Bleaching is a process of introducing chemicals to your hair to lighten it. It’s normally used to lighten the hair color before it’s dyed or for people who want to have lighter hair color.

Bleaching removes your hair color through a process of oxidization. Bleaching products disrupt the cuticles, to allow hydrogen peroxide, a key component of hair bleach, to penetrate the shaft. It oxidizes the hair pigment, stripping away melanin and thus, the color.

Effects of bleaching

Damages the scalp

While bleaching is a short process, it’s more than enough to potentially damage your scalp badly, depending on your skin. Bleach is a strong chemical so it’s not unusual to feel burning or tingling sensations when you use it. However, if it gets really painful or itchy, remove it immediately. You may be having an allergic reaction to it or a chemical burn, neither which is pleasant.

Dry hair

Bleaching can strip moisture from the hair as the bleach needs to open up the pores in your hair for it to take effect, which means that your hair will lose a lot of moisture, which will cause it to become dry and damaged.

Discolored hair

Since bleaching works by removing melanin from your hair, and melanin is what gives your hair its color, if you overbleach it, it’ll end up becoming discolored which is an unpleasant sight to see. If you want to restore your hair to its previous glory, you’ll have to undergo keratin treatments.

More damage-prone

Due to all the moisture and protection leaving your hair, bleached hair becomes very brittle and prone to damage especially if done poorly. Due to this, bleached hair requires a lot of maintenance. This means you’ll have to maintain a regular hair care routine, use protective hair care products and remember to not be rough with your hair.