This Is Why Your Scalp Is So Itchy After You Color Your Hair

If you think you're the only one who experiences the somewhat rare yet adverse effects of an itchy scalp after getting your hair colored, you're not alone. According to Abigail Amparan, colorist and educator at Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York City, about 35% of people who color their hair report having some reaction to the dye, which often leaves the scalp feeling sore, uncomfortable, flaky, and red and, in more extreme cases, swollen.

 But what if you aren't ready to wear your hair au natural and embrace your grays? Or maybe your regular color appointments bump up your color so it doesn't look dull and drab. If an anti-hair color approach isn't in the cards yet, but routinely coloring your hair leaves your scalp itchy, what's a girl to do?

We tapped the experts to find out why seemingly innocent color can leave you with a desensitized scalp — and the workarounds to try if giving up altogether on coloring your hair isn't an option.

Why Does Hair Color Irritate the Scalp?

Hair color contains a few potentially scalp-irritating ingredients, such as ammonia, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium chloride, and paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which can cause dryness, redness, mild stinging or burning, and itchiness. Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says scalp sensitivity due to coloring is common and can result from allergic contact dermatitis to a specific ingredient or chemical in the dye or irritation of the skin, which may occur from pH changes.

Some people may be allergic to a component in hair dye, such as PPD or a preservative, making them more likely to react than others. "A weakened skin barrier or underlying dryness can also make the skin susceptible to irritation when exposed to hair dye," says Dr. Garshick.

Of all the ingredients in hair color that can leave the scalp itchy and inflamed, paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is believed to be the worst offender. PPD allows the hair color molecules to penetrate the hair cuticle effectively so that the color has longevity, but it's a highly allergic chemical known to irritate the scalp. While PPD concentrations are higher in single-process, permanent darker shades, they are present in almost all synthetic hair colors.

Single-process, permanent color, which is effective at covering gray hairs, contains higher levels of ammonia and PPD and commonly causes itchiness because, according to celebrity colorist George Papanikolas, the color sits directly on the scalp for some time. But all hair color formulations are fair game in firing up an itchy scalp. "It's not so much a specific coloring technique or method that can leave the scalp scratchy or inflamed, but rather any dye or chemical in the dye that has direct contact with the scalp," Amparan says. 

While PPD may be the worst offender for some people, and one that Dan Belkin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, usually first suspects as the culprit when he sees hair-related scalp sensitivities, other allergens can be found in formulas too, including ammonia, paratoluenediamine (PTD), peroxide, and resorcinol. "A PPD allergy can cross-react with other allergens, such as those in medications, clothing dyes, sunscreens, and topicals (including sulfa, thiazide, aniline dyes, PABA, hydroquinone)."

And although chemicals are likely to blame for an itchy scalp, according to Papanikolas, it's not uncommon to experience discomfort or sensitivity after coloring if your colorist applies hair dye to freshly washed hair. "Don't wash your hair for a day or two before your appointment to allow the natural oils to create a barrier between your scalp and the color," he says. "However, if you have dry scalp or dandruff, hair color can exacerbate the skin and create sensitivities." So it's best to use a dandruff shampoo to control the flaking and reduce sensitivity.

One quick word of clarity: Just because you color your hair does not mean you'll have an itchy or inflamed scalp. Many people can color their hair with zero side effects because they can tolerate the ingredients and chemicals.

The Signs of Hair Color Sensitivity

Usually, when the scalp is uncontrollably itchy after a coloring appointment, contact dermatitis has occurred; for the uninitiated, contact dermatitis, a common symptom of an allergy to hair dye, can manifest as swollen, red, blistered, or inflamed skin on the scalp causing an itchy or burning sensation. "There isn't one specific part of the scalp or face that is most affected, and some people even experience reactions on the neck, forehead or other parts of the face that come into contact with the hair color," says Michael Jacobs, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York.

If there's a minor irritation, your scalp may feel itchy within a few hours after coloring your hair. More serious reactions and allergies can take 48 hours or longer to appear because the allergy is not a type-1 allergy, like a reaction to a bee sting, peanut allergies or allergies that cause hives or trouble breathing.

