Dying your hair can be fun. Your hair contributes to a big part of your “look” so changing your hair color can help to reinvent your look. Many people argue about how bad hair dye is for your hair but in reality how bad is it? Is it better or worse for your hair to dye it at home using a box dye or to go to a salon to have your hair professionally dyed?

Generally hair dye lasts longer when you get it done professionally and the color comes out more vibrant and even looking. However that doesn’t mean it’s better for your hair. Having your hair dyed at a salon can still damage your hair just as much as if you were to do it at home.

Hair dye works by using ammonia to lift up your hair’s protective layer called the cuticle. Once the cuticle has been lifted peroxide is used to destroy the current color. Both chemicals are damaging to your hair and after the dying process your hair will be very rough and straw-like. This is why you use a special conditioner on your hair after it is dyed. The special conditioner helps to bring some moisture and life back to your hair.

However, everyone knows that dying your hair is bad for it some people just don’t care. It’s kind of like smoking. Everyone has heard a hundred times that smoking is bad for your health but there are those people that just don’t care and they choose to smoke anyway. The same goes for dying your hair. Every teenager that wants to dye their hair has had their mom tell them at one time or another that dyeing their hair will ruin it, however most of them just honestly don’t care.

Unnatural colors often get a bad stigma. It is usually looked down upon to have your hair a fun color. A lot of jobs won’t hire you if your hair is unnaturally colored, It’s against a lot of schools’ dress codes and they can actually kick the student out until it is dyed back to a natural color, not to mention most parents are much less likely to let their child dye their hair if they want to dye it an unnatural color. “I don’t care what anyone says, I love my blue hair” said Shyanne Mason.