Can you dye your hair before surgery

Is it safe to dye your hair before or after having Laser Eye Surgery?

When having any type of surgery, there are obviously some things that you should avoid either before or after the procedure. And while Laser Eye Surgery is far from your typical surgery – most patients can be back to work after 24 hours – the same generally applies.

For example, you probably know it’s not a good idea to down a fishbowl martini, go wild with paint at a Holi festival, or take your chances at Pamplona’s running of the bulls.

But there are also some less obvious situations that should be avoided – or could even make you temporarily unsuitable for treatment. For example, Laser Eye Surgery is not recommended for people who are pregnant or have recently given birth/are breastfeeding.

What should I avoid?

The reason for this might also surprise you. Due to the fluctuating levels of hormones that are present during and after pregnancy, your vision can also fluctuate. This inconsistency can make it difficult to determine your accurate prescription and achieve successful results. Therefore, it is recommended that you wait until your hormones – and your vision – have once again stabilised.

The same applies to the fishbowl martini. True – being drunk often makes us more outgoing (read: embarrassing), which is something that most people would want to avoid when headed into surgery. But that is not the only reason we should avoid alcohol immediately before or after Laser Eye Surgery.

Like pregnancy, alcohol consumption can cause short term vision-altering effects. Excessive long or short term use can even, due to impact on the optic nerve, lead to a type of permanent loss of vision known as toxic amblyopia.

With inextricable links between our health, behaviour, and our eyes, it’s worth being overly cautious when doing any particular activity before or after Laser Eye Surgery.

But does this apply to something as simple as dying your hair? Is it safe and completely acceptable or something to be avoided at all costs?

Dying your hair and Laser Eye Surgery

You’ll be glad to hear that it is perfectly safe to dye your hair around your surgery date. However, it is advised that you exercise some caution: by no means should you rush to have your roots touched up straight after surgery!

While you can dye your hair at any point up to the day before your surgery, it is best to wait at least one week after undergoing Laser Eye Surgery before you head to the hairdressers.

This is a general rule of thumb and may vary depending on your prescription, treatment choice, and the type of clinic you choose.

As well as dying your hair, there are a few other precautions that it’s good to be aware of before you dive in and book your consultation.

For example, it is advised to avoid some cosmetic products – in particular eye makeup such as eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara – on the day of your treatment and, again, up to one week afterwards. Other makeup that is not applied directly around your eyes (like concealer, blush, or lipstick) can generally be used safely one or two days after treatment.

Again, though, you will have to refrain from using it on the day of the treatment (thankfully you can take a day or two off work to recover).

If you have any other questions or concerns about what you can and can’t do before and after Laser Eye Surgery, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly and knowledgable team of Clinic Coordinators.