Surgery and Hair Coloring

Hair that looks orange
Photo: Amir Kaljikovic/Shutterstock
Q: I recently had surgery about three weeks ago and I'm way overdue for my usual hair coloring and highlights. A friend mentioned that she heard having anesthesia shortly before getting your hair colored can somehow make the color turn out orange or give unexpected results. Is there any truth to this, or is it just one of those beauty myths that gets passed around?
 
A: This is a fascinating question that touches on how our bodies process medical procedures and how that relates to hair care. While the specific claim about anesthesia causing orange hair color is a myth, there are a few practical reasons why your hair coloring deserves extra care after surgery.
 
The concern about anesthesia directly altering hair color is a myth. General anesthetics like propofol, sevoflurane, or isoflurane are eliminated from your system within a matter of hours after surgery. Three weeks post-surgery, these medications are completely gone from your body and have no interaction with hair dye chemistry.
 
However, your friend isn't entirely wrong to suggest caution, even if the underlying reason isn't anesthesia itself. Surgery subjects the body to significant physical stress, which can influence your hair in a few notable ways:
 
• Mineral and Antiseptic Buildup: Depending on your recovery routine, post-op washes, or hospital stay, microscopic minerals (like copper or iron from tap water) or residual topical treatments can build up on the hair shaft. When these metals interact with the hydrogen peroxide in hair dye or lightener, it can trigger a reaction that yields unexpected warm, brassy, or orange tones.
 
• Upcoming Hair Shedding: Major physical stress can shock hair follicles into a temporary resting phase, leading to a condition called telogen effluvium. While this noticeable shedding usually doesn't start until 2 to 3 months post-surgery, the follicles are already making that transition now. While chemical processing doesn't cause this shedding, experiencing post-color shedding weeks later can feel alarming if you aren't expecting it.
 
• Impact on New Growth: Hormonal shifts, surgical stress, and post-op medications can alter oil production on your scalp and affect the texture of new hair growing in at the roots. But it's worth knowing that stress and systemic medications cannot retroactively change the porosity or structure of the hair that has already grown out.
 
• Physical Strain During Styling: Sitting still in a salon chair for long periods or leaning back over a shampoo bowl can put unexpected strain on a body that is still actively healing. This depends on where your incision is located.
 
Given these considerations, the best approach is to have an open conversation with your hairdresser. Let them know about your recent surgery and how you're feeling during recovery.
 
A skilled colorist might recommend applying a clarifying or chelating treatment first to strip away any residual surface buildup, opting for a gentler coloring formula, or performing a strand test.
 
It is important to ensure you're physically comfortable throughout the appointment. Three weeks is plenty of time for anesthesia to leave your system, so as long as you feel up to it physically and inform your stylist, you should be good to go!
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Medications with side effects that affect our hair
 
Can anesthesia cause hair loss?
 
Is it safe to get a perm 1 or 2 months before an operation?