"Instead, a hair color-related reaction is a type-4 allergy, which materializes from an immune response on the skin and takes days to show up," says Dr. Belkin. Usually, the first signs of irritation are itching, flaking and redness. Also, you may not see the irritation on the whole scalp because the skin is thick and insensitive. "There is usually redness and scaliness extending down the forehead from the frontal hairline, the sides of the face, or even eyelids," he says.

There's no rhyme or reason why some people color their hair for years and suddenly develop itchy scalps and irritations post-coloring. Natural aging and changes in allergen and histamine levels may explain why the somewhat simple act of hair coloring can become problematic with time. Sensitivities vary among people and sometimes worsen with each exposure because the immune system is activated locally and remembers the past allergy. "When the scalp is already irritated, it is more susceptible to irritation from products applied to the scalp, like hair dye," says Dr. Jacobs.

How to Calm an Itchy, Irritated Scalp After Coloring

If you experience an adverse scalp reaction to color, you can mitigate the discomfort. First, thoroughly wash your hair and scalp a few times with mild shampoo to remove any excess dye. Then, apply hydrogen peroxide to itchy, affected areas to deactivate any chemical reactions. "You can also apply an emollient-rich product such as aqueous cream or petroleum jelly to the affected skin to help calm it," Amparan adds. Topical or oral steroids and oral antihistamines like Benadryl are also helpful for alleviating allergic symptoms from hair dye.

You might think that going with an all-natural or organic hair color would be a safer bet, but that's not necessarily the case. Papanikolas says organic and all-natural hair colors trigger a chemical reaction, which for some people, can cause sensitivity.

Plus, labels like "natural" and "clean" are unregulated, so you don't know what you're getting. Because of that, "using these types of products can be problematic for someone who has sensitive skin or develops an allergy to them," says Amparan.

What to Do if Hair Color is Too Painful

Before sitting in your colorist's chair, Amparan says it is critical to determine what irritates your scalp. Skin patch-testing can confirm a potential allergen. Your doctor will put multiple allergens on the skin and interpret each reaction.

Your colorist can also patch-test color by applying it to the inner elbow and behind your ear and leaving it for an hour about three days before your appointment to see if the skin reacts. If there is no reaction, it is a safe sign that your scalp and skin can tolerate that formula.

For an extra layer of defense, ask your colorist to add a few packets of Sweet'N Low to the hair color while it is in the mixing bowl, which will reduce its alkalinity. "Alkaline hair dye causes the hair cuticle to open, allowing the hair dye to seep deeper into the scalp," Dr. Jacob says. Or, your colorist can mix in an anti-itch and redness solution, like AntiDotPro 01 Scalp. And prophylactically taking an allergy pill, like Zyrtec or Claritin, may help lessen the chances of a scalp reaction.

There are also ammonia- and PPD-free hair color formulations, so if you're prone to irritation, sensitivities, contact dermatitis, or even an allergic reaction, you may want to do some serious legwork and find a colorist who specializes in PPD-free color. For example, Amparan says EcoColors is a brand that doesn't contain PPD.

Highlights are often a more palatable option because they don't come into contact with the scalp. "Usually, highlights are isolated in a foil or hand painted onto the hair strands," he says. But you'll still want to proceed with caution because even though bleach doesn't contain the same ingredients as hair color, it can potentially irritate and burn the scalp.

You can also consider extensions. "They come in several different colors and options and can blend beautifully into your natural hair to add dimensions or a pop of color," Amparan says. "However, extensions don't cover gray hair, but depending on the technique and method used, you can achieve a blend in the gray or even compliment the gray hair for a tasteful appearance."

If all else fails and your only choice is to wear your hair natural, Amparan says to invest in glosses so that the hair doesn't appear drab. "A gloss does not have to come in contact with the scalp," she says. "Glossing is a fast service done at the shampoo bowl that will help seal the hair cuticle and add shine and vibrance to your hair."