Colouring hair after hairloss

[letsgo2023]

I have had really bad hair breakage and loss last year. My hair finally starts to grow back (thank goodness!!). I have always had fine hair, and when I went to the hairdresser last month, they said they couldn't really do highlights as the new hair was still very short. My hair overall is nearly at my shoulders, but the bottom is still very thinned out obviously.

Maybe it is also not a good idea generally, but lighter hair suits me better and I have some grey hairs starting to come through as well. I guess highlights may be a bit tricky, and a lighter solid colour would be a nightmare to keep up.
Anyone any ideas of what I can do, or should I just have more patience and wait until like the summer or so and reconsider then?

Bump - anyone?

Do you know what caused the breakage and hair loss?

Personally I would wait. Have a cut the thicken it up.

what colour is your hair and what colour are you wanting to get it to?

I think it is on the back of a lot of stress last year, a COVID infection in February and then another quite bad viral infection in June.

I am mousy blond, with a hint of grey coming through. Very dull. I would love to be a bit blonder, ideally warmer blonder again.

I'll have a cut again later this month. It is thickening at the roots again thankfully. Ticker up to mid-ears now. Last big hairloss was at the end of summer I think.

I have started taking biotin since a month or so.

mousy blond on the darker side I should add

I have had very very similar to you over the past 18 months. I also used to have highlights and have not been able to have any colour since Nov 2021 and I although I have no grey yet (well the odd strand) I feel so flat. The things that have made a massive difference was having it trimmed every 5-6 weeks religiously and having it cut into a graduated bob. The breakage has now grown and whilst very fine it looks shiny for the first time in ages. I only wash it every other day as I was doing it daily and wrecking it with high heating straighteners. When I went to the hairdressers last week they said that it would be fine now to get a few highlights put it. I would wait a while if I were you, keep up with the trims and wait for it to strengthen - I feel your pain though having been blonde for 20 odd years mousy brown makes me feel very dull.

Definitely go for health over appearance. I'm doing the same thing now. Only with steel grey and white coming through.

Hi,

Had massive hair loss here for the last 2.5 years so bad I haven't worn my hair down for the last two years. I still have mine coloured though but I just have baby lights around my hair line and my parting and you won't believe how that brightens up your hair.

Related to hair loss, I spoke to a dermatologist and she recommended I get a blood test with GP to look at ferritin levels. Normal levels 150, should be atleast 70 to maintain healthy hair and mine was 42. GP said levels were 'satisfactory' but thankfully listened to what my dermatologist said. I've been taking 210mg ferrous fumerate (iron) for 3.5 months and I'm got another blood test this week to check where I'm at with the view to reduce iron supplement amount. I also use minoxidil foam (men's regaine 5%) once a day which is a foam that you part your hair and rub in the scalp. Both had a huge effect on regrowth and my hair barley falls when I wash and brush it anymore. Hope that helps!

Thanks everyone, for your tips and experience and making me feel not alone.

Iron is a good one too, I have historically always been on the low side of the range, so that would make sense to look at again as well.

I'll be patient and go for just another haircut this month.

It's just so annoying... I know I would look younger and fresher being blonde again, it would make me feel so much better, my hair now does so little for me. I am reminded about it every day when I look in the mirror.... 😔

I am also going to have a look at changing my make up, I don't have full on make up (bit of eyeliner, natural eyeshadow, concealer, mascara and blush), but maybe I need to up it a bit or like change my foundation to something that fits better with this skin/hair colour combo (and start wearing it, I usually skip it)).