Can I colour my hair after transplant?

Getting a hair transplant can do wonders for your self-esteem. Not only do you get the full head of hair that you have been dreaming of, but it is a great confidence booster. You will feel more confident and it will show.

But as your natural hair grows, any greys that you might normally dye will begin to show. You may also want to dye your hair for other cosmetic reasons. So can you use hair dye after a hair transplant?

Dyeing your hair before hair transplant surgery

If you haven’t had your hair transplant surgery yet, it’s a good idea to schedule a trip to the salon before you go under the knife. If you dye your hair in the run up to your hair transplant, you should have a good window before it needs topping up.

Make sure to dye your hair at least a few days before your surgery, as the dye can stain your scalp. This makes it harder for your surgeon to see where the incisions for your hair transplant need to be.

Dying your hair can damage your hair, or even cause it to fall out. So it’s essential to limit how often you dye your hair — especially if you’re experiencing any kind of hair loss. Learn more about hair dye and hair loss.

How to treat your transplanted hair

For a while after surgery, you’ll need to treat your transplanted hair grafts very carefully. That means no vigorous washing, no itching, and definitely no dyeing.

You need to wait for your hair grafts to heal and settle in before you use any harsh chemical treatments such as dyes or bleaches on your hair. Colouring your hair too soon can seriously damage your hair transplant results. Take a look at the hair transplant recovery timeline for more information.

Learn more about styling your hair after a hair transplant.

Can you use hair dye after a hair transplant?

Yes — but not immediately.

Experts recommend that you wait a minimum of 4 weeks after your hair transplant before you colour your hair. You need to allow time for your scalp to completely heal. The healing process can vary from person to person, so it is always better to err on the side of caution. If you can wait 6 weeks before dyeing your hair, that’s even better.

This includes semi-permanent and wash-in-wash-out hair dyes. All hair dyes pose a risk of infection and/or disturbing your newly grafted hairs, so don’t be tempted by short-term fixes either.

If you’re not sure whether your scalp has healed enough for you to dye your hair, speak to your hair transplant consultant. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action.

When can I dye my hair after FUE vs FUT?

The type of surgery you’ve had doesn’t directly affect how soon you can dye your hair. However, FUT patients tend to find that their transplant takes a little longer to heal. You need to wait until all redness, tenderness and swelling has completely settled and all scabs have fully healed before colouring your hair. Find out more about the differences between FUT and FUE transplants.

The risks of using hair dye after a hair transplant

Hair dyes contain a number of harsh chemicals. Some contain bleaching agents and peroxides. The hair follicles of your newly transplanted hair are far more sensitive than your natural hair, so it is very important to avoid exposure to these harsh chemicals for as long as you can.

It is far better to wait a little bit longer to dye your hair than to damage the newly implanted hair follicles by using harsh dye on your hair too soon.

Do I need to do a patch test?

Even if you’ve used the hair dye before, you need to do a patch test when you’ve had a hair transplant. Your new grafts may react differently to the product, so it’s vital that you do a patch test on the inside of your arm 24-48 hours in advance of dyeing your hair. This can help prevent any adverse reactions or damage to your hair transplant.

Salon vs at-home hair colouring

If you normally dye your hair at home, you might want to consider having it done in the hair salon the first time after a hair transplant. A skilled colourist will be able to pick a product that is best suited to your new hair.

If this isn’t an option for you, you should still remember to do that all-important patch test at home.

Getting a haircut after a hair transplant

Not sure how you can style your hair after a hair transplant, or when you can get it cut? Take a look at our ultimate guide to getting a haircut after a hair transplant.