If you get your hair coloured, you already know how much it costs to keep it looking good. Appointments, toning, treatments, the works. It adds up fast.
So if you also sauna regularly, it is worth understanding what that dry heat might be doing to your colour and what you can do to look after it.
Quick answer: does sauna damage colour-treated hair?
Regular sauna use can affect colour-treated hair more than natural hair. The dry heat in a sauna can cause colour to fade faster, leave hair feeling drier and make treated hair feel more brittle over time. The good news is that a few simple habits can help reduce direct heat exposure and keep your hair feeling better between salon visits.
Why colour-treated hair is more vulnerable in the sauna
The colouring process opens the hair cuticle to deposit or remove pigment. This can leave treated hair more porous and more sensitive to heat and moisture changes than untreated hair.
In a sauna, your hair is exposed to sustained dry heat, often at high temperatures, for the duration of your session. For colour-treated hair that is already more porous, this kind of repeated heat exposure can:
- cause colour to fade faster between appointments
- leave hair feeling drier or more brittle after sessions
- make split ends more noticeable over time
- affect the overall condition and feel of treated hair
This is not unique to any one hair colour or treatment type. Blonde, brunette, red, balayage, keratin treatments — any chemically processed hair tends to be more sensitive to sustained heat exposure.
It is not just a women's issue
Colour-treated hair in the sauna is often talked about as a concern for women, but it applies equally to anyone who colours or treats their hair. Guys getting their hair coloured, using toning products or keeping up with hair treatments face the same issue.
And even for people who do not colour their hair at all, regular dry heat exposure can still leave hair feeling dryer and less healthy over time. The sauna is an intense heat environment and your head sits in the hottest part of the room.
What our customers are saying
Karen, a verified Koala Hats customer who bought the Checkered hat, left this review:
"Excellent product!! Protects my color treated hair and the top of my head, allowing me to stay in the sauna longer. Highly recommend."
Karen's experience is something we hear from colour-treated hair customers regularly. The hat creates a layer between the hair and the direct dry heat above, which can make a noticeable difference to how hair feels after regular sessions.
How to protect colour-treated hair in the sauna
1. Wear a sauna hat
A sauna hat is one of the most practical things you can do for your hair in the sauna. It sits between your hair, scalp and the dry heat rising to the top of the room, helping reduce direct heat exposure throughout your session.
A merino wool sauna hat is a particularly good choice because wool is naturally insulating and soft against the hair and scalp. It does not trap heat uncomfortably and holds its shape well over regular use.
If you are looking for a premium option, The Koala Sauna Hat is made from 100% Australian merino wool and designed for regular sauna users who want natural insulation and head heat comfort.
2. Keep sessions controlled
Longer sessions mean more sustained heat exposure. If you have colour-treated hair and you are noticing it feeling drier or more brittle after sauna use, it is worth reviewing how long you are staying in and how often you are going.
Consistent shorter sessions are generally better for your hair than marathon sessions a few times a week.
3. Avoid wet colour-treated hair in intense heat
Some people wet their hair before going into the sauna. If your hair is colour-treated, dry or fragile, going in with soaked hair in high heat is not ideal. A sauna hat worn over dry hair is a simpler and more consistent option.
4. Tie long hair loosely
If you have long colour-treated hair, tie it up loosely before your session. Keeping it off your neck and face reduces how much direct heat it is exposed to. Combine this with a sauna hat for the best coverage.
5. Be gentle with your hair on sauna days
The sauna is already a heat environment. On days you sauna, try to avoid additional heat styling afterwards. Let your hair dry naturally where possible and use a gentle conditioner if your hair feels dry after the session.
Read more: How to Protect Your Hair in the Sauna
How much does hair colour cost in Australia?
Depending on where you go and what you are getting done, a full colour appointment in Australia can run anywhere from $150 to $400 or more. Toning, highlights, balayage and treatments push that higher. Most people are visiting the salon every 6 to 10 weeks to maintain their colour.
When you frame it that way, a sauna hat that helps reduce direct heat exposure to your colour-treated hair starts to look like a pretty simple investment.
Protect what you paid for.
The Koala Sauna Hat is made from 100% Australian merino wool and designed for regular sauna users who want natural insulation, head heat comfort and a cleaner sauna routine. At $59.95, it costs less than most salon appointments.
Shop The Koala HatWhat about people who do not colour their hair?
Even if your hair is not colour-treated, regular sauna use and dry heat exposure can still affect how your hair feels over time. People who sauna frequently often notice their hair feeling drier or less healthy without understanding why.
Our sister Ivy is a hairdresser on Sydney's Northern Beaches. When she started asking clients with dry, damaged hair whether they saunaed regularly, the pattern was hard to ignore. Almost all of them did. It was one of the original reasons Koala Hats was built.
Read more: How Koala Hats Started: The Story Behind Australia's Sauna Hat Brand
Build your sauna protocol.
The Koala Protocol is a free session builder that creates a personalised sauna and recovery routine based on exactly how you are feeling and what you have access to that day.
Build your protocolFAQs
Does sauna fade hair colour?
Regular dry heat exposure in the sauna can contribute to colour fading faster between appointments, particularly for hair that has been lightened, bleached or chemically treated. Wearing a sauna hat and keeping sessions controlled can help reduce direct heat exposure to colour-treated hair.
Is sauna bad for colour-treated hair?
Repeated dry heat exposure can affect colour-treated hair more than natural hair because the colouring process leaves hair more porous and sensitive to heat. It does not mean you need to stop saunaing, but building in some simple protective habits makes sense if you colour your hair regularly.
How do I protect my colour-treated hair in the sauna?
Wear a merino wool sauna hat to help reduce direct heat exposure, keep sessions controlled, avoid going in with soaked colour-treated hair, tie long hair loosely and be gentle with your hair on sauna days. These simple habits can make a noticeable difference over time.
Does a sauna hat protect colour-treated hair?
A sauna hat can help reduce direct dry heat exposure to your hair and scalp during sauna sessions, which can support the condition of colour-treated hair over time. It does not act as a complete barrier but it can help make head heat feel more manageable session to session.
Can men with colour-treated hair use a sauna hat?
Yes. A sauna hat works for anyone with colour-treated or chemically processed hair regardless of length or gender. The concern about dry heat and treated hair applies equally across the board.
How often should I sauna if I have colour-treated hair?
There is no universal rule. If you sauna regularly and notice your colour fading faster or your hair feeling drier, it is worth reviewing your session length and frequency. Wearing a sauna hat and keeping sessions consistent rather than excessive is a good starting point.
What is the best sauna hat for colour-treated hair?
A sauna hat made from 100% merino wool is a strong choice. Merino is soft, naturally insulating and gentle against colour-treated hair and scalp. Avoid synthetic or blended materials where possible.