Colouring hair – Scalp cooling do’s and don’ts

Colouring hair – Scalp cooling do’s and don’ts

Colouring hair Scalp cooling, Temporary colour hair scalp cooling

At Cancer Hair Care we are often asked questions such as: Can I colour my hair during scalp cooling? What can I do to hide my roots? When can I return to colouring my hair and other hair colouring related questions. Let us help by offering you some expert insights and tips.  If you are someone who usually colours their hair then you will need to avoid using permanent or semi-permanent colours (unless your oncologist agrees) for the duration of your scalp cooling treatment. However, there are some great temporary options that may be helpful.

You can usually colour your hair prior to scalp cooling and chemotherapy treatment but not once scalp cooling treatment has began. At the time of writing some patients tell us that their nurse or oncologist has supported the use of natural ingredients based ‘semi permanent’ colours. However, in our experience this is dependent on how knowledgeable the oncologist is about hair colouring.

We are working hard to try and educate cancer professionals about the possibilities of hair colouring during scalp cooling – at present this is an on-going project. We hope that in the future there will be more possibilities offered to people during scalp cooling.

You can read more about why it’s currently recommended to avoid colouring hair in our section Colouring hair.

Below are some tips that may be helpful if you are looking to manage any roots whilst avoiding permanently colouring your hair.

Temporary colour, camouflage and cover-up products

Many women opt to use products that can help to blend in any areas of hair that feel sparse.

These camouflage and cover up products are temporary, meaning they will shampoo out when you next wash your hair. They are similar to styling products but especially developed to conceal areas of hair loss. They blend well with shorter lengths as well as longer hair.

Below is a list of common products:

Coloured styling mouse

Coloured hair spray

Coloured hair fibres

Coloured root touch ups (make-up and temporary only)

Take a look in high-street chemists and online for ideas.

Tips for using temporary colour, camouflage and cover-up products:

Protect your clothes – Wear a gown or old cardigan over clothes before using sprays or products that may splash onto your top.

Fixing spray – Do invest in any required ‘fixing’ sprays to ensure that coloured products such as ‘fibres’ stay in place.

Wear gloves – when using coloured hair sprays.

Not too dark – It can be tricky to find an exact match. Avoid choosing colours that are too dark as they can create a harsh line.

Your scalp cooling manufacturer such as Paxman or Digni Cap or a knowledgeable hairdresser may also be able to offer you some guidance.