Bleaching and Melted Hair

Bleaching for hair — Photo: Shutterstock

Q: I've been bleaching my hair at home for many years, but was never truly satisfied with the tone of the color. I wanted it a very light platinum but with the slightest yellow tone, sort of like a color of a pearl. I found some permanent hair dye online from Taiwan and the instructions that the seller sent to me said to bleach my hair first and then use the color. I was terrified of using 40-volume (as it stated to use) on bleached hair.

I had just had my hair cut short (6 inches off) and it was in pretty good condition. I decided to just go for it and my hair turned out the best shade I've ever seen. It was very even all over with no orange spots... But my hair melted a bit on the ends of the crown area.

I was so pleased with the shade that I really want to do it again, but am scared to melt off more ends of my hair. If I use permanent hair dye with lower-volume peroxide (say 30 or 20). Do you think my hair will turn out that wonderful shade again? I think that I'll start out on the scalp and then brush out to the ends during the last 10 minutes instead of doing an all over dye at once.

I wanted to consult first. I really don't like using toners because they don't seem to come in colors that I like... unless I just keep shopping. So my question in a nutshell is, can I use a permanent hair dye color with a lower peroxide volume on my bleached hair?

A: First of all, without knowing the precise starting shade of your hair, I have no way of being able to even begin to guess what you need in the way of lightening to achieve the shade you desire. You also have to consider some very important factors:

First: you are looking at a need to lighten the new growth of your hair to match the hair color you currently have. This will generally require more significant lightening than you will want for the hair that has already been colored. You will also want to use extreme caution not to overlap the application of bleaching agents onto the previously lightened hair.

Second, you must remember that all chemical hair processes (especially lightening the hair) causes damage to the hair. This damage is cumulative, so the more you apply to the hair the greater the likelihood that you're going to "melt off" more of your hair.

Your instincts are good about wanting to consult before you do anything more to the hair. However, without being able to physically examine your hair, I cannot advise you in this. I strongly urge you to visit a salon professional and discuss what you want to do.

Depending on how much lightening is involved, and how much your previously lightened hair is already damaged, he or she will be better able to advise you and help you get the results you want, without sacrificing portions of your hair to do so.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

How to color and bleach hair

How bleaching hair works

How to recognize damaged hair