I need some help. I am 35 years old, and I never dyed my hair until this past June. I just wanted to leave my hair its natural color but take away some of the gray. I had very little but felt a bit bothered by it. My stylist knew that I was very apprehensive about the process of dying my hair so she suggested a semi-permanent. I agreed to this trusting her. When she rinsed my hair, I immediately noticed that my naturally dark brown hair was lighter. After she dried and styled it I was OK with it. It wasn't my natural color as promised, but so very close that it was barely noticeable. That was in June. By the time September rolled around, I was showing some roots. I called to set up an appointment with my stylist, but I was told she left the salon and was no where to be found. The salon set me up with a new stylist. I went to him and had my hair cut. I complained to him that I wanted my natural color back. He explained to me that the dye used by my former stylist could not have been semi-permanent. He said you cannot lightened hair with a semi-permanent. I was upset with the deception. I would have never allowed permanent dye to be put on my hair, but things only got worse. I went back this October to my new stylist for a trim and color. I wanted the roots to go away. They were probably only noticeable by me, but again I was bothered by this. I just wanted my natural color back. Unfortunately, the stylist who left the salon never recorded the formula she used to color my hair. So the new stylist colored my hair and made me Gothic. He made my hair about two shades darker than my natural color. I was horrified and looked terrible having such dark hair with my very fair complexion. I almost felt like someone had played a sick joke on me. I was even more horrified to learn that he used permanent dye. To put the icing on the cake, the dye job was done two days before I was to be in a wedding. I went back to the salon the very next day (the day before the wedding) to have them remove the black dye. The stylist used a product called Elimin8 by Rusk to remove the color. The color came out but so did my natural color. My hair was orange and then needed to be recolored. The stylist recolored my hair with permanent dye, once again unknown to me. The dye was a level 5N, 10 volume which he left in for about 5 minutes. My hair was lighter as I wanted, but the color is a bit uneven. It also seemed that some of the Gothic black had come back. Regardless, I am willing to live with it for it is much better than the look given to me the night before. My question to you might seem silly, but will I ever get my natural color back? I did not think that a dye could change my DNA, but I have received mixed responses to my situation. I just want to grow my hair out and never have it colored again. If I do this, will my natural color return? I have short hair and understand that it will take me about a year, year and a half to grow it out, but will it be my natural color? I was told no by some, and yes by others. I cannot believe that dye, permanent or not could, change my genes. I just do not understand the chemistry behind hair color. Please help. I need a professional answer to this question. Thanks so much. I will be waiting to hear from you.
Thank you,
Kathy

It seems like you've been through a lot, I wouldn't blame you if you never want to color your hair again. I don't think your question is silly at all. Permanent or semi permanent color will not effect your DNA. If you grow your hair out, your natural color will return.

Permanent hair color won't change the color your hair grows from the root. The difference between semi permanent and demi permanent color is that the permanent color is designed to stay in the hair until it is cut off (it still fades regardless). Demi is supposed to fade gradually back to your natural color. Now, some demi permanent colors use a 10vol developer the level of developer determines the level of lift... 10vol can lift to 1 shade lighter. The reason the color stripper did not give you your natural color back is because the colors used had a developer which is a small amount of hydrogen peroxide so it may have lifted the artificial pigments exposing what was left of your natural pigments... however some of the pigments were lifted from the hair leaving behind the stubborn orange/red undertones. I would suggest you research and find a reputable salon to fix and even out your hair color to one close you your natural color (with permanent color so int won't fade again exposing those nasty orange tones.) then let your hair grow. If your grays bother you you can buy semi permanent dyes that contain no ammonia and don't use any developer... they will stain and blend the gray hair in for a few weeks.

I am in cosmetology school and am very frustrated at the lack of professionalism you have experienced.