Hair extension bleaching: How to avoid damage and have a healthy hair

Adding color to your hair is a fast and effective way to refresh and switch up your look. However, if blondes, a cool platinum or an ombre shade is your target, you are going to need to bleach the hair. Bleaching requires much consideration, especially if you are wearing hair extensions or a wig. You may hear people talk a lot about keeping bleached natural hair healthy, but what about hair extensions or wigs? Is the routine the same? What else do you need to pay attention to if you bleach your hair? Now before starting this process, read this and be well-prepared to have a healthy, trendy hairstyle.

I. Bleached hair –  the most fragile hair

1. When and why do you have to bleach the hair

You may have known this: Not all hair extensions or wigs can be bleached. Only those which are made from 100% human hair can do such a thing. Bleaching is needed when you want to transform your hair into a color that’s much brighter than your original shade. Dark hair such as redhead, brown or burgundy will need to be bleached beforehand so that the final color can develop successfully. In some cases, even if you already have blonde hair, you still need to bleach if you desire a higher level of lightness. If you are using hair extensions together with your real hair, you have to bleach both to create a complete look. 

2.What happens to the hair if you bleach it

The process will involve chemicals, of course. You use a sufficient amount of a special bleach product, for a sufficient amount of time until the hair is completely bleached. After applying bleach, the hair strands will swell, allowing bleach to penetrate properly. Bleaching agents will then dissolve natural pigments in your natural hair. This explains why the longer you leave the bleach on, the more colorless your hair will become. 

Bleaching requires the use of chemicals which can be harmful for your hair. During the process, the structure of hair strands is broken, so it is easy to get shedding and tangling. Therefore, bleached hair is considered the most fragile and needs special care. 

3.How to take good care of bleached hair

Now if you decide to bleach your hair extensions and your real hair, remember that you are going to have the most vulnerable hair ever. Anyway, it doesn’t mean that you can not have healthy bleached hair. As long as you follow these instructions, nothing is impossible! 

II. Be careful when bleaching

1. Choose a good type of bleach: Bleaching directly affects the structure of the hair fiber, so it can be harmful to the hair. Using a quality bleach with safe, low-toxic ingredients is the optimal solution to help you effectively change your hair color while ensuring healthy and supple hair. 
2. Do not overuse bleach: Each type of bleach needs a specific amount and time to affect the hair fiber and help the hair color correctly. Therefore, using too much bleach can cause the hair structure to be broken to the point that it cannot be restored. Besides, as for hair extensions, the hair is no longer nourished through the scalp and is more likely to be damaged when exposed to chemicals. Remember to always use bleach at the right dose and time. Improper usage of bleach can cost you the entire hair on your head since it can be damaged so terribly you have to cut or shave it off. So make sure you are well aware of what and how to do it at home.
3. Take it to the professionals: If you are not sure how to apply bleach onto your hair, leave it for how long or how to make your desired color develop, take your hair extensions to the professionals and let them do the math. A hair stylist will know just exactly what to do with proper tools and chemicals to have the best outcome. 

There are so many things to consider when bleaching your hair. Fortunately, you can minimize the risk by using hair extensions and start with bleaching the extensions first to see the outcome or get an extensions with the color you want. Hair extensions can be convenient as you can attach or remove them easily when you want to change the look. However, no matter if it is your real hair or hair extensions, the key to a longer duration and healthier hair post-bleaching is always good care.

III. Pay attention when taking care of bleached hair

1. Wash your hair less: You should not wash your hair 24-48 hours after bleaching. The whole process has dried your hair enough it may need some time to recover. Besides, the more you wash your hair, the faster its color will fade and the drier it will be. Instead of washing and blow-drying daily, you can use dry shampoo to get rid of the greasy hair look. 
2. Keep it conditioned: Conditioner is a must for every bleached hair, especially hair extensions or wigs. You can add conditioner to your hair everyday to keep it moisturized and smooth and prevent it from breakage and damage. Other hair care products such as hair serum, hair mask and essential oils can do the same.
3. Comb and style with care, avoid heat: Avoid brushing your hair when it is wet. Use a special brush with a wide tooth to comb gently, especially when it is frizzy or tangled. Try to avoid heat tools such as straighteners, curlers and blow-dryers, heat can only bring more damage to your hair. If you have to, style it with a heat protectant spray. 

III.Be wise on choosing hair care products

1. Stick to products with moisturising ingredients: As mentioned above, post-bleach hair is extremely dry and vulnerable. Shampoo is supposed to clean, it also sweeps away the natural protective barrier of hair and makes it dry. That’s why you are going to need to look very closely at the labels of each hair care product you use. Choose the best shampoo for bleached hair extensions if you can. To keep your hair hydrated, always use ones with moisturizing ingredients and avoid paraben, sulfate-based products. To prevent color fading, two weeks after bleaching your hair, use a shampoo with purple hue once a week. This simple shampoo is a toner that can eliminate any unwanted undertones, keep your hair color looking cool and prevent any brassiness. Redken, Fanola, L’Oreal Paris or Olaplex are brands that provide effective purple shampoos for bleached hair.
2. Hair mask, hair serum or hot oil treatment is recommended: If conditioner is not enough, you can always treat your hair with a creamy mask, hair serum or essential oils. You can also make your own hair mask at home by using natural ingredients such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, eggs, honey… These are the ingredients which can provide Proteins as well as moisture to repair the damage caused by the hair bleaching process. Whatever you choose, make sure it is safe and good for your bleached hair.
3. Protect the hair from pollutants or other environmental factors: Bleached hair, especially bleached hair extensions or human hair wigs are so easy to be damaged. Unfortunately, the hair is exposed to a lot of harmful external pollutants everyday such as the sunlight, humidity or smoke. Swimming is also a threat to bleached hair since the water contains Chlorine which can affect the color of the hair. Wear a hat or a swimming cap for protection and remember to always use good hair care products for hair recovery. 

Nobody says it is easy to have trendy, outstanding bleached hair. In fact, it is a real challenge. However, by following the rules, you may have the key to a healthy bleached hair. Do not forget the first rule: Always use human hair extensions since they are the only type that can be bleached to any color. Here at Anka Hair, you are welcome to try our premium high quality 100% real human virgin hair with a wide color range – from virgin natural dark color hair to blonde. You can also make an order with customization of your choice and we will have it your way. Anka Hair always uses bleach that contains safe ingredients and does less impact to the core of each hair strand, at the same time make sure the color is developed nicely. Try out our healthy, trendy and outstanding hair extensions by exploring our products list HERE or contact our sales consultants now!