Hair dye stripping is a process which is used to remove unwanted hair color. It only works when hair has been dyed darker than its original base color, and it is usually used as a prelude to color correction, which means that the hair will be dyed again after it has been stripped to achieve the desired color. As you might imagine, hair dye stripping can be very hard on your hair, so it should be avoided, if possible, and you may want to consider going to a salon for this service. After hair dye stripping has been performed, it is very important to regularly deep condition the hair for several months.

Unwanted hair color happens, and sometimes people can't wait for it to fade or grow out. Sometimes someone makes a radical color change and doesn't like it, or a dye turns out much darker than expected. At other times, someone uses a radical and unnatural color in their hair and needs to quickly correct it to satisfy the terms of a job or employment interview. Hair dye stripping uses chemicals to make the hair more porous so that the dye can be pulled out of the hair with other chemicals.

Because hair becomes more porous as a result of hair dye stripping, a new color can be overlaid after the stripping is finished. However, this needs to be done with care, as hair dye stripping can remove the base color for the hair, leading a new dye to turn a funny color. For example, dark hair colors often have a base color of red; if hair is ashy blonde after hair dye stripping, a brown hair dye might turn green. Therefore, two dye jobs are needed; one to replace the base color, and another to create the desired color and tone.

The increased porousness of the hair also makes it more fragile. After hair dry stripping, hair can feel brittle and coarse. Deep conditioning is required to smooth the hair, and you may want to trim your hair to remove old hair and split ends which could end up looking unpleasant as a result of the stripping process. A salon can often offer special products to moisturize and condition the hair after hair dye stripping.

The chemicals used in hair dye stripping are more caustic than those used to bleach or lighten hair. They should be handled carefully and in accordance with the directions of the manufacturer; if you feel hesitant about working with them, talk to a hair professional. If you need to strip your hair as a result of a salon dye job, you should go back to the salon; most salons offer free color correction if you are not satisfied with your hair color.