Hair texture after professional colouring

Unreg0909

Hi folks,
Hoping someone can advise please!

So my natural hair colour is dark brown but for 10 years I've been highlighting it blonde - usually a full head of meche etc

The colouring/heat damage was taking its toll and I spoke with my hairdresser about gradually darkening it so I would eventually end up nearer my own natural colour. Now in fairness while it was blonde, I had been getting treatments in it while it was blonde to keep it soft etc and would do kerastese masks at home in between, indeed people even commented that my hair was in great condition. I just couldn't keep up with the maintenance of the colour and was scared I'd end up bald if I didn't stop with the highlights.

Anyway long story short, on Saturday just gone I went in and had the darkening process started- hairdresser did a "dragged root" look whereby she put a brown all over Colour on my roots and left the ends as they were. After the colour/wash/condition I could see the stylist struggle to style my hair. I had asked for a curly blow dry but she couldn't get it to hold. So she brought me over and washed and conditioned it again. Still no joy. Just got it blow dried straight.

The problem is this; ever since, no matter how much/little I wash/condition it it has a horrible sticky feeling; it's almost as if there's mousse in my hair. It's completely knotty after washing, very difficult to brush and tends to get greasy very very quickly at the roots. I also look to have flyaway hair near my roots which never existed before when it was blonde. But mostly it's the texture/stickiness that's the worst. I'm going to go back to the hairdressers Friday but has anyone ever had this experience? As an example to my husband this evening I showed him how I could twist my hair into a bun at the back of my head and it would just sit there without any hair grips etc holding it in- it's THAT sticky

2rkehij30qtza5

I wonder if the flyaway hairs are actually broken hairs that got damaged when she darkened it?..ie your hair snapped off. That would explain that element. The funny feeling could be extremely damaged hair...does it almost feel mushy/stringy when wet?
It sounds like it has been severely damaged. What I'd suggest is Redken Exteme CAT treatment for about a month. If you were blonde all over using meche highlights then she should have probably just darkened with a semi. It sounds like she put a permanent over your already bleached hair and damaged it. Redken CAT should help a lot. However i would go back to the salon but be wary about letting them put anything other than an intensive treatment in your hair.

Unreg0909

Thanks for your reply galwaygirlee. Yes it feels awful even when wet too. Worst part is i have my goddaughters confirmation this weekend and I don't know what I'm going to do with it. I assume I'll have to just wait it out - it's terrible I can't do a thing with it wish now I hadn't bothered, thought I was doing the right thing

2rkehij30qtza5

It's really unfortunate. I'd go back to that salon, get your money back and insist they give you treatments. It sounds like they really damaged your hair. Get the Redken CAT treatment and start using it. It's a spray and will start helping after a few times of using it. I think some dry shampoo such as Batiste will temporarily help for your goddaughters communion...to give it texture. But you may be looking at long term treatments. Have a google of Joico 4-step salon treatment..holy grail for extreme damaged hair. You can only buy the salon strength tubs if you genuinely are a salon but Amazon also have them & they will really help. They are expensive though.

Unreg0909

Thanks again Galwaygirlee. I'm going in this evening to have the 4 step done so will see how that goes

SarahMollie

Ya this is really strange alright.

I'm naturally very dark brown (a lot of people say black!) and was blonde through highlights for a few years in my mid to late 20s. It was massive maintenance, I was getting my roots done every 5 weeks, alternating between full head and half head. I minded it as much as I could, but onviously there was some damage.

I decided to go back to brunette and my hairdressrer took a similar approach to what you've outlined above, in that she did the "dragged root" and left the ends lighter. They also used some conditioning treatments as my hair had been through a lot.

My hair looked healthier immediately, so I feel what you've experienced is not normal. It doesnt make sense that your hair should have been damaged (although clearly it was) because going darker should improve your hair.

I don't know how successful you'll be in getting your money back etc, but I would think its worth a try.
I don't know how I'd feel about letting them have another go at my hair if I were you. I know its the more expensive option, but would it be worth going some place else to get a second opinion and see what they advise you to do?

