Hair Coloring and Hair Products to use During and After Alopecia

We all know, hair color, highlights and dye are, for the most part, filled with chemicals which dry out your hair, make it brittle and unhealthy. However, they also cover grey hair and change your look as much as you want.

What to do?

Hair styles and colors allow you to be creative. On the other hand, when you have profuse shedding, bald spots, patches or little to no hair left, its important to be as gentle as possible with your hair.

Other factors to evaluate is the type of water you are using in washing your mane, as this too may contribute to more damage or harm.

In my first book, I talk about water, and the quality of it as it can be soft, or hard and can have bad chemicals or natural minerals depending on the source, and how it effects your hair and health.

Thankfully, we can avoid toxic chemicals altogether when choosing to color our hair. There are natural alternatives and perhaps you may be skittish in trying them during alopecia, and I would understand that, as I too refrained from getting my color done as often as before, leaving more "breathing" room for my hair and trying to figure out what was going on with alopecia and how to stop the massive exodus of hair from my head.

In hindsight, I know getting my highlights didn't harm my hair, at least to the extent when it came to my alopecia. It harms the hair due to the bleach and the chemicals, but not alopecia. If your hair is going to fall out, its going to fall out and there's no stopping it. Whether you decide to wash your hair or keep it in a bun for weeks on end, when alopecia strikes, you hair will fall out. It's not the color or you brushing it. It's your health. This is why the focus of Alopecia Angel is to heal from the inside out. Your hair is the reward for a healthy interior. Not the other way around.

In my book I speak in depth about the chemicals to avoid and to watch out for, certain products that say they are paraben free for example, and yet have parabens in the ingredients list.

I only use organic shampoos and conditioners. My hair is dry, and always needing more moisture. I love doing weekly hair masks with oils, creams, and even fruit and other kitchen basics. All recipes found in my book.

Some of the products I use are from OGX. Other brands include Maui and Shea Moisture. All of them are natural, and use little ingredients, give results and do as they say! I also love that they are not THAT expensive and the regular person can afford them. Back in USA, I tend to find all the above products at Target. In the Netherlands/ EU you can find them in ethnic beauty stores, or try drugstores and pharmacies.

Most important is to ensure there are no parabens and phthalates. Both create havoc on your health, can lead to cancer and other things. Avoid them and read labels. Don't assume they are natural because the front of the bottle says it, read the ingredients. I am sure you can find organic shampoos and conditioners anywhere, you might have to look online or buy from salons directly.

As for color, I have never dared to do it myself at home, and have been in the hands of amazing hair stylists throughout my life. (It was actually my hair stylist from over 20 years that found my alopecia and told me!)

At home hair color has changed throughout the years with better technology and formulas; in addition to a lower price tag and no chemicals, you might as well try any of these options here. If anyone has tried the below, feel free to let us know what brand or product has worked best for you.

I'd love to hear your review and I sure other readers would too!

Through my research I have found the following to be natural hair color alternatives. If you are aware of others, please let us know. We would love to share the knowledge with other readers!

-Shea Moisture  

-Naturtint

-Clairol Natural Instincts

-Lush : Henna Hair Dyes

-It's Pure

-Herbatint

-Saach Organics Tint

Thank you Kate for submitting this question. I hope these options help you! If you have any questions to submit regarding hair, alopecia and health, send us a message and we can report back!