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Thread: What causes green hair?

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  1. #1
    jnorris is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst jnorris 0
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    Default What causes green hair?

    Is it chlorine? Or is it something else? I don't have this problem, just curious. I've had several people (one was a hairdresser) tell me that blonde hair turns green in chlorine. I know I used to hear it all the time, before I was managing my own pool. Is it just a misconception?

    Maybe it's when there is copper in the water, either naturally or by using a copper-based algaecide.
    Judy

    Designated "pool girl" for 16 x 40 IG vinyl pool (installed in 2006) in S.C.

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    aylad is offline SuperMod Emeritus Burfle Ringer aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars
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    Default Re: What causes green hair?

    Copper is what causes green hair and nails, not chlorine.

    Janet

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    Default Re: What causes green hair?

    Quote Originally Posted by jnorris
    Is it chlorine? Or is it something else? I don't have this problem, just curious. I've had several people (one was a hairdresser) tell me that blonde hair turns green in chlorine. I know I used to hear it all the time, before I was managing my own pool. Is it just a misconception?

    Maybe it's when there is copper in the water, either naturally or by using a copper-based algaecide.
    Bingo, green hair is due to copper.
    ~Grace

    Avid reader of this forum
    but alas, no pool... yet!

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    ivyleager is offline Lifetime Member Weir Watcher ivyleager 0
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    Default Re: What causes green hair?

    Try convincing my mother in law of that! She refuses to get her hair the slightest bit wet, stating the chlorine will turn her hair green because that is what her colorist said. My husband, her son, replied that it might be a good look for her! I didn't offer a reply. A smart move on my part.

    CaryB
    Caniac

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    aylad's Avatar
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    Default Re: What causes green hair?

    Yeah, I think I'd have to let that one go, too....smart move! I wonder why the chlorine in her tap water doesn't turn it green?????


    Janet

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    Default Re: What causes green hair?

    OK, I have to add this...

    once when I was in college and stupid, I dyed my blonde hair black. There were adult beverages involved
    Anyway, it was a 'rinse', you know, that is supposed to wash out over time. Well, it did not, and I got impatient, and probably after some more adult beverages (if my mother only knew ) I put straight bleach on my hair. It did turn green. A lovely olive shade.

    So, bleach (albeit in WAAAY larger concentrations than found in the pool) plus hair dye WILL result in green hair. Ok, bleach plus dye minus any good judgement whatsoever!

    Take this for what it's worth...
    ~Grace

    Avid reader of this forum
    but alas, no pool... yet!

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    waterbear's Avatar
    waterbear is offline Lifetime Member Sniggle Mechanic waterbear 4 stars waterbear 4 stars waterbear 4 stars waterbear 4 stars
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    Default Re: What causes green hair?

    Guess I need to straighten out a few things here. I have been a licensed Cosmetologist and Barber in the State of Florida for about 30 years now and spent about 16 of that working as a colorist in high end salons and day spas and as a Cosmetology and Barbering instructor.

    First, let me state that it is copper that turns hair green (and iron has been known to make reddish stains in blonde hair). Sound like a pool stain? Yep!

    I posted this a while back on the only way to remove metal stains from hair that really works (and compared it to the process of removing them from pools...they are basically the same!). I learned these processes from advanced training I had from a few different professional hair product and color companies. I also used to do education for product companies. Most hairstylists do NOT receive this type of training.

    http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showpos...80&postcount=3

    As far as dying the hair black and then bleaching it...first of all, hair bleach is not the same as chlorine. It is hydrogen peroxide and sodium and potassium percarbonate. It will remove natural pigment from the hair but will not remove oxidation dye hair color. ISemi permenent colors are just preoxidized oxidation dyes, which is why they supposedly wash out over time.) Such hair color needs a reducing agent to decolorize it and the process is only partially successful. If you try to bleach it out what happens is the red and yellow dye base molecules are oxidized first and do decolorize to some extent, they become yellowish colored molecules. The blue dye base molecules are very resistant to oxidation and remain essentially unchanged. The natural hair is bleached at the same time and becomes very porous. The net result is you have yellow and blue in the hair, which results in a greenish tint. Because of the porosity of the hair, oxidized red and yellow dye base molecules, which are small in comparison to the blue ones, do not stay and any further attempts to dye the hair result in greenish results also unless corrective color procedures are used.

    Probably more than you ever wanted to know about hair coloring! I know it was more than any of my students ever wanted to know!
    Retired pool store and commercial pool maintenance guy.

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