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Unhappy with my hair - ETA new picture

anchie

Veteran

Promise, this is my last post today. But I really need your advice. Las few months I have been really unhappy with my hair. During the summer the whitest parts of my hair developed yellow cast, not sure why. Maybe from the sun exposure and swimming in the pool. Or styling products or just the pollution in the environment. I was not around the smokers though. It is difficult to capture in the picture but it is very obvious so that people have started asking me if I have dyed my hair blond. I almost always wear it up now, in pony tail or a bun, because it is less obvious. I tried every product under the sun that promised to fight yellowing of white hair but to no avail. I like my hair long but at the moment seems like the only solution is to cut it short. And it has to be very short if I want to get rid of of most of yellow hair. But I am tired of keeping it up all the time too. Not sure what to do. It is easy to cut but takes so long to grow it and I worry I will regret it. Do you have any advice for me?

PS - yes my bathrobe is orangy red too LOL

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42 replies

Latest reply was from Runcarla

Anonymous

Wouldn't platinum/ashy lowlights take care of the yellow ? And purple shampoo and conditioning mousse ? (Milk Shake brand has both and they are terrific products).

JAileen

Veteran

You don’t need to cut it. Just use purple shampoo as Lisa mentions. I rarely use it, but when I come back from my hair appointment, my whites are really vibrant. You won’t want to use it very often because it’s very harsh.

anchie

Veteran

Lisa p - I tried many different purple shampoo, mousses and tints, that did not make any difference. I was thinking about doing some professional coloring but last time I colored my hair about 6-7 years ago I had terrible allergic reaction, but if the color does not touch my skin maybe it is safe?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Do you use a chlorine filter in your shower? Chlorine is notorious for turning hair a yellow cast. We use filters in our shower and I always wash my hair after swimming in a pool.

I know it's not "green" but this article makes sense to me about trying baking soda and/or lemon juice a few times.

http://babesinhairland.com/tip.....mers-hair/

anchie

Veteran

JAleen - I used purple shampoo for many years and it was working until this summer, but yellowing is so bad now, that purple shampoo does not make any difference unfortunately.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Don’t cut your hair!It really suits you that length.Have you had a chat with a reputable hairdresser?They must come across this problem and be able to help you.

anchie

Veteran

Texstyle - thanks for the article, I am kind of desperate and will try anything. I don’t have chlorine filter at home but my main suspect is the local pool where I spent lot of time this summer, more than any other year before.

anchie

Veteran

Cardiff girl - I did talk to a hairdresser and she was eager to help until I mentioned my allergy. After that she refused to try anything probably in fear that if something happens she will be liable.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Tex gave the answer I was thinking of.

But I’m also wondering what’s wrong with yellow/blonde hair?

anchie

Veteran

FashIntern -Nothing wrong with the blond hair but it looks more as dull, unkept and dirty than a real blond hair. And I have now about 4cm of bright white hair growing out and you can see the demarcation line, like I am growing out my white hair again. I hope it is more obvious in this picture.

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Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Now I get it. Thanks.

There are swimmers shampoos and conditioners, formulated specifically to get the chlorine out, but idk if they’d be useful this much later. Might be worth a try, along with the ideas in Texstyle’s article.

I hear you on the hawch chemicals in hair dye. What about “temp” dyes based on henna or other similar things? Some of them apparently last for weeks. That would probably have to be DIY. I’ve seen the dyes in some larger stores (in the US) or you might have to go to your favorite hippie spot.

anchie

Veteran

FashIntern - LOL interesting how when I mention allergy people always recommend henna to me. I don’t want to go dark - whit such a white roots it is impossible to keep it up, because you see the roots within a few days. And red henna will most likely have a carrot shade on my hair. That would be a disaster LOL.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Anchie, no, I get that you want to go light again. I chose a bad example, because although I think there are lighter colors based on some extract of henna, I don’t know anything about it. But I do know that there are plant-based hair treatments out there—vegan, organic, etc—that are gentler and don’t last as long.

Tina

Veteran

It sounds like you have, over time, dyed your hair with pool chlorine:(
The line is obvious, as you point out, so you are technically dealing with either dying it back to match your beautiful natural colour or you can grow it out and lastly you can cut it. I have not had this exact same experience, but radiation treatments and the resulting loss of protein in my body just completely took the life out of my hair. I normally have very healthy hair. I cut them and now they are back to normal.

