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It's not something I'm considering. We are quite a few grey (gray) haired guys around here, and I'm happy with mine.
My wife dyes hers, which I think is a pity. She would wear grey hair very well. The problem is as the hair grows and shows its natural colour at the roots. Is there a type of dye that is less harmful to the hair.
Another problem my wife has with her frizzy hair is on the top of her head. It's quite rough at the ends but the ends don't seem to be split, at least the ones I looked at with a magnifying glass. The rest of the hair is softer at the ends, but she keeps it a lot shorter than I'd like ideally (I respect her freedom and she respects mine). It's almost a "perpetual awkward stage". Perhaps it's a question of general health or the effect of the dye. Any ideas from this scanty data?
I'll have a look through the archives on growing frizzy hair.
Anthony
My blog
Anthony,
Have you looked into henna? I've no intention to dye mine but I have read up on it.
A link with users dyeing their hair from gray
Thanks for this idea. I'll ask my wife whether she has tried henna. Myself, I'm happy with natural grey hair. I just occasionally use anti-yellowing shampoo.
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My blogDear Anthony, I'm one of the few guys on this board who colours his hair. I do it to cover the grey. I've thought about stopping, but I don't want to cut it short; my hair has finally reached the sort of length that I'd like to continue wearing. I don't want to start over again! Also, I expect to be looking for a new position later this year, so I want to look more youthful...
I've done a little research into henna dye. One of members here, 'Hairball,' uses it. It does not work on hair that has already been coloured with a 'normal' dye. It also sounds like quite a chore to use. But maybe Hairball will chime in here...he seems to like the results.
Most of the dyes used in salons today have little or no ammonia in contrast to a typically higher content a few years ago. They have learned to make dyes that are not so injurious to your hair, or your scalp. I have my regrowth done in a salon about monthly. It doesn't seem to hurt my hair, which is pretty healthy and thick. Although I have very sensitive skin generally, the hair dye does not irritate my scalp.
Sometimes it's difficult to find the right hairdresser. They're not all really skilled in colour. I've tried a few until I found one that I like and trust. I let her trim my hair recently; like some of the other guys here, I've decided to go with a one-length hairstyle, but I only cut off about an inch so will make the transition from layers in about three stages over the next few months.
Colouring your hair is just another journey on top of that of growing it long. Far more common among women; I guess on men it's considered to be an effete thing to do, just like growing your hair out long...
Nu, all the best from the Land of Oz!
Many thanks, Don, for your kind words. I would not like anyone to think I am against people, men or women, colouring their hair. I wouldn't do it myself, but everyone is free and I respect that.
De gustibus non est disputandum - individual taste is not something to be disputed.
The question was really for my wife who does use colours. Those who do colour their hair and get someone to do a really good job at it can look very good indeed.
Anthony
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My blog
Hi DonInOz,
Well since you mentioned me here I figured it was my duty to respond ;) LOL. It was about two years ago I made the decision to color my hair using henna.Before I used the red henna I experimented first with Cassia which doesn't have real color but applies just like henna.I buy my henna from Mahandi and frankly have loved the look of my hair with the results.Sure its a bit of a pain in the arse applying it but I've got the system down now so its really easy to do and I do all of it myself.I usually reapply every eight to ten weeks when the new growth starts to get noticeable.I also henna my facial hair so it all matches which is a challenge but again I figured out a system that works well.You do need patience and time if you want to go the henna route but frankly I enjoy the experience.I just set aside a few hours on a Saturday to do the job.My hair feels soooo good after a henna treatment and I love the freshening afterwards.I know its all a matter of preference but I just feel better about myself with my colored hair and the world be damned if they have a problem with a 51 year old with long red hair! Attached is a pic of me fresh after a re treatment.Cheers
Mârk
The right side up pic :)
Hey, Mark (and Elektros)! Thanks for the responses and the clarifications. The red henna colour does look great on you. So the henna IS a route I might take at some point, despite my having been using synthetic colour for several years.
All the best...
Don
This is a slight over-simplification. Pure henna can in fact be used on hair that has had synthetic dye used on it. Even henna mixes can be used in that way, but only provided they contain no metallic salts.
This is not really an issue for me. I have used henna mixes on my hair in the past, and probably will do so again, but I have never used synthetic dye on my hair, and have no intention of doing so.
OTOH, henna mixes can only produce a limited range of colours, and that is the reason why metal salts were added before synthetic dyes were invented, even though the range of possible colours is not much increased by doing it. Unfortunately, the effects of synthetic dye and metal salts mixing together can be to dye your hair green and/or produce an exothermic reaction. If you remember high school chemistry, that means a reaction that produces heat, which will likely damage your hair.
The alternative to henna is regular trips to a hair salon to get your roots 'done'. And there you are completely in the hands of the stylist, who is quite capable of destroying your hair if he/she is incompetent.
However, if you dye it yourself with a synthetic 'box dye' you will be doomed to stay at shoulder length forever, as repeated application of synthetic dye to the same part of the strand always causes damage.
OTOH, if someone has used synthetic dye and wants to use henna to dye their hair whilst preserving the length, they either have to use pure henna, which is readily available but only produces a red/orange colour, or use a henna mix that only contains herbs and pray that the vendor is telling the truth about that.
I am neither a hair stylist nor a chemist, but this question comes up repeatedly on hair boards.
Or you can use hair color spray from volume I personally love it
hair color spray
I've been getting my greys covered ever since I began growing my hair back in the fall of 2000. That was the one request of my wife...if I was going to grow my hair, she did not want it to be long AND grey. Since she supported me growing my hair (even though she doesn't like long hair on men), I thought it was quite reasonable to make that one concession.
There is a world of difference between drug store hair color and salon hair color. I get mine professionally done. It actually fills in the more porous greys and helps with texture.
If done correctly, color will not hurt grey hair. It can actually help in some ways. But professional color isn't cheap.
That being said, I've seen some of the most beautiful long, grey hair on women. Very attractive!
My hair is all grey now and long, I fully intend to keep it
long and all grey. Yeah it makes me look old but at the ripe
old age of 59 I am old.
I fully intend to keep my hair long and grey (or white) until the day I die.
I keep saying I earned every one of those grey hairs every time
someone told me I needed a haircut.
I've earned every single one of mine too!
You just can't see them ;-)
