Bleach Hair After Relaxer
Q: Is it ok to bleach hair 3-1/2 weeks after a relaxer? I can't remember from cosmetology class.
Generally, a color or bleaching service would be postponed at least two weeks to help give the hair time to normalize and have some moisture restored before the hair is subjected to more chemicals.
It's very important to pay attention to the condition of the hair you are working with, and when in doubt, ALWAYS, ALWAYS perform a strand test on the hair to prevent causing catastrophic damage to the client's hair.
Take a small snippet of the client's hair from an inconspicuous location and place it in the bleaching mixture, and monitor the processing time and the resulting condition of the swatch afterward. If the hair responds favorably to the test, then you can feel safe in proceeding.
Even if the test is successful, carefully monitor the bleaching process of the relaxed hair, and be prepared to rinse out the bleaching mixture as soon as there is any sign of problems, or as soon as the hair reaches the desired color level.
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See also:
How to do a hair strand test
The bleaching process
Hair straightening and relaxers Q&A