It’s hue they’re talking about

It’s one topic to dye for. Statistics show that one out of four women dye their hair. Most women dye to cover their grey hair (certainly, despite all the crow’s-feet and telltale signs of age, when it comes to hair, nobody wants to look old). Some women dye their hair just for the fun of it. And they change the color of their hair as often as they feel like it, perhaps to match their moods.

There are as many types and hues of dyes as there are personalities. Baby, it’s hue: Choose one that suits you. "Used correctly, hair dye can not only improve the color of your hair but add the appearance of depth and fullness," says dermatologic surgeon Dr. Barney Kenet in his book How to Wash your Face with Patricia Lawler (published by Simon & Schuster New York and available at National Book Store). The basic principle behind all hair dyes is the penetration of the cortex of the hair itself. The more deeply the dye is penetrated, the more lasting the dye will be."

Dr. Kenet names five different types of hair coloring.

One is temporary coloring with textile dyes. Being temporary, it’s gone (and so is your money) after one or two shampoos. Therefore, if you want it to last, avoid shampooing (yikes!). Temporary coloring is really merely a color rinse as it does not penetrate through the cuticle of the hair unless the hair is badly damaged from chemical treatments. Thus, it’s great for people who can’t make up their minds as to what color of dye they really want (purple today and pink tomorrow).

The second is gradual coloring with metallic salts. Of this, the most common is the Grecian Formula, which gets rid of grey hairs over a period of time. But stay away from it, so Dr. Kenet warns, as it damages hair and affects permanent waves and permanent hair dye.

The third is semipermanent coloring. These dyes add highlights and tone down color in a more subtle way than do the permanent products. You can wash them out of your hair after four to six shampoos. But they’re less likely than permanent dyes to cause an allergic reaction. They’re prescribed for people whose hair is less than 30 percent grey.

The fourth is permanent coloring, the most popular hair coloring in the US. How permanent is permanent? The book describes: "An alkaline solution swells the hair’s cuticle, allowing the dye to penetrate into the cortex. Coloring the hair causes only mild damage to the cuticle, but too frequent or carelss applications can lead to breakage. The advantages of permanent hair dyeing are that it lasts and that it comes in a variety of shades which allow you to cover grey or lighten hair."

But then, the paraphenylenediamine dyes (PPDAs) in this type of coloring may cause allergic contact dermatitis.

And lastly, there’s natural coloring with henna, which is preferred by a lot of women because they think it’s natural. The hair-raising truth is, according to Dr. Kenet, they’re "synthetic henna-type products. Henna stains rather than dyes the hair and is used on the nails and skin in some countries. Henna comes from crushed leaves and contains a chemical called lawsone. Laboratory observations indicate that lawsone can cause anemia in some individuals."

It also causes hair to become brittle and stiff – now, that would give you a bad hair day, wouldn’t it?

To keep hair color fresh and healthy looking, the book prescribes that you avoid sun exposure as much as possible – it’s bad for the skin and hair. Avoid tugging or pulling (so don’t get into any hair-pulling fight with anyone). Don’t perm your hair and dye it at the same time (perm first and wait 10 days before dyeing). When drying hair, put dryer on cool setting. Rinse or lightly wash hair with cool water after swimming in a pool.

Have a good (hair) day!