Bleaching your hair is a great way to achieve the lightest possible shade. But if you do it too often, you could end up with dry, brittle hair that’s prone to breakage.
Most people want to know how often they can bleach their hair before it starts to damage their locks. So we’re with all the answers to How often can you bleach your hair?
If you’re looking for some guidance, read on for our expert advice. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about bleaching your hair safely and effectively.
From how often you can do it and the possible side effects of bleaching to what to do if you think you have already damaged your hair!
Follow our tips and get ready for lighter locks!
Table of Contents
- 1 At a Snip: How Often Can You Bleach Your Hair?
- 2 What happens when you bleach hair?
- 3 How often can you bleach your hair?
- 4 How often can you bleach your hair safely without damaging it?
- 5 TOP TIPS
- 6 Bleached Hair Before & After
- 7 What are the side effects of bleaching hair?
- 8 Can I bleach my hair at home?
- 9 How to bleach your hair at home safely.
- 10 How do I know if I’ve damaged my hair?
- 11 What can I do if I’ve already damaged my hair with bleaching?
- 12 Is a bleach bath more gentle on your hair?
- 13 How often can you bleach bath your hair?
- 14 Can you bleach hair again the next day?
- 15 Bleach with Care: Keeping Your Hair Happy and Healthy
- 16 How to care for bleached hair.
- 17 Parting words
At a Snip: How Often Can You Bleach Your Hair?
- Frequency Depends On:
- Natural hair color: Darker hair sustains more damage.
- How bleached is your hair?: Highlights vs. all-over color.
- Type of bleach: Some products are harsher.
- Expert Advice: Ensure hair is in good condition before re-bleaching. Ideally wait at least 2 weeks between sessions, incorporating both protein and moisture treatments. Damage might be fully noticeable after a month.
- Safe Bleaching Intervals:
- Dark hair, all-over bleach: Once every 6 weeks.
- Light hair, highlights: Approximately every 4 weeks.
- Gentle bleach: Possibly more frequent.
Always consult with a professional stylist for personalized advice.
What happens when you bleach hair?
Bleached hair is hair that has been treated with chemicals to remove the natural pigments from the strands, typically in order to lighten or alter the original color.
This process usually involves using a powerful oxidant, such as hydrogen peroxide, along with other additives like ammonia and developer.
WebMD gives us the lowdown on what happens to your hair when it’s bleached. Here’s the scoop:
- Your hair texture changes. Regular bleaching can lead to changes, making your hair feel drier, thicker, or rougher.
- Your hair strands swell up. This is because the bleaching agents open up your hair cuticles, adding some extra volume post-bleach.
- Your hair color changes. Bleaching can lead to some surprising color shifts. For example, black hair might turn a reddish-orange hue after bleaching.
Depending on the amount of color removal desired and how sensitive the hair is to these chemicals, the bleaching process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
Once the hair has been bleached, it can then be dyed any number of different colors and styles to create a customized look.
Whatever your reason for bleaching your hair might be, know that this process is a highly involved one that requires careful consideration and planning beforehand.
Check out the latest bleached hair looks over on our Pinterest board for ideas and inspiration.
How often can you bleach your hair?
According to the experts, how often you can bleach your hair depends on a few factors.
First, how light or dark your natural hair color is will make a difference. The darker your hair, the more damage bleaching can do.
Second, how much bleaching you’re doing-just highlights or an all-over color-will also affect how much damage is done.
And finally, what strength of bleach you’re using makes a difference. Some bleaching products are harsher than others.
“Make sure your hair is in good condition before doing another bleaching. It helps of there is time between bleaching sessions (at least 2 weeks), & lots of treatments on between (both protein and moisture). Unfortunately, it can take full month before the full damage shows up.”
Britt Murphy, Lifestyle & Business Coach
How often can you bleach your hair safely without damaging it?
So, what’s the verdict?
If you have dark hair and you’re doing an all-over bleaching job, you’re probably better off not bleaching more than once every six weeks or so.
If you have lighter hair, and you’re just doing highlights, you can probably get away with bleaching every four weeks or so.
And if you’re using a gentle bleach, you can probably safely bleach more often than that. As always, consult your stylist to be sure!
TOP TIPS
1. Choose the right bleaching product
Not all bleaching products are created equal. When you’re looking for a bleach, be sure to choose one that’s gentle and won’t damage your hair.
2. Don’t overdo it
When bleaching your hair, it’s important not to overdo it. Be sure to follow the instructions on the bleach carefully, and don’t leave the bleach in your hair for longer than recommended.
3. Condition, condition, condition
After bleaching your hair, it’s essential to use a good quality conditioning treatment. This will help to restore any damage and keep your hair healthy and shiny.
4. Don’t over-wash or brush your hair
For at least two days after you’ve bleached your hair, try not to wash it too often or brush it vigorously. This will help the new color set in and protect the health of your locks!
Follow these tips and you’re sure to get gorgeous, light blonde hair every time!
Bleached Hair Before & After
What are the side effects of bleaching hair?
Anyone who’s ever bleached their hair knows that the process is not for the faint of heart!
In addition to the obvious risks of painfully damaging your hair, bleaching can also cause a number of other less than desirable side effects:
- Dryness
- Brittleness
- Breakage.
