by Marlin Bressi

Created on: April 23, 2009   Last Updated: December 26, 2010

While many women openly discuss coloring their hair, men tend to be more discreet. Some men may consider coloring their hair to be effeminate, while others are simply afraid to acknowledge the fact that they are getting older. Even though many young men of today like to experiment with haircolor, the overwhelming majority of men who decide to color their hair do so in an attempt to cover and conceal gray hair. If this is your reason for experimenting with haircolor, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Don't go too dark. Nothing looks more ridiculous on a man than a bad dye job. Very few men over the age of forty have black hair, so going too dark is a sure way to look like you dyed you hair in your own bathroom with a box of Just For Men.

2. Consider blending your gray, rather than covering it. In order to cover gray hair, you will need a permanent dye, which can be quite messy. Semi-permanent dyes blend in gray, allowing you to gradually darken your hair over time, which looks more natural. Best of all, semi-permanent dye doesn't take as long to process and it washes off of your skin easier.

3. Wear gloves. Some dyes don't come off of the skin very easily, and it is much easier to put on a pair of latex disposable gloves than to explain to everyone why your hands are covered in brown blotches.

4. Protect your hairline. If you are trying to pull off a natural look, the last thing you want is haircolor stains on your forehead, ears, and other parts of your skin. In order to prevent staining, coat the skin you wish to protect with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or skin cream.

5. Protect your clothing. Even temporary dyes can permanently ruin clothing. When coloring your hair, wear clothing that you don't mind getting stained. Also, if you rinse out your hair in the shower, make sure you don't use a white towel to dry your hair with. Your wife or girlfriend will be very upset.

6. Go to a professional. Sometimes it's just easier to pay a professional to do the job. They are trained to know what shades look best, and which shades to avoid. Best of all, there's no mess to clean up afterwards.

7. Maintenance. Coloring your hair is not a one-time thing; it requires upkeep. All dyes will fade a little over time, so the hair should be re-colored every six weeks or so. This will also prevent your "roots" from showing.

8. Know the limits of what your dye can do. Don't go by the pictures on the box. For example, someone with naturally dark hair will never be able to dye their hair blonde using a box color. The dye simply isn't strong enough, and you will be left with orange hair. Even the strongest professional dyes can only lighten hair a few shades. In order to lighten the hair drastically, you will need bleach.

9. Use the right shampoos and conditioners. Hair that has been dyed is considered chemically treated, therefore it will require different products. Using shampoos that are too harsh will strip the color from your hair.

10. Timing is everything. Always follow the processing time listed in the directions. Leaving the dye on too long may cause the color to become too dark, and not leaving the color on long enough may cause premature fading.

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