Why does wet hair look darker?

When hair gets wet, the structure of the hair strand changes in a way that makes it appear darker. There are a few main reasons why wet hair can look darker than dry hair:

Light Reflection

Dry hair has a rough, textured surface due to the structure of the outermost layer, known as the cuticle. The cuticle is made up of overlapping scales that reflect light in different directions off the strands. This makes the hair look lighter and shinier.

When hair gets wet, the cuticle scales lift up and become smooth. This creates a flat surface that reflects light uniformly. Less light is reflected, so the hair absorbs more light and looks darker.

Water Content

The hair shaft is made up of a tough protein called keratin. Keratin has a natural ability to absorb and retain moisture. When dry hair gets wet, the keratin soaks up the water, swelling and increasing in size.

The swollen hair shaft has less air space inside, so light passing through encounters more obstruction. This obstruction reduces the amount of light that reflects back out, making wet hair appear darker.

Color Change

Hair gets its color from melanin pigment granules contained in cortical cells inside the hair shaft. When dry hair is wet, the cortical cells swell with absorbed water. This makes the melanin granules condensed and more densely packed together.

Having melanin packed more densely leads to less light being able to pass through the hair strand. More light is absorbed instead, causing the hair to look darker.

Oil Distribution

Sebum is an oily substance secreted by the scalp. Sebum coats the outer surface of each hair strand, helping to condition and protect the hair.

When hair gets wet, the sebum becomes spread over the entire surface of the hair. This forms a thin oil film that can reduce light reflection, making wet hair appear darker.

Hair Color

Not all hair colors are affected equally when wet. Hair with warm pigments like red, copper and gold tend to look lighter when wet. Cooler shades like black, brown and ash blonde look darker wet.

Warm shades have pigments that make the light they reflect more golden. The reflective properties of these pigments are enhanced when wet. Cooler shades have pigments that absorb more light inherently, so wetting amplifies the light absorption.

Warm Hair Colors

For warm shades like red, the pigments solubilize more when wet. This allows them to reflect more light, overcoming the light blocking effects that make hair look darker. The hair appears lighter, but somewhat translucent.

Cool Hair Colors

For cool shades like brown, the pigments are very efficient at absorbing light. Wetting the hair reduces light reflection and allows the pigments to absorb even more light. This further darkens the already dark appearance.

Artificial Coloring

Hair that has been artificially colored with dye or bleach is affected differently than natural hair when wet. The porous structure of damaged or colored hair absorbs more water, which amplifies the darkening effects.

Permanent hair color uses pigments that are trapped within the hair shaft. When wet, these pigments become more concentrated due to hair swelling. Semi-permanent or temporary colors coat the outside of the hair and can wash out or bleed when wet.

Permanent Hair Color

Permanent hair dye opens the cuticle and deposits color pigments inside the hair shaft. When this hair gets wet, the trapped pigments appear darker and more saturated.

Semi-permanent Hair Color

Semi-permanent hair color sits on the surface of the hair shaft and can wash out easier when wet. The color molecules become diluted, making the hair appear lighter and less vibrant.

Effect on Different Hair Textures

Hair texture also impacts how different types of hair react when wet. The natural structure and shape of the hair shaft influences how light is reflected when wet.

Straight Hair

Straight hair with a round, cylindrical shaft reflects light uniformly along the hair length. When wet, less light is reflected making straight hair look very dark.

Wavy Hair

Wavy hair has a flattened, oval shape that can focus reflections in certain directions. Wetting wavy hair makes the light more scattered, reducing shine and bright reflections.

Curly Hair

Curly hair has an asymmetrical, flattened shape with twists and coils. The uneven structure scatters light in all directions. When curly hair gets wet, the coils absorb light all around, making it look very dark.

Coiled Hair

Coiled hair has a spiral shape that forms distinct spring-like curls. Wetting coiled hair makes the curls hang straighter and loose their three-dimensional shape. This flattens reflections and makes the hair look darker.

Effect of Hair Condition

The condition of your hair impacts how much water is absorbed when wet, affecting the color change. Healthy hair with intact cuticles does not absorb as much water, so the color change appears less drastic.

Hair that is damaged from chemical treatments, heat styling or environmental exposure allows more water penetration into the shaft. With more water inside, damaged hair looks darker when wet compared to healthy hair.

Healthy Hair

Intact cuticles limit the amount of water that can enter the hair shaft. The hair absorbs less water overall, reducing the darkening effect. The color change is noticeable but not extreme.

Damaged Hair

Damaged cuticles allow more water to penetrate into the hair shaft when wet. With more water absorbed, damaged hair appears much darker compared to undamaged hair.

Effect of Water Temperature

The temperature of the water you use to wet your hair also influences the temporary color change. Warmer water makes the hair shaft expand more as the proteins become more flexible. Colder water causes less swelling of the hair shaft.

Warm Water

When hair is wet with warm water, the shaft can expand more and absorb more water. The cuticles also lift up more with warmer temperatures. These factors intensify the darkening effect.

Cool Water

Cool water temperatures restrict both the amount of water absorbed and the degree of cuticle lifting. The hair appears darker but the effect is diminished compared to warm water.

Effect of Hair Length

Longer hair has more surface area, so it reflects more light naturally. Wetting longer hair reduces the amount of light reflected, creating a more noticeable change than wetting short hair.

In addition, longer hair has more weight when soaked with water. This pulls the cuticles down more tightly, further enhancing the color darkening effects.

Short Hair

On short hair, the overall reduction of light reflection caused by wetting is less pronounced. The color may appear slightly darker but the change is subtle.

Long Hair

Since long hair reflects more light when dry, the effect of wetting causes a starker contrast in color. Long wet hair appears much darker compared to its dry state.

Preventing Wet Hair Darkening

While wet hair typically returns to its normal shade once dry, there are some ways to prevent the temporary darkening while wet:

  • Use cool or lukewarm water instead of hot to minimize cuticle lifting and hair swelling.
  • Gently squeeze out excess water and pat dry with an absorbent towel.
  • Apply a conditioning treatment before washing to seal cuticles.
  • Blot wet hair with paper towel to absorb extra moisture.
  • Let hair air dry instead of heat styling to limit damage and porosity.
  • Use a swim cap when swimming to create a barrier between hair and water.

When to Seek Help

In some cases, persistently and excessively dark wet hair can signal an underlying issue. See your dermatologist or hair stylist if you notice:

  • Hair remains darker than normal when wet, for multiple washes
  • Very dark wet hair even with cool water temperatures
  • Wet hair color is still extremely dark halfway through air drying
  • Dark, uneven patches of color on wet hair

Significant or ongoing color changes when hair gets wet could indicate damage, porosity issues or loss of protein. With treatment, a professional can help restore your hair’s natural light reflection and shine.

Conclusion

Wet hair typically appears darker than dry hair for a few main reasons. Water causes the cuticle scales to lift and become smooth, reducing light reflection. The swollen, water-saturated hair shaft also obstructs more light. Hair pigments absorb more light when condensed together within the wet hair shaft as well.

While annoying, wet hair darkening is temporary and subsides once hair is dry again. Using cooler water, gently drying and minimizing damage can help reduce the intensity of the color change.

In rare cases, persistently excessively dark wet hair could signal a problem requiring treatment. But in general, it is a normal result of the interaction between light and the structure of wet hair.

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