Can I color my hair after transplant?

@parojulie, Wow! This is a fantastic question. - I expect that you are not alone with this concern.

I congratulation on your successful recovery and for your desire to begin your new life after your transplant. Wonderful feeling, isn't it?
One of my early return home desires was to get a hair cut. However, hair dye was not on my list as my hair was already silver grey naturally. I was afraid to step out for a haircut out of concern for germ exposure. But my hairdresser, was very careful to provide a safe environment for me. So that made my simple haircut a possibility for me.

What has your transplant team advised? Are there some hair products that are more-or-less of a risk?

I was not planning to step out for haircut or color in midst of this Covid crisis 🙂 I was planning to apply just the box color myself at home. My home nurse and Transplant coordinator responded to wait at least 3 months as the colors do have a lot of abrasive chemicals.

I was inquisitive as how long did you all wait if you do color your hair?

Yes, I have been feeling good last 2 week ( except for the anemia concern I am almost 8 weeks post transplant now.

Due to being sick for a while prior to my double lung transplant, I haven't been able to get my hair colored in about 6 months. What is the best hair color to use? My salon uses Redken Chromomatics which has no fumes. My doctor said that I can use natural hair color, but there is no hair color without chemicals. I am less than a month out from the surgery.

Hello there Chickytina! I too am about to get listed for a double lung transplant. You may want to ask your doctors to be more specific about the hair dye. I would be interested in the answer to that myself. I had been considering going silver just to make my life easier. How are you doing?

I am exactly one month out and doing so much better. I had a rating of 75 before the transplant and really didn't know how much longer I would be able to hold on. The scale goes from 0-100 (the higher the number, the worse condition). Most people get the transplant between 35-50.
Now I can walk a mile without stopping (although not at my regular speed yet due to losing so much muscle mass before the surgery) without oxygen. I so grateful for the things I am able to do now, including have my hair washed, take a shower and just being able to breathe without oxygen.
The medication regiment is something to get used to, but is supposed to be lessened as time goes by. However, I had other complications due to some of the medications that I never had before. My heart rate went from 200 to 90 within seconds and then would keep going up and down when I would be just lying there. So I need to take medication for that. I need to watch my sugar levels and take insulin when high (had gestational diabetes, but never was diabetic otherwise).
I wound up using the Chromatics from the salon, but had someone come to the house and I wore a KN-95 mask the whole time including when I started washing it out. I took it off when the mask started to get a little wet.

@chickytina, How did the coloring come out? Are you satisfied with the 'new' you?!
If my math is correct, you will are 3 months post transplant, How is your recovery coming along?

The coloring came out great. My salon sent someone to my house and uses Colormatics, which has no peroxide or ammonia. There are no fumes at all. It is supposed to be the gentlest on your hair. Then I had a KN-95 mask for the full time and while I started to wash out the dye until my mask started to get wet.
On Friday, it will be 3 months. I had a problem with inflammation in my lungs, but they are not sure if it from acid reflex or start of rejection. So I had two days of therapeutic transfusion and then need to have 10 days of higher dose of prednisone. I also need to go back tomorrow for an EKG due to having some issues with being dizzy after standing for 5-10 minutes. Yesterday, I actually had my legs give out on me and I fell. So the transplant team is thinking it might be related to A-fib. I think it will all work out though.

@chickytina, I can easily understand how wonderful you feel with your successful hair coloration!
I deserve an A+ for my math - as you are 3 months post transplant! I have a liver and kidney transplant, so I would like to ask you how you knew that you had a problem with inflammation? It sounds like you were treated quickly. Were you hospitalized?

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

Yes, you do deserve an A+.
I have a bronchoscope and biopsy every month right now. At first it was weekly, then bi-weekly and we just started to do it monthly. The biopsy is very small (pin point) and usually they alternate which lung to take it from.
The amazing thing (at least to me) is that my new lungs have actually grown (noted on X-ray comparison). Originally I was having x-rays 2x daily, which has gradually decreased to monthly. I think that my 4 mile walk every morning is helping with them grow and take back over the area that the other organs took when my old lungs were not working well.

@chickytina, There is no doubt that your morning walks are helping you to achieve a new normal with your new lungs. My liver and kidney department have always promoted walking.
I did not know that lungs would grow after transplant, but that makes sense since you are getting active and increasing your breathing capacity.

What did you find out about the dizziness that you mentioned? I hope it was not rejection.