6 Ways to Treat Itchy Scalp After Hair Dye
Ever found yourself with an itchy scalp after dyeing your hair? We're here to help!
Having an itchy scalp after hair dye is a fairly common issue. Many hair dyes contain chemicals that can cause your scalp to react and feel itchy, especially when the hair dye is sitting on your scalp for an extended period of time. You’ll need to be careful with your extra tender scalp for a few days while you recover, but then you get to enjoy your new hue in all its vibrant glory.
If you want to find out how to treat an itchy scalp before and after using hair dye, our beginner-friendly tips, below, are all you need to follow.
1. Before Dyeing, Do a Patch Test
Most hair dye in the salon and box dye you can pick up at the store have a common ingredient that can cause an allergic reaction. Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is found in both permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes that can cause dermatitis on the scalp. Having dryness on the scalp from bleaching is also common when lightening roots.
To make sure you aren’t allergic to your hair dye, always perform a patch test a day or two before dyeing your hair. This will give you enough time to see how your skin will react to the dye before applying it to your whole scalp.
2. Try a Pre-Shampoo Oil treatment
If you have dryness on your scalp (which isn’t an allergic reaction), a hair oil treatment can also help. Use coconut oil or Moroccan oil as a scalp treatment by massaging a few tablespoons of the oil onto your scalp. Let your hair and scalp soak up the moisture from the oil for a few hours before washing it out.
Editor’s tip: Once a week, treat yourself to self-care day and use the VO5 Nourishing Coconut Hot Oil. This will help hydrate your scalp and mane, helping relieve the dryness and tightness that comes with an itchy scalp.
3. Gently Wash Your Hair
If you do have an itchy scalp after hair dye, make sure you wash your hair and scalp gently, but thoroughly. It’s possible you can have dye residue that wasn’t fully washed away that’s causing your scalp to be irritated.
Editor’s tip: Infused with an exclusive ProteinFusion blend, the Nexxus Colour Assure Shampoo is great for dyed hair and super gentle, thanks to its sulphate-free formulation.
4. Hydrate Your Hair
To combat dryness from the hair dyeing process, make sure you always follow up your shampoo with some conditioner. Use the Nexxus Colour Assure Conditioner to hydrate your hair and your scalp.
5. Avoid Heat
With an irritated and sensitive scalp, you should avoid heat styling, especially by applying direct heat via a straightener or blowdryer. With the winter months, this can be challenging to leave with a wet head where you can rough blow-dry your roots when your hair is 80% dry. Avoiding or using less heat on your strands is also a good idea after a major colour change to help prevent further damage to the hair.
6. Give it Time
It can take a few days for your scalp to heal after you dye your hair. If you are still experiencing significant irritation after five to seven days, it’s time to check in with your doctor. You could be allergic to your hair dye, or you could have gotten dermatitis on your scalp. Your doctor can determine the cause of your scalp itchiness and prescribe the best treatment and treatment plan.
