Does Your Hair Change Color When It Is Damaged?

[sunshinelady]

Hey y'all,

I recently texlaxed and am trying to figure things out. I feel like I may have done the wrong thing. Anyways, my hair has gone from a natural #1 to a 1B. I have been clipping my split ends (keep finding them), but the thing that has been bothering me even more is the color change. Sometimes the whole strand is lighter, sometimes it is striped, sometimes it is just the ends.

Does this happen to anyone else? What does it mean?

 

[glamazon386]

I thought relaxers lightened the hair? I've noticed that mines looks darker now that it's natural. The relaxer used to make it a dusty dull brown.

 

[Brownie518]

Mine looks dusty when it's breaking.

 

[Luvmylife]

Hey y'all,

I recently texlaxed and am trying to figure things out. I feel like I may have done the wrong thing. Anyways, my hair has gone from a natural #1 to a 1B. I have been clipping my split ends (keep finding them), but the thing that has been bothering me even more is the color change. Sometimes the whole strand is lighter, sometimes it is striped, sometimes it is just the ends.

Does this happen to anyone else? What does it mean?

Oh boy...I hope this doesn't mean damage because I just found a huge light streak in the front of my head a few days agoerplexedmy ends look a little lighter too

 

[lsubabiedee]

mine doesn't unless it's the lighter areas getting damaged, and i haven't seen that. but i will say this: my hair was always really really dark growing up, and even after getting relaxers, it was dark. now it gets lighter and lighter.

 

[sunshinelady]

Ugh, that is my exact color. Dusty.

 

[Nicole1976]

I think the hair does get light and I think its from the sun and the relaxers

 

[♦K.O♦]

The sun gives me highlights. I like it.

 

[Energee]

A stylist once told me that the brownish coloring to the hair meant the hair was overprocessed and damaged. I think it's true because I use to have REALLY light brown hair naturally....but this was back in college when I was sometimes using box perms or letting some 'dorm stylist' do it for 5 bucks...lol. Those were the days....anyway...yes, I think it was damage because I was putting those things in my hair every 4 weeks or less...RIDICULOUS! My hair held up and was healthy because I kept a short cut back then but that's because I kept cutting all the damage off...but it was damaged.

I think another cause could just be the sun...you have to use sunscreen in the hair also. Their are some sprays with the sunscreen. I think John Freda makes one. I try to stay out of the direct sun in the hot summers now. I wear a lined hat sometimes if I'm out walking(work out) or if it's wash day I may take my regular sunscreen and run through my hair (I know I'll wash it out later anyway).

 

[adf23]

I thought relaxers lightened the hair? I've noticed that mines looks darker now that it's natural. The relaxer used to make it a dusty dull brown.

I agree with this- the natural parts of my hair are very dark, texlaxed parts are a flat looking dark brown from the relaxer and the sun.

 

[locabouthair]

I thought relaxers lightened the hair? I've noticed that mines looks darker now that it's natural. The relaxer used to make it a dusty dull brown.

When i was natural and got a press I noticed my hair was darker than when I was relaxed. before I transitioned (im relaxed again now) everyone asked if I colored my hair.

OP, i am glad you made this thread because I had the same question. I noticed since my last relaxer my ends are getting redder and redder and I hate it! I want my hair black.

 

[mrsjohnson75]

Relaxers made my hair lighter.....its weird.erplexed

 

[sunshinelady]

Thanks for the info everyone. Is there anything other than dye that I can do to prevent this?

Do lye relaxers do this or no-lye too?

 

[KAT25]

Let's not talk damage I would just say it is probably the sun affect on the chemicals in your hair

 

[HoneyDew]

My hair's color turns to 1b and when really bad had brassy undertones when it is time to use a chelating shampoo. I have mineral deposits in my water.

Also, I think my old relaxer was doing it. The calcium buildup. I was noticing it after using my relaxer and before I discovered chelating poos.

 

[HoneyDew]

Let's not talk damage I would just say it is probably the sun affect on the chemicals in your hair

You are so right about the sun.

I went to Jamaica a few years ago and had a sew-in. Don't you know that when I got home, the section of hair in the front had turned brownish red. It was from all of the sunshine I was getting!!

 

[chayil0427]

The overprocessed portion of my hair has a dusty reddish over cast...also when my hair is really dry it looks kind of ashy.

Chayil

 

[dillard]

the sun does it for sure but i think relaxing also plays a part. growing up i had reddish brown hair, after i moved from jamaica to the US, my hair darkened. then when i started relaxing, my hair got lighter again, but it was gradual, not just after one application. after i cut it all off and went natural, my hair was like jet black, darker than i ever remember it being. i have been relaxed for a year now and it has stayed dark, but i have a feeling that in a few years it will start to lighten again from relaxing.

 

[SEMO]

I thought relaxers lightened the hair? I've noticed that mines looks darker now that it's natural. The relaxer used to make it a dusty dull brown.

Same here. My hair looked more brown (with hints of red) when I was relaxed. I figured it was the relaxer or sun damage.

 

[♦K.O♦]

For those of you who say that your looks significantly darker after you went natural, are you sure it is solely the absence of relaxer causing a change in color?

In general, straighter hair shows more color than un-straightened hair. Just look at people with permanent dye. The color shows up more on straight hair than curly hair.

 

[Tamrin]

Yes it does get lighter when its damaged. I know from experience. During my first few months of lhcf, I have pics of my hair that looks extemely light and damage, and color treated.. Then I started to DC and moisturize n the regular, then you started seeing the hair getting darker even the color part. The color change is due to overprocessed and heat damaged ends.
You should have seen the front it looked blond.

 

[aloof one]

A lot of reasons my hair looked dull was relaxers. I always know where my demarcation line is because my roots are a dark brown/black and my ends are a faded black/grey... like off black or off brown or somethin...

Texlaxing can do the same thing, youll probably be able to tell when ur NG comes in that theyre both really different. Typically one is frizzier, duller in color, thinner, and maybe even more porous. My sister solved the dull color problem by getting a rinse, but I think she has to keep getting those every few weeks or so

 

[Allandra]

I think the hair does get light and I think its from the sun and the relaxers

Exactly right.

 

[Luvmylife]

So...on natural folks I guess this is sun damage?erplexed

 

[ShaniKeys]

So...on natural folks I guess this is sun damage?erplexed

I think it is because I have the same problem and only realised it after reading Sistaslick's article on porous hair. The outer layer of my hair (esp. the front) is lighter than the rest of my hair due to a number of reasons: I never protect my hair from the sun and the direct heat from flat irons. I wouldn't worry so much about a few hairs, but if it's a whole section, especially the outer layer (which is most exposed to the elements), try to find out what the cause is.

 

[brittanynic16]

When I was relaxed my hair turned brown.

 

[Artemis]

My hair is the same color relaxed as it was when I was natural. The sun really played a part, but there are layers underneath that are just straight reddish brown. As long as I can remember, I've had patches of lighter hair in random spots, not too noticeable until I point them out. Color change can mean damage, but if that's the case, the strands would also look a bit translucent, too. When I hold damaged strands up to the light, they are red and sheer. My healthy hair is still opaque.

 

[jayjaycurlz]

I also think dryness plays a part in your hair color. I can tell when my hair needs a drink (a spritz of my moisturizing spay!) 'cuz the ends get really light in color - reddish brown actually. When this happens, I spritz my hair.