Static Hair After Coloring

Shampoos and conditioners — Photo: Shutterstock

Q: I decided to dye my hair black, and I used permanent dye. The directions said to leave the dye on for 25 minutes but I only left it on for 10. I am an American Indian/Italian and my normally straight smooth hair now has a huge amount of static.

My hair is fine and I have some split ends, if I cut of the split ends would that help? I like the color but this static is horrible! I have a big event coming up. Please help!

A: It sounds as though the problem is that in coloring your hair you've made it just a little drier than it normally would be. Typically, our hair is protected from static effects by the natural oils produced by the scalp. When hair color is applied, the hydrogen peroxide used as a developer lifts the cuticle layer of the hair shaft and allows these oils and the hair's moisture to be leeched away.

Most modern hair color formulations include deep conditioning agents to replace the oils and moisture that are lost, but it seems likely that by abbreviating the processing time of your hair color that you didn't give it the chance to replace what may have been lost. This means that your hair is drier than it was, and thus more prone to the effects of static electricity.

The problem is easily corrected. There are many formulas of shampoo and conditioner now that offer anti-frizz conditioners in their formulas. Look for shampoos and conditioners that promote "smooth and sleek" looks, which will help to replace the hair's oils and moisture (and will also help to mask the split ends).

You can also use anti-frizz serums and leave-in conditioner to coat the hair shaft, leaving it smooth and shiny. Simply apply these products to towel-dried hair and comb them through using a wide-tooth comb to distribute them evenly throughout the hair before drying. Just remember to dry the hair using a low-heat, low-airflow setting, and direct the airflow away from the scalp to avoid roughing up the cuticle layer again.

Finally, once the hair is dry, you can apply a light misting of hairspray on the hair and allow it to dry once more, brush the hair to smooth it and follow up by passing the hair through a heated flat iron. The hairspray will give your hair a protective coating that will prevent static build-up and will leave the hair with the sleek, smooth look you know and love.

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See also:

Hair coloring

Hair frizz causes and treatments

How to get rid of static hair

How to get rid of split ends