If you’re thinking of bleaching your hair, you need to be aware of the potential side effects. Bleaching can dry out your hair, make it brittle, and cause it to break off.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the the science of bleached hair and the impact bleach has on hair, how to take care of your hair after bleaching it, and how to reduce the risk of damaging it further.
Blonde hair is a color that has been in style for centuries, and continues to be popular today. However, the bleaching process is not without its risks.
Hair bleaching is probably the most popular hair coloring process among consumers all over the world. It is often seen as a way to lighten hair color and achieve a brighter, more radiant look.
The word “bleaching” is defined as “the lightening of hair color” via oxidation processing.
Process
The bleach is then removed from the hair with warm water, followed by a clarifying shampoo to rinse away the bleaching chemical.
The chemistry of hair bleaching involves a series of complex chemical reactions and after the bleaching procedure, the hair’s quality and structure will be different, and will require a different type of care.
In other words, your hair care regimen will need to change drastically once you bleach your hair.
Now, let’s go through the fundamentals of hair bleaching, then how to preserve and restore the hair’s texture during and after the bleaching process.
Hair bleaching is a chemical process that alters the natural color of your hair. It strips your hair of its melanin, which is the pigment that gives your hair its color.
Bleaching permanently alters your hair color and it cannot be reversed. The bleaching process opens up the hair cuticle so that the bleach can reach the cortex, where the hair cuticle and medulla are located.
Melanin is micro granular species present in the cortex of the hair. It scatters the incoming solar radiation, and imparts color to the hair fibers.
It is formed by specialized cells called melanocytes under genetic control through a complex process of melanogenesis.
There are two types of melanin present in hair that differ from each other in the pathway of their biosyntheses, characteristics, and color.
The Aftermath of Bleached Hair
Bleaching hair can have a number of adverse effects, including:
- Damage to the cuticle and cortex
- Weakened hair shafts that leads to breakage
- Dry, brittle, and damaged hair
- Increased sensitivity to sun and damage
- Hair that is very porous, weak, and easily damaged
- Hair shaft is weakened and can break
- More frizzy and dry hair
- Significantly reduced hair strength and mechanical integrity
- Color will fade over time and eventually needs to be dyed again
The oxidation process of hair bleaching is a harsh chemical process. The high pH hydrogen peroxide causes significant damage to the hair fibers, as well as, some other negative effects that may not be anticipated.
Besides bleaching melanin, hydrogen peroxide oxidizes various protein components of hair keratin.
The disulfide bond is the backbone of the hair’s mechanical strength. Hydrogen peroxide attacks this vital chemical linkage and can break it. This leaves hair significantly damaged, porous, and weak, which can even break.
Furthermore, cystine (sulfur-containing amino acid) of keratin is oxidized to cystic acid which makes hair more hydrophilic. That’s why bleached hair can absorb more moisture and get frizzier.