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Going to stop dying hair.

4K views 34 replies 23 participants last post by  shp1055 
#1 ·
I have made up my mind to stop dying my hair.I am 61 and my hair is grey,dyed burgandy red, and am thinking it is time to get rid of this ritual.I read that while the roots are growing out you should wear a hat or scarf to hide the roots,and when they have grown in a few inches then get a very short haircut.This is the part I dont like as when my hair is very short it tends to stick up.Has anyone done this and if so,do you have any tips.Thanks
 
#2 ·
We do corrective color when people want to go back to natural. That involves streaking the burgundy red with gray ( or white depending on what shade of gray you are) and very lightly streaking the roots with a bit of the burgundy red. That way you get a highlighted effect that is lovely but makes the growing out phase look great. It does cost though of course. However if you have a talented friend you can at least highlight the gray roots with the red you use as you slowly cut off the red ends over time.
 
#3 ·
Yes! I am 57 and I used to color my hair a dark vivid red. I wore my hair fairly short and it grows very fast. So I just bit the bullet, let it grow out some and they cut it off VERY short. Speak to your hairdresser about possible styles while it is growing out. Personally I go with the standing up hair and use hair putty to make it stay standing up.

It is SO much easier to deal with now - no roots, touch ups, fading, etc.
 
#7 ·
Thanks so much for all your advice.I guess the first thing I should do is talk to my hairdresser.I like the idea of the freedom from all the work and I am finding that my scalp dries out fast now,thinking not coloring could cure that problem.
 
#10 ·
I hope that I don't have to dye my hair - because I thought there was concern for cancer (what else is new.. right?) with hair dyes.
Hair Dyes and Cancer Risk - National Cancer Institute


Anyway - I like the idea of the temporary stuff until your hair grows out. It gently washes out - so you're not suddenly gray/white one day.

A stark short haircut - might be shocking if you're not used to such short length. But the good news.. it does grow. :)
Let us know your decision.


Cheers!
 
#34 ·
I hope that I don't have to dye my hair - because I thought there was concern for cancer (what else is new.. right?) with hair dyes.
Hair Dyes and Cancer Risk - National Cancer Institute

There are a lot of natural alternatives out there now. I had it done only once because it does cost ya! I've been going grey since about 23. I hate the whole process, but I'm not ready to "give up ship" yet either. In the meantime I suffer....lol!

Theresa:)
 
#13 ·
I did the same thing several years ago . . . I'm Native American and had VERY dark hair with several "Bride of Frankenstein" stipes of gray. . . I colored my hair for years, then decided to stop. My hair dresser did a dark base color, added in caramel, brown and blonde highlights. . . . as we cut off the dark, she added more blonde highlights over the brown and caramel, and let the gray grow in. . . no one even noticed as it got lighter and lighter and finally all natural.
 
#15 ·
Oh, I have to tell this story though . . . one of my grand daughter's lives in FL, so we don't get to see very often. . . we went to visit, and she was facinated with my long hair. . . wanted to brush it, etc. . . one afternoon she was brushing my hair and she says "Grandma, your hair is spooky". . . when I asked why, it was because it was white. . . so now we all joke about my spooky hair.
 
#17 ·
As far as I know and hope there is no definitive proof on hair coloring causing cancer. If there ever is I shall be doomed I guess. Prettily doomed but doomed none the less. Besides having my hands in it at work, breathing the fumes etc. I change the color of my hair frequently and have for many years. I have zero gray maybe a gray steak would be fun to have or chalk. I just think it is fun to be varying shades from blonde, red to funky blue steaks. I hope it doesn't cause cancer!
 
#18 ·
Well my hairdresser says there are things that they can do,but it involves more chemicals and money.I think I will just let it grow and then see how it goes.I dont go out much and I can always wear a hat.My hair does grow fast,roots are showing a week after coloring.I dont know the exact color my hair naturally is,might find that I still have some original color left.I will either like it or not but I will not use permanent color again.
 