You may have to collect an assortment of pool caps in all the latest colours for next season:-)

JAileen

Veteran

I’m sorry I didn’t understand the problem. This article is more about prevention than an after the fact fix. I thought the idea of putting conditioner on your hair before going in the water, with a swim cap, of course, was interesting.

https://www.leaf.tv/articles/c.....gray-hair/

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Oh, absolutely! If you spend serious time in the water (like a swim team member would), you’ve got to get your hair wet and condition it first. Then follow-up with whatever after swim shampoo you like. (I used AfterSwim for years, then switched to Aubrey Organics). But that’s all preventative, not where you are now.

anchie

Veteran

Tina - you get it. Sorry to hear about your health issues, hope it is behind you now.
JAleen - please don’t apologize, I know you meant well. Thanks for the article, I learned now how to deal with this in the future.
FashIntern - it did not occur to me that pool water can have such an effect. My daughter had huge growth spurt, was diagnosed with scoliosis and swimming was recommended, that is why I have spent so much time in the pool this summer.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Treatments for scoliosis have gotten so much better! Back in the day, a girl I knew was put in a plaster cast from chin to hips for several months to treat it, followed with a metal brace. Much more recently, (in the last decade) my niece was diagnosed with it; she dealt with it entirely by physical therapy. She is in college now, and while I think she might still have a slight curvature, she is completely pain-free. She’s very strong, having done lots of conditioning and strength training for soccer and crew teams. Does your daughter have specific exercises to do in the water? If not, she/you might want to think about a swim team for her. I wish her the best.

Swim team is where I learned about preventing this kind of color change. The only really dramatic time I saw it was when a very blonde girl—her hair was almost white—showed up on the school bus with green hair one day. Positively green. They had changed the chemicals in their home pool, and that was the result.

anchie

Veteran

off topic - re scoliosis- we tried with swimming and physical therapy, but she got the back brace recently eventually. Unfortunately she will have to wear it until she stops growing. It is a struggle.

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taylor

Veteran

Looks like a good clarifier may be needed. It strip metals, medication , chlorine etc. from the hair. Comes in the form of a shampoo. Your stylist can recommend one for you .

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

That is tough! I’m glad you had the recent getaway with her, and am sure being close to her mom will help her deal with it. Hugs.

Anonymous

There is a beautiful gray haired woman at my gym who also swims several times a week. People are always asking how she keeps her hair in great condition. I had to google it to find it, but I am pretty sure this is what she said : https://dchlorin8.com/collections/for-gray-hair

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I feel your pain, I got a haircut this week that I wasn’t pleased with, and it really jumps out every time I look in the mirror!

I wonder if bleach would solve the problem. Or even just a mixture of lemon and salt- you could apply to the yellowed hair, and then blow dry for a mild bleach. I do this to lighten my hair. Perhaps it would not hurt your skin?

Bijou

Veteran

Anchie, I have streaks put through my hair. When you have the colour put into foils, it does not touch your scalp, so it is only when the dye is washed off the hair that it will touch your skin. Depending upon how sensitive your scalp is, it may be OK to dye you lengths with this method.

Anonymous

Coincidentally, I asked my hairdresser about purple shampoo today. She said that yellowing is caused by copper build up?

That's all I have for ideas, no personal experience yet because even though I've been slowly greying for years my hair hasn't yet taken on any yellow tinge.

My mother uses purple shampoo once a week and also puts just enough in her other shampoo for it to take on a lavender tinge.

Anonymous

Would root touch up spray work? Or do you have allergies to it too?

Mojo Riley

Try a chelating shampoo (best option) or else a strong clarifying shampoo mixed with a handful of vitamin C powder and really work it in, then let it sit several minutes. (No worries, it's not damaging!) You have mineral buildup is all. No need to cut anything or dye it!

Also add a good shower filter to your life and remember to wet your hair, smother with conditioner and pop a swim cap on top before swimmimg.

Cee

Veteran

" Take the painnnn ! "

...Sorry ! I just watched Platoon again !

It's not as bad as it seems, kid... Just see the bugger out !

Mainelady

Veteran

You have been given lots of advice. My thoughts are to not cut your hair. If you love the length, be a bit patient and keep searching for a solution that will work. Maybe consult another stylist or color expert?
Many things can effect the color (environment, products, heat). A clarifying shampoo, to eliminate any build up may help and a toner would, but you will need to find one that does not cause an allergic reaction. What about some highlights mixed in where your hair has yellowed? Those might break up the line of demarcation and could be done on a few strands, especially on the top layer, but not go near your scalp or skin.

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