Red dyed hair to platinum grey

[Handbagcuriosity]

I have had red hair for a long time. I had it cut short last summer. Was pretty much shaved at the back and sides and long on the top. I then grew it to a short bob but I’m getting lots of greys now so 3 weeks after colouring the red my roots grow in. I am wanting to go platinum grey. I haven’t dyed my hair in 3 months so have about an inch of natural growth and the red ends are faded.

My hairdresser always said to go light I’d have to go short so that she is only colouring the natural colour as red dye is the worst to take out of hair and lighten. I’m happy to just got for a short pixie cut and then grow it into a bob over the next year or so.

She has said she can cut it short and I can either have a full head bleach if I want the colour done straight away, or, she suggested just cutting it short for now and then after some growth put highlights in for a softer grow out.

Not sure what to do. I I am impulsive so my heart is saying go for a full head bleach on the short hair cut to just get the new look straight away. But in terms of ongoing upkeep, would highlights be better? I do have lots of grey but it’s still more salt and pepper through my hair

You will have to bleach all the red out or go short. A hairdresser may be happy to do this depending on how much experience they have, and what sort of condition your hair is in. But it will probably cost quite a bit.

I would find a new hairdresser (one who does a consultation, this is free) as red dye is possible to get out with the right skills and multiple steps. They may have to do it in stages though as opposed to all at once and you may need a couple of appointments. Really depends on your hair.

If your hairdresser used the words “red dye is rhe worst to get out and lighten” it sounds like she’s not hugely experienced in big dye jobs like this.

I would ring round a few salons and ask if anyone can get out red dye.

source: I had blue waist length hair (also hard to remove) but a hairdresser managed. I’d have never gone short.

My hair would be like straw if I did a full bleach. It would no doubt look great for the hairdresser but I just don’t have the skill to manage it.

How good are you at managing your hair?

She’s actually pretty good. She’s not said she can’t get the red out. She’s just been really honest and said it would need several sessions of being gradually lightened over time. So her recommendation was to grow out the natural roots, cut it shorter and colour straight onto the natural colour.

As I’ve had my hair short before I don’t mind getting it cut short. The dilemma is more whether to colour the natural hair straight away once it is cut short. Or cut is short, leave any colour for now but do it via highlights once I’ve given it more time for the natural colour to grow in

I don’t do a lot with my hair to be honest. I with wash it every 3 days or so and would treat it with a hair mask if needed but I’ve not needed one so far. It’s in quite good condition. I have been dyeing it by mixing colour/developer myself rather than box dyeing. I don’t straighten it. At the moment I leave it to dry naturally after washing and just tie it back. It is thick and neither straight or curly. Not sure if any of that makes a difference

I'd have it cut very short, let the natural colour grow out a bit and then decide what to do. It'll give your hair a rest - you can still bleach then if you want.

I went for stripping and colouring and hated it, way too long sat in a chair

After that I got the short cut and having very thick hair, every time I went for a cut, the thinning out took out a lot of the previously coloured hair so I abandoned the idea of highlights. Took about 8 months before I was totally silver

I do have an undercut as the hair at my nape is still pretty dark

I think a big issue is that I haven’t got enough grey to just keep growing it out without any colour on it all (fully bleached or highlights) it will grow out light brown with grey/silver dotted through which I don’t really want either.

Am fed up of doing my roots red every 4 weeks though too.

I think my heart is saying fully bleach to get the colour I want on a short cut straight away

My head says cutting it short and letting the natural hair keep growing before getting highlights at a later date is a more sensible thing to do but I think I’ll hate being both very short and my natural hair colour

Go to a good hairdresser who is confident in colour correction and bleaching dyed hair. I’m sure you regular hairdresser is ok but it sounds like she isn’t a specialist with colour correction. A hairdresser may be able to lift it so you can keep it long but it would likely take a few sessions. Ring round and describe what you want and see what they all say.

I had short hair to start with but it was reddy brown (the red bit being the dye). I decided to try platinum blonde 10 years ago. Went to visit a recommended hairdresser who said to let the red grow out/fade for a month and to try to condition but not shampoo. On the day it took 3 lots of bleach and 7 hours to go blonde. The first go I looked like Johnny Rotten, the second go it was custard yellow, the third it was platinum blonde. 10 years later it still is. Have roots done every 7 weeks, no shampoo except when they wash the dye out at the hairdressers, hair in great condition. But it’s short, which helps.

Thank you all. I don’t think I’ve been very clear on messaging. At no point has she said she can’t do it. I think she’s trying to save me money/time.

She has said she can keep my hair its current length and do it over several sessions but it can’t be done in one session. Or she can cut it short and do a full bleach and tone on the very short natural hair, whatever I want she can do. She’s just been very clear that if it was her in my shoes she’d wait and go for the more platinum grey look via highlights.

I’ve known her a long time and she’s very honest and very good with colour, she’s done some amazing stuff.

I’ve opted to go for a long pixie cut and let it grow a bit then start with highlights at a later date. I just need to be more patient. I’ve gone 3 months with crappy roots and hair tied back, another two month or so won’t hurt I guess