hair dye post tx?

[lainiepop]

Probably a really stupid question but is it safe to have hair coloured, tinted, highlighted etc post tx or do the chemicals react with the drugs? Bored of my hair thinking of chopping it off and adding some colour and haven't had colour post tx.

Thanks!

[CalamityEC]

I highlight my hair.  I don't dye it fully, only because its way too much effort to keep it dark.  (I usually get colour in my hair two or three times a year).  I get it professionally done with a woman who uses the dye that's approved by doctors (or the cancer society.  I'm totally drawing a blank).

If you're concerned, talk to a professional hair stylist if you're able.  I have asked my hair stylist for the brand again, and will pass it along when she replies.

[CalamityEC]

Elumin is the dye brand

[CalamityEC]

Arg. Elumen. That's what I get for copying and pasting without checking. 

[jeannea]

I think it depends how much your drugs have affected your hair. (This is just my memory of old advice not gospel truth.) If prednisone has turned your hair into a brittle mess, you probably shouldn't get anything done to it or you have a chance of losing a lot more hair. If your hair seems pretty normal for you, you should be able to get away with it. I wouldn't do anything really harsh like stripping out dark brown to go platinum blond. The color doesn't react with the drugs. It's whether the drugs have already messed up your hair.

[lainiepop]

Thanks guys, I posted on another renal site on facebook and lots of replies said the risk is not with the drugs, but with the increased risk of bladder cancer from the chemicals. I think I'll just have the chop and save the dye for when I have greys, hoping am not like my dad who was totally grey at 35, but like my mum who has only just needed to dye hers age age 65, and her dad didn't have a grey hair when he died! My hair fell out and thinned but thickened up once pred was stopped, the last couple weeks Its been coming out tons so I want to lop it off, when I had my bowel op 12weeks ago it went split and dead looking in a few days, I think all that dead hair is coming out , a good four inches and all the splits be gone, it looks worse cause its so long!!

[jeannea]

I keep mine short and it feels nice and thick. A little layering with a shorter cut can hide a lot. If I go grey then I do. I worry more about losing my hair so I don't like to do too much to it. Also, for some reason mine does change color. Sometimes it's more brown, sometimes more blond. (I'm on the edge in-between for natural color.) I noticed it years ago when I started taking Zoloft and my hair got blonder. I told my doc who said I was the third patient to mention it. It goes through phases of light and dark.

You'll probably feel like a new woman with a fresh cut!