It sounds like all the keratin has been leached from your hair. It's the protein that gives it it's strength and structure, when it's gone you're left with 'gummy' fibres that have no 'structure' and can't hold a shape. It feels spongy when wet and dry and/or crispy when dry. Would that describe it?

You'll need keratin treatments, preferably some leave-in keratin protein sprays as well as a protein mask. If you can get a spray keratin treatment like Keratin 10 and spray it all over your wet hair and leave it to dry naturally, it'll help build up the fibre structure artificially, but nothing is going to make it feel undamaged again until it grows out. It'll feel better, but it won't be possible to restore it to it's former glory. Try treat it as best you can, but cutting it short is probably your best option. It'll look better when the bulk of the damaged hair is gone and short hair will be easier to treat.

Any hair mask might be worth applying to wet hair, covering with a towel or turban and sleeping in.

Hope that helps.

Unreg0909

Candie yes that's exactly what it feels like
so as an update, I went back yesterday and had the 4 step done. The salon owner did it for me. She reckons that (we have hard water in our house) that the dye and whatever build up was on my hair reacted and caused the damage. (Not sure if I believe that as the roots are fine, the mid lengths to ends are destroyed).
Initially after the 4 step my hair did feel better and she reckoned I should get the weekend out of the blow dry- by 3 today it was greasy at the roots and the same feeling back in the ends of it.
I'm so upset, wish I never bothered now.
I'm going to go to another salon for a second opinion and then will probably have to look at getting it cut up pretty short - even though it doesn't suit me at all and will age me about 20 years
Thanks everyone for your advice X
















































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the weekend out of the blow dry.
By 3 today it was a greasy mass and by this evening the same damaged feeling had returned.

By 3vtiday

Get some Keratin 10, and use it daily. It'll really help it build some substance and structure again.

I feel for you, must be rotten to be in that situation.

retro:electro

Would it be greasy so quickly after being so damaged though? I've had damaged hair before and I could go a week without it getting greasy it was so dry. It definitely sounds like something went wrong during the colouring process, she obviously realised this half way through hence why she washed your hair a second time

Unreg0909

It's only the roots that are greasy the ends are like straw does anyone know of anywhere in Ireland that sells the keratin 10? Had a look online but it's all Amazon etc
Thanks again
I've now gone crazy and am thinking of chopping my hair very short and then putting extensions in....

I saw it every time I was in TK Maxx, so you could try there. I'd be wary of extensions if you have damage close to the roots. Putting tension on damaged hair could cause it to break at the very root, and that'd be the worst thing that could happen. Don't panic too much yet, try the protein masks overnight, and a keratin leave in treatment for a week or so and see if you can leave a bit of length if you rescue it a bit.

retro:electro

Unreg0909 wrote: »

It's only the roots that are greasy the ends are like straw does anyone know of anywhere in Ireland that sells the keratin 10? Had a look online but it's all Amazon etc
Thanks again
I've now gone crazy and am thinking of chopping my hair very short and then putting extensions in....

Don't do anything drastic. Give it a few weeks and see how the treatments go. You'll regret chopping it off if it's not a needs must

Keane2baMused

Please please do not put any extensions near your hair while it is damaged!!

It will destroy your hair (the microbeads do cause damage, ignore the claims they don't!!!).

I agree with the keratin treatments. There's a treatment called Joico (K-Pak Revitaluxe). It's amazing and really helped my hair when it was damaged

http://m.lookfantastic.com/joico-k-pak-revitaluxe-480ml/10792322.html?_ga=1.205577363.1457094869.1462562864&switchcurrency=EUR&locover=true

They have a smaller bottle but this is much better value

2rkehij30qtza5

Unreg0909 wrote: »

It's only the roots that are greasy the ends are like straw does anyone know of anywhere in Ireland that sells the keratin 10? Had a look online but it's all Amazon etc
Thanks again
I've now gone crazy and am thinking of chopping my hair very short and then putting extensions in....

The REDKEN CAT that I told you about in my first post does the same as the Keratin 10

Unreg0909

Thanks a million everyone, so helpful. So this morning I gave it a good wash and then conditioned with a kerastese conditioner I had been using and it feels a little better so hopefully lots and lots of tlc will see it right again