Going blonde can add a new sense of life to your hair, but it often comes at the cost of your hair's health. While bleach can help you achieve a brighter colour, it may come with unwanted effects, leaving you with regrets.
Whether you’ve added highlights for the summer months, lightened your hair in preparation for pastel colours or have experimented with a new look, this guide will help you restore your hair health and bring it back to its natural shade. Do not fret, bleached hair doesn’t have to leave irreversible results.
The Effects and Signs of Bleached Hair
How Bleaching Works
When bleach is applied to the hair, the cuticles open in order for it to reach deep into the hair and lift the natural pigment. The active ingredients, such as hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, break down the melanin in your hair, causing it to lighten.
Doing this can also strip your hair of its natural oils, which then leaves something called the ‘hair shaft’ exposed to damage.
Bleaching Impact on Hair Health
Due to the oils being stripped, bleach can cause your hair to dry out and eventually break off, leading to split ends. Your hair also loses some of its natural protein and elasticity, which also contributes to more breakage and frizz.
Additionally, bleach can leave your hair with a rough texture, causing more knots and tangles requiring excessive brushing, which means your hair may not feel as soft or strong as it once did.
Unpredictable Colour Changes
Bleach can sometimes cause unpredictable shades, especially when done at home without a professional.
It can leave you with yellow or orange undertones, or an uneven colour. Most likely you’ll need further treatment to resolve this, but it’s always best to seek professional help for the best results.
Steps to Repair Bleach-Damaged Hair
To combat the effects of bleached hair, you’ll need to address the main concerns, including dryness, brittle hair, split ends and the loss of natural oils.
Conditioning Treatments
Using a deep conditioner can help replace lost moisture caused by bleaching.
Nourishing your hair with conditioning treatments that contain hydrating ingredients such as argan oil, keratin, and shea butter will help replenish brittle hair while helping to rebuild the hair structure, strengthen and protect individual strands. For an added hydration boost, consider applying a deep conditioning or leave-in mask once a week.
To replace the proteins lost during the bleaching process, introducing a protein-rich treatment to your hair routine can do wonders. These help to rebuild the broken down bonds in your hair, restoring its strength and durability. Look for products that contain collagen to help repair the damage from within.
Bond-building treatments like Olaplex are also great to build strength, and many types can be used while lightening your hair, or directly afterwards.
Trimming and Cutting
While you might want to avoid cutting your hair to grow it long or grow out your colour, having regular trims can actually promote healthy hair growth while keeping on top of split ends, making it look and feel healthier. Make sure to visit a hairdresser every 6-8 weeks for a trim to keep the damage in check.
Avoid Heat and Styling
Excessive heat can worsen the damage caused by bleach, as it exposes the hair follicles, making it more vulnerable to harsh temperatures.
If possible, try to limit your use of hair tools such as straighteners and curlers, or use styling tools with safe temperature controls, such as steam straighteners and using the cool setting on hairdryers.
Scalp Care
A scalp massage can help improve circulation, reduce scalp dryness and promote healthy hair growth. Consider using a scalp massager in the shower while using a gentle, colour protecting shampoo with ingredients such as jojoba oil or tea tree oil that won't strip away oils from your scalp.
Restoring Colour
Gradual Colouring
Restoring your natural colour can be time-consuming, especially if you want to avoid further damage. Start with root touch-up sprays or semi-permanent dyes to blend your natural colour in, non-permanent options are more gentle than other colouring products.
As the hair begins to grow out, you can switch to more permanent options when your hair is stronger and has had time to recover.
Toning Shampoo
Toning shampoos can help remove unwanted brassy and yellow tones, neutralising and balancing hues. Purple shampoo is best on blonde hair, adding a silver touch if left on for longer.
Be mindful that these can dry out hair, so follow up with a conditioner or mask after use. Use them once or twice a week as needed to maintain a cooler, more natural shade.
Professional Help
In some cases, it’s recommended to consult a professional, especially if you have bleached your hair at home using box dye without the correct protection and treatments.
Colour correction can be assessed by a stylist, taking into consideration your hair's current condition to recommend the best course of action. Treatments such as glossing or colour depositing can help you transition back to your natural colour, or to a colour which requires less bleach while causing the least amount of damage to your hair.
Long-term Haircare and Maintenance
Sun Protection
It’s important to protect your hair from the sun and environmental damage, especially bleached hair which is more vulnerable. Consider wearing a hat on holiday or in sunny weather to protect your hair and scalp from UV rays.
You can also use hair products such as oils and masks that contain UV protection to help prevent the colour fading.
Choose the Right Shampoo
To maintain healthy hair, consider switching to a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner. These products are gentle on the hair as they don’t contain the oil-stripping ingredient, keeping your locks strong, smooth and nourished.
You should also avoid over-washing your hair to retain its natural moisture. Depending on the hair type, most people only need to wash their hair once every 3 days!
Supplements and Diet
The importance of diet is often overlooked, but it’s crucial for promoting healthy hair. Ensure you’re incorporating enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, with plenty of food rich in protein, biotin, vitamins A, C, and E, and omega-3 fatty acids to aid hair growth.
If you find it difficult to get enough vitamins naturally, a supplement designed for hair growth can help you reach your daily quota.
While damage from bleach can feel like you’ve ruined your hair forever, it’s not always permanent. By incorporating conditioning treatments, healthy hair habits and the right nutrients into your routine, you can repair and restore your hair.
Healing takes time, so whether you’re going back to your natural colour or simply nourishing your bleached strands, consistent care can nurture your hair and get you back to its healthiest state.
Hair Repair and Restoration FAQs
How often should I condition bleached hair?
For the first few months after bleaching, it’s recommended to deep condition at least once a week to restore moisture. If your hair feels healthy enough, you can reduce the frequency to every two weeks and adjust accordingly based on how it responds to treatments.
Are there any homemade treatments to help restore bleached hair?
There are plenty of DIY treatments that can help add moisture to dry hair, such as avocado and honey masks or coconut oil. While these can help hydrate and nourish strands, for extremely damaged hair or hair that has been bleached numerous times, the best results will need professional treatment.