- Split ends
- Scalp irritation
- Thinning hair over time
- Brassy orange hair color
Can I bleach my hair at home?
Yes, you can bleach your hair at home!
But we don’t recommend it unless you are an experienced hair colorist.
Bleaching your hair at home is risky because it’s easy to damage your hair if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If you’re not sure how to bleach your hair safely, we recommend leaving it to the professionals.
That said, there are a whole load of bleaching kits you can buy to get the look at home. Check our faves in our hair bleaching kit reviews.
How to bleach your hair at home safely.
Here’s a great video that’ll show you how to bleach your hair at home safely, step-by-step.
How do I know if I’ve damaged my hair?
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your hair may have been damaged by bleaching:
- Excessive dryness and brittleness.
- Hair breakage or split ends.
- Itchiness or scalp irritation.
- Thinning hair or bald patches in areas where you’ve repeatedly bleached your hair.
- Not taking hair color or hair dye fades quickly.
If you think that bleaching has already damaged your hair, there are steps you can take to help repair it and protect it from further damage.
What can I do if I’ve already damaged my hair with bleaching?
The first step is to seek out a good quality conditioning treatment that will help nourish and strengthen your hair.
You can also try minimizing the amount of washing or styling you do in the days following bleaching. This will give your hair some time to recover and reduce the risk of further irritation or damage.
Make sure you get regular trims to keep your hair healthy and less prone to split ends and breakage.
Finally, consider switching to gentler, less harsh bleach products that won’t damage your hair quite as much.
Overall, with good care and regular trims, you’ll be back on track in no time!
Is a bleach bath more gentle on your hair?
Yes, a bleach bath is definitely gentler on your hair than regular bleach.
Pure bleaching powder can be quite harsh on the hair, stripping it of its natural oils and leaving it feeling dry and brittle.
In contrast, a bleach bath recipe uses a lower concentration of bleach and is more gently applied to wet hair.
So if you’re looking for an easy way to get that perfect summertime blonde look without damaging your hair, then a bleach bath is definitely the way to go!
How often can you bleach bath your hair?
Bleach baths are a popular way to brighten up your hair, and they can be done relatively safely at home.
However, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- First of all, you should only bleach bath your hair every four to six weeks.
- Secondly, make sure you use a gentle bleach and follow the directions carefully. You don’t want to end up with damaged or dried-out hair.
- Finally, remember to condition your hair well after bleaching it. A good conditioner will help to restore moisture and protect your hair from further damage.
Follow these top bleaching tips, and you’ll be able to enjoy brighter, healthier hair.
Can you bleach hair again the next day?
Bleaching your hair again the next day is not a good idea.
In fact, a scientific study on PubMed shows that bleaching affects the pH level of your hair and changes its protein balance. This means your hair could absorb more water and feel different.
So, it’s best to space out your bleaching sessions to keep your hair healthy.
Bleaching your hair more than once a day can cause damage and make it more brittle or prone to breakage.
The takeaway? Bleaching your hair can have complex effects, and doing it twice in a day or even twice in a week is pushing it.
It’s always safer to give your hair a break between bleaching sessions. Your hair’s health is super important!
Bleach with Care: Keeping Your Hair Happy and Healthy
Know the Risks: We all love a fresh, new hair color, but it’s super important to play it safe.
Overdoing it with bleach can lead to some not-so-fun stuff like breakage, dryness, and in extreme cases, even hair loss.
And remember, a bit of a slip-up in how you bleach (think uneven application or getting the mix wrong) can lead to patchy colors and extra damage.
Tips for Different Hair Types:
- For the Fine-Haired Beauties: Your hair is delicate and bleaches quickly. So, go easy with a lower strength developer and keep a close eye on the clock.
- Thick Hair Crew: Your gorgeous thick locks might take a bit longer to lighten. Patience is key here, and make sure the bleach is applied evenly for that perfect shade.
- Curly and Textured Hair: You’ve got unique patterns that need extra love. Deep conditioning before and after bleaching is a must to maintain those beautiful curls.
- Chemically Treated or Colored Hair: Already have some color or treatment in your hair? It’s extra delicate, so consider a strand test first and maybe space out the bleaching sessions a bit more.
How to care for bleached hair.
Once you’ve got the bleach blonde goddess look you love, you’ll need to look after it.
Use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner for bleached hair that will nourish your frazzled locks.
A purple shampoo will keep brassiness at bay and your bleached hair color looking bright.
It’s important to keep your hair well moisturized and avoid harsh styling tools that can lead to breakage or split ends.
Use a hair heat protector every time to help fight the frizz.
Be sure to also get regular trims and use a high quality deep conditioner once a week.
With these simple steps, you’ll be able to maintain healthy, vibrant-looking bleached hair for many years to come!
Parting words
At the end of the day, how often you can bleach your hair depends on a number of factors, including your hair type and the condition of your hair.
If you are worried about damaging your hair with bleaching, there are some steps you can take to help protect it and prevent further damage.
These include using a gentle product, conditioning regularly, getting regular trims, and taking care not to over-wash or style your hair too much.
With proper care, you’ll be able to enjoy beautiful, healthy bleached hair for many years to come!
If you’re curious about more hair care tips or have your own experiences to share, let’s connect on Facebook and Instagram @colouredhaircare. Your hair journey matters to us!
