Hair bleaching is a chemical hair colour technique that strips the shade of your hair strands. Hair bleach starts with an alkaline agent that opens up the hair cuticle. Next comes the oxidative agent that impales the hair cortex and dissolves the hairs natural melanin (your hair’s natural colour). The longer you quit this agent in your hair, the lighter in colouring your hair becomes.
Your hair can either lighten to a yellow or reddish tone depending on your natural hair tone and then ultimately lighten to platinum blonde. Hair bleaching can make your hair feel, such as its texture is less soft, and this because bleaching the hair changes the porosity and flexibility of the hair.
When your hair is additional porous, this means that the hair cuticle is extra open, and will continue to open, become a split end and eventually break off if left untreated. Another reason of damage results from when the bleaching chemicals penetrate the hair shaft, they also break down natural fatty acids, which brings about in a weaker hair strand.
Table of Contents
1. How Bleaching Reaction Your Hair
So how does hair bleaching harm your hair? Well, there is a risk (particularly with repeated hair bleaching treatments) that the cuticle of the hair shaft stays permanently raised. Hair with raised cuticles loses moisture quickly, which leaves it brittle and prone to breakage.
Do you know those horror stories of destroyed hair after a hair bleaching session went wrong? That’s what’s happening! Hair bleaching always harms hair to a certain extent. However, it doesn’t need to get ugly as long as you follow proper after-care methods (more on that later).
2. How Often Can You Use Hair Bleach?
If you’re going to start hair bleaching, plan to wait six to eight weeks in the middle of hair bleach appointments. This will permit your hair ample time to recover. Remember that if your hair is darker than light brown, it will take additional than one hair bleaching session to attain bleach blonde hair.
Do not bleach your hair in two sequential sessions. In lieu, wait at least one week before further bleaching your hair. An experienced colourist can suggest when you should book your next bleaching appointment.
3. Common Faults to Avoid When Using Hair Bleach
a. Using Hair Bleach at Home
Confidence us; this is a dye job you do not want to DIY. Hair bleaching is a strenuous activity, and it’s hard to get correct, even for experienced hairstylists. If you don’t do it accurately, you’re looking at significant hair damage. Like, cut-off-all-your-hair breakage.
Do your research and discover a colourist who specializes in bleach blondes before taking the plunge. Then make a negotiation appointment to discuss your goals and hair history before the bleach goes anyplace close to your hair.
b. Not Being Honest With Your Colorist
Hair bleach works most Ok on hair that is virgin (which means it’s rarely been chemically processed) and hair that is lustre brown or lighter in colour. If you’ve ever coloured your hair before, you need to tell your colourist before they apply the hair bleach.
Why? Since when the hair bleach strips away your natural hair tone, it may not influence regions of hair dye from past dye jobs. And that can leave bands of unwanted pigment on your locks. Not what you want! Give your hairstylist a clear report of all your past hair colours for the best hair bleaching outcome.
If you have hair that is black than lustre brown, you can still attain bleach blonde hair. However, the process may take a couple of tries before you reach that icy, platinum shade.
c. Not Prepping Your Hair Beforehand
Hair bleach is damaging, so it’s a smart thought to ensure your hair is in tip-top condition before your hair bleaching appointment. This will give your hair the slightest chance of continuing healthy. Utilize a repairing conditioning mask like Hair Growth & Protection Hair Mask in the two weeks leading up to your appointment.
Another tip: skip shampoo in the two days before your appointment since a newly cleansed scalp is more likely to experience irritation from hair bleach.
d. Bleaching the Ends
If your ends are already light, they don’t need to be bleached again. Period. Applying more hair bleach to your ends puts you at greater risk for raising the hair’s cuticles forever. Also, when that occurs, you’re looking at breakage galore.
4. Why Does Bleaching Damage Your Hair?
Bleaching raises your hair’s external cuticle to permit the bleaching agent to penetrate completely. Frequent bleaching can permanently raise your cuticle, which allows rapid and nonstop loss of moisture from your strands.
Damage from bleaching incorporates:
- Dry Hair
- Brittle Hair
- Inelastic hair
- Hair that is prone to breakage
- Hair that is prone to split ends
5. How Can You Safeguard Your Hair if You Bleach It?
a. Use a Pre-shampoo Conditioning Treatment
A pre-shampoo conditioning cure will plump your hair with moisture, making it more versatile and less likely to snap. A decent pre-shampoo conditioner will also add shine, sensibility and bounce. We suggest utilizing a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment three days before and three days after bleaching or highlighting, and then weekly after that.
b. Apply a Heat-protectant When Styling
After bleaching, your hair’s cuticle (external layer) will be raised, making your hair more vulnerable to moisture vanishing. This is a particular risk during heat styling. Warmth protectant sprays and serums will help shield your hair from moisture evaporation under blow-dryers, irons and tongs.
c. Utilize a Daily Shield
Wear a lightweight, defensive spray or serum throughout the day. These items will help keep your strands hydrated, shiny and safeguard from environmental harm such as contamination, air conditioning, central heating, wind and UV rays. They will also assist seal your cuticles, minimizing moisture evaporation from your strands.
d. Invest in a Good Conditioner + Brush Gently
Bleaching upraise your hair’s cuticles, causing strands to interlock and tangle without any problem. Utilize a conditioner after every shampoo to flatten the cuticle, seal in moisture, reduce knots, and add shine.
To assist prevent breakage, gently detangle bleached hair, beginning from the ends and gradually working up to your roots. Do not pull excessively hard, or your hair will snap.
6. How to Bleach Your Hair at Home
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Hair bleach of choice
- Old T-shirt
- Old towel
- Hair clips
- Shampoo
The Process of Hair Bleach:
Section the hair into four quadrants to flawlessly apply the product. You’ll additionally want to use the bleach to smaller segments inside each section to ensure you’re entirely saturating the hair. Then, apply bleach 1 inch aside from the scalp, and work down the hair Sarea. It’s significant not to begin at the scalp, as it processes fast from body warmth.
Once the rest of the curl is done, resume and try bleach to the origin. Let bleach procedure between 20-45 minutes, depending on your hair tone, desired results, and package directions. “I suggest reading the manufacturer directions on the back of the bottle to guarantee you aren’t over-processing.” When the timer goes off, shampoo instantly and rigorously.
