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So, you bleached your hair at home, and now have problems? Let’s look at how to fix damaged bleached hair, so you can enjoy gorgeous, healthy hair again.
Bleaching is back, and it is coming to a fashion blog near you just in time for summer! No matter what color your current locks are, you might feel the need to strip them down to the platinum glow. Hey, Kim K. did it, why can’t you?
Let’s be real: Kim K. has the money to get the perfect look in no time. Additionally, she has the ways and means to maintain that look at all times. If you decided to get the Kim K. look at home, but you have come across some major problems, you are not alone.
Of course, it is always best to put the process of hair bleaching in the hands of the professionals, but there are times that we are bold, and try to do things like this ourselves. Unfortunately, this can oftentimes lead to frightening results. While the blunders of bleaching far outweigh those of other dying, there are remedies for all of the at-home bleaching fails you have experienced.
If you have gone for the gold (or the bleached), and the results terrorized your hair, you might find yourself in a panic to remedy the situation. Check out these five bleaching blunders and the ways you can fix them.
Related: how to lighten up your skin
Table of Contents
5 Bleaching Blunders And How You Can Fix Them
#1) Breaking Hair
Even if your hair is the proper color that you originally wanted, you may find that it breaks off easily. Brittle hair can shed at unwanted times, and it can leave your ends looking like frayed straw or even peeling plastic.
Unfortunately, at this point, your hair is telling you that you have taken it way too far. According to hairfinder.com, “The bottom line is that you’ve destroyed enough of the hair’s structural integrity to leave the hair brittle and dry, and rough.”
You should understand that I’m not trying to reprimand you, but at this point, you should take note of your hair’s limits, and be a little gentler next time.
If you find your hair is breaking more than cheap plastic, you are strongly advised to seek professional help.
Your hair is hard and brittle right now, so your best bet (if you refuse emergency treatments from a stylist) is to do hot oil treatments as much as you can. Start once a day, and as your hair softens, slow it down. Additionally, you should be using deep conditioners at least twice a day.
Also, avoid heated drying and thermal styling tools for now, so that your hair can regain some measure of its structural integrity. I suggest you take all the heating tools out of your daily routine. The hot oil and deep conditioning (this hydrating argan oil mask is AMAZING!) will help to tame your hair for nights out.
Jess shares several great suggestions for fixing damaged bleached hair in this video:
#2) Texture Changes
We already discussed the dry, breaking hair change that you may have experienced with bleaching. However, you may also notice that your hair feels a little weird when it is wet. Most people encounter a spongy or slimy texture when they wet their hair after at-home bleaching.
That means that its structural integrity is destroyed, and your best bet is a stylist.
If this is not possible, it is time to start protein treatments on your hair (this one has over 10,000 great reviews). Use the hot oils and deep conditioners as well to keep your hair intact until it grows out.
#3) Scalp Issues
Uh oh! Your scalp is red, blotchy, peeling, and/or in a lot of pain. Scalp issues can lead to major freakouts in the hair world, and with good cause.
All of the symptoms listed above can be attributed to one of two things:
- an allergic reaction
- chemical burn
Both of these things can be pretty frightening. If you don’t have a friend to check out the severity of the reaction/burn, you should definitely go see a stylist. A professional can tell you whether or not you need to see a doctor. If you want to skip the stylist, you can head straight to a doctor or dermatologist to get your skin checked out.
Definitely avoid potent shampoos, and be extremely careful when brushing or combing.
Use your instincts on whether or not you should see a doctor.
#4) Uneven Bleaching
If you notice dark and/or light spots after bleaching, this is very common, especially when the bleaching is done at home. This happens because many hair bleaching mixtures are temperature sensitive.
You may find that your roots are a lot lighter than the ends. This is because your head produces more heat.
At this point, you can only see a professional to even out the tone. It is not recommended to re-bleach your hair after doing it once. This can be dangerous, and lead to over-processing and your hair falling out.
#5) Brassiness
If your hair turns yellow or even orange after bleaching, this is very common. There are several different levels of brassiness in your hair, and the remedies can range from simple to extreme.
If you have just a little bit of brassiness (but enough to get annoying for you), you may want to check out different lines of anti-brassing shampoos which have a very vague light blue tinting. Be careful, because these bluing shampoos can stain your hands!
If the brassiness is so bad that it hurts your eyes, you may consider waiting about a week, then going to see a hairdresser. The extreme cases of brassiness can be remedied with simple tinting (but at this point, you don’t want to process your hair by yourself anymore: you should definitely seek a professional).
How To Fix Damaged Bleached Hair – You Really Need a Professional
Sorry to burst your bubble, but if your home bleaching damaged your hair, you’ll probably need to seek professional help.
These will help until you can see a stylist:
Hydrating Argan Oil Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner 
Hair Perfector And Repairing TreatmentAvocado and Coconut Hair Mask for Dry Damaged Hair
Bleaching your hair is not the same as dying your hair.
It is incredibly important that you do your research. In most cases, this is not a job for your best friend (unless your best friend is a professional hairstylist). If the problems do occur, you are always encouraged to seek a professional after the fact.
Do be careful while bleaching, and if you have problems with breakage, texture, or color, make sure you are using the right shampoos and deep conditioners. If you have any problems with your scalp, it is recommended that you see your doctor.
What are some of the problems you have had with bleaching? Share with us in the comments below!
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