oil, or vitamin E.
- Temporary dyes are the safest dye to use since they usually wash out after a day.
Color your hair with a moisturizing dye. Look for moisturizing dye products that are specifically designed to help repair damaged hair. It’s okay if the dye has ammonia—while this ingredient isn’t great, ammonia-free dyes can do even more damage to your hair, since they need to stay on longer. ^{[13]
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Avoid applying dye throughout your hair—since your hair is already damaged, you don’t want to expose it to a lot of extra chemicals. Instead, apply the dye over your natural roots, which protects your actual strands. ^{[14]
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Highlighter cap kits are really convenient when you’re at home, but bleaching already-bleached hair damages it further. Instead, look for manual highlighting kits, where you brush on the product yourself. ^{[15]
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Look for products labeled as “sulfate-free,” so you don’t end up damaging your locks. Search for shampoos and conditioners that are listed as “color-safe” or “for color-treated hair”—these are gentler on your tresses. ^{[16]
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6
Wait 1-3 days before washing your hair. Your dye will fade a lot faster if you wash it right after the fact. At a bare minimum, wait at least 24 hours before you give your hair a good wash. ^{[17]
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- As a general rule of thumb, don’t wash your hair everyday. The more you wash your hair, the faster your color will fade.
- Only shampoo a couple of times during the week after you’ve dyed your hair. ^{[18]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Michael Van den Abbeel
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 7 January 2019.}

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I protect my hair after it's dyed?

Michael Van den Abbeel
Experienced Hair Colorist
Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon.

Michael Van den Abbeel

Experienced Hair Colorist

Expert Answer

Be careful not to shampoo your hair every time you bathe since it could damage your hair more. If you do shampoo, opt for something that's sulfate-free.

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Question

Can you repair damaged hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Unfortunately no. You can hydrate damaged hair and smooth out the cuticle which will make it feel softer and look healthier. You can treat it with protein, which will help prevent breakage. But all treatments for damaged hair are temporary, not true fixes.

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Question

I don't have strong enough hair, and I want to dye my hair light pink. How could I strengthen my hair enough to get pink hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

If your hair is severely damaged, it will not be possible to get a color that requires pre-lightening, such as pink, without risking severe damage and breakage.

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Tips

Treating damaged hair of any kind is tricky. If you don’t have a lot of hair coloring experience, you may want to schedule an appointment with a professional instead. A stylist will know how to best minimize further damage when coloring hair.

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Warnings

Hair dye can cause an allergic reaction. Always do a patch test at least 24 hours before dyeing your hair, even if you have dyed it before.

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You should never get more than 1 major treatment when you’re at the salon, whether it’s hair dye, hair relaxing, or a perm. ^{[19]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}

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Michael Van den Abbeel
Professional Hair Stylist

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How to Color Damaged Hair

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Hair Care and Prep

Best Products and Practices

Expert Q&A

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