As a rule, I usually keep my hair cut quite short. If it’s long enough that I need to comb it, it’s time for a haircut. Due to a variety of lazy excuses though, it’s gotten quite long by my standards. I’m maybe a month away from the full Richard Dean Anderson.
Enter my niece, a very fine young woman who is currently studying to work in a hair salon. And she needs heads upon which she can practice. As it happens, I happen to have one. She asks me if she can practice on my hair. Eh, I’m game for that I guess. I’ll donate a couple of hours to help her learn a skill and I’ll get a free haircut for my trouble. I don’t really care if she does me up like Carmen Miranda. When she’s done, she knows I want it shaved right down to the scalp. As long no pics get posted on Facebook, there’s no downside here as far as I can tell.
Well, maybe one. I know nothing about the process of hair dyeing or how it may or may not cling to the scalp even after all may hair is shaved off. What happens if she wants to dye my salt and pepper hair a light purple color? What’s likely to still be clinging to my scalp after my hair is shaved off? How noticeable is it likely to be and how long will it last?
It won’t normally stick to the scalp. Those rainbow hair colors are temporary. There are color strippers and a bunch of washing that will get any color out.
Why don’t you tell her you’re willing for a cut and style, but please, no color. I imagine she can find girlfriends to volunteer for that.
ETA: IANAHD, but I’ve been around and seen plenty of hair color in my day.
Basically, its your head. Easy enough to lay the ground rules. Allow cutting, but no color. If its long enough to perm or style: the rules are afterwards, it gets all cut off.
She will not go against your wishes. She’s looking more for experience on cutting hair, not dyeing it.
Remember, she is practicing to have customers. You should tell her what you want and have her practice getting a specific result.
If you do want to let her use you as a practice head though, just don’t wash your hair the morning before or the morning of your appointment. This way there will be a layer of wax protecting your scalp from the processing chemicals. It is actually also recommended for good hair coloring, so you’re golden.
Color isn’t just poured on and rubbed in like shampoo - more often than not, there’s an intricate “sectioning” process and specific bits have color brushed on and isolated with foil. There shouldn’t be much color reaching your skin, and once you have all her hard work shaved off, any accidental color on your scalp is no match for Dawn dish soap.
The thing is that what I want for my hair is your basic “first-day-in-the-army” buzz cut. That hardly gives her any meaningful practice though. I’m content to put myself in her hands and let her practice what she needs to do. I just want to know what the lingering effects might be.
She could dye your hair something bright and colorful, which would only stick to the salt part. Afterwards she could dye it again something darker, which would probably look a bit different than your salt and pepper hair, but would be more traditional. And then she could try bleaching it, and color all over again. Etc.
And at the end, the hair is fried, so it will have to be cut off. Your scalp, assuming it’s not damaged, should retain it’s original color in a day or so, if there’s any remaining.
The important question. Are you already on lockdown or do you have to go somewhere?
I went to my barber last year and he told me, “You would look a lot younger if you didn’t have that real 70s style haircut.”
“Don’t complain to me,” I said, “Only one of us here is a barber and he’s the guy doing all the cutting. I never tell you what to do. Do what you like.”
He gave me the modern cut with short sides and a longer floppy fringe that I now sport. Lots of people seem to really like it. To me it’s still just hair.