#19 ·
well i'm 51 and let mine go to "see" and I'm about 50% gray w/ white streaks. I started getting grays at 24 and couldnt keep up w/ plucking by early thirties. I find nothing pretty about it. I look harsh and tired as well as washed out. And I do feel people treat me diff. when I let it go. As soon as I can get it cut,I will be dying again.
 
#20 ·
I'm almost 64 and have let my hair go natural since i was about 56. My husband loves it. I'm not white (wish I was), but more of a frosted platinum. Really wasn't sure what color it would be after the years of coloring.

I eased it in myself, using the root coloring kits that have a little brush. I got a shade that I thought looked closest to the new growth, and then used the brush to gently frost that color over my dyed hair. I only did this to the top layer of hair, and not the hair underneath. It remained the darker color. My hair was not dyed a drastically different color, so that helped. I went from being a dark blonde to this platinum. And then I just kept cutting it to get the old color off. I never went very short.
 
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#21 ·
Oooh, if it causes cancer I'm in deep sh*t! There isn't enough room in this forum to tell you everything I have done to this poor little head of mine :) I just wanted to say that I think white/silver/gray looks awesome on alot of women. Sometimes I see people who do color and it's so awful looking I stand there trying to imagine how great they'd look au naturel. Lately I've been doing my "blonde" myself and get lots of compliments, but I admit I've been waiting longer & longer between doing it. I used to pay $120 for my highlights til the day my Mother said to my Father - "does that look like $120 hair to you?" and he hadn't noticed me looking any different. I looked in the mirror and thought that's it I'll do it myself and save $. LOL. How I do it I read about in a magazine and would probably make most hairdressers flip their lid, but it feels great and my hair isn't all stiff and dry so I'll continue for now. I may be bald by the time I hit 60.
 
#22 ·
My neighbor dyes her hair but says she doesn't. She is 70-75 years old and has so much black dye that her hair looks weird all dull, no shine. It looks like the color would rub off if touched. I'm sure she does it herself. Bless her heart, she really is a sweetie.
 
#23 ·
That reminds me of a little lady I see in the plaza I work in. She is elderly and really a cute tiny little lady. She had the dullest black hair I have ever seen. It looks like shoe polish. It makes her look so pale. Add the bright red lipstick and it sure is a contrast. She is always dressed so sharp. I sure would love to soften the tones of her hair.
 
#24 ·
I am 47.5 and just starting to see more white hairs than I can pull. I have dark brown hair, so they really stand out. Not sure yet what I'm going to do. I don't think there is any shame in colouring your hair, if it makes you feel more beautiful to do so, but I don't want to get caught in a routine of HAVING to colour it every "x" weeks just to keep the roots from being obvious. I thought about trying the semi-permanent dye, but my hairdresser says that it doesn't work on white hairs.
 
#25 ·
Just a little warning - stopping coloring and going natural is a BIG change. It took a while for me to get used to looking in the mirror and seeing my gray hair. I stuck with it and got used to it. I get compliments on my hair ALL the time now. I think part of it is attitude. If you are happy with your hair color (and yourself as a whole) it shines through!
 
#26 ·
Well I just don't feel the need to color anymore,it is just me now(husband passed in 2011),and I am alone and will always be alone,which I am comfortable with now.Why do I care if my hair is grey,thats the natural color now, so why be afraid of it.Also getting older makes you think more of health,than looks.I have no one to impress but myself.I don't know what I will look like until it happens,but I have been told there are temporary products out there that can be more subtle,and maybe thats all that will be needed,if I have a problem with the way it looks.I think growing it out will be the biggest issue,but have to do it sometime.
 
#27 ·
I think cut has a lot to do with it. If you have grey hair, but a modern, nice, cut (whether professionally done or whether you are skilled enough to do it yourself), that goes a long way. I have seen women with beautiful hair, but horrible styles, and that alone can ruin their whole look.
 
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