The Effects of Bleach on Your Hair

We all know how damaging bleach can be for your hair. Just look at the many “bleach gone wrong” pictures that are available for reference all over social media, and you’ll understand how harmful achieving that coveted “Dragon Queen Blonde” is for your precious locks. To understand the effects of bleach on your hair, you must first understand the bleaching process. So, here’s a quick little break down of the “scientific” process of bleaching your strands.

The Bleaching Process & How it Works

To put it simply–bleach removes melanin, the molecule responsible for your hair’s pigment, through a process called oxidation. The lightening agent, Hydrogen Peroxide, which opens the hair shaft, is used in conjunction with bleach to create a chemical reaction that dissolves the pigment. If left on long enough, the hair will eventually take on a light-yellow tint which is attributed to the natural color of the structural keratin protein. Unfortunately, this process is irreversible. 

Two Ways Bleach Affects Your Hair

1. Breakage

During the bleaching process, your hair cuticle separates allowing the solution to penetrate the inner cortex of the hair (where most of the pigment is stored). When the cuticle opens, and the hair shaft swells up, its scales begin to stand up and stick out leaving the hair porous and vulnerable to breakage. If you let the bleach sit for too long, you may see your hair “melt” from the harsh chemical. Meaning, when you go to rinse it out, large chunks will start to break off with ease producing that silly string effect. No matter how little or how long you leave the solution on for, your hair will experience a loss of moisture, which leads us to our next point.

2. Reduced Moisture Levels

Not only is the bleach solution stripping your hair of its pigment, but it’s also stripping it of its moisture barrier. The porosity of damaged hair makes it easier for your hair to soak up water, but it also makes it easier for moisture to seep out. Strands will begin to feel dry, brittle, even straw like in texture and before you know it, you’ll start to experience hair loss and split ends. Maintaining proper and balanced moisture levels can prove quite tricky when your hair is over-processed. For some, though, the hair may gain more texture and volume–temporarily of course. This is because of the swollen strands and cuticle scales sticking out. Don’t be fooled, your hair may have more volume, but it’s also more susceptible to damage.

Luckily, there are products out there that help combat damage and breakage and revive the hair of its lost luster and hydration. Nutrifuse, for one, helps to repair the damaged cuticle by fortifying the hair with nutrients that protect from further damage and build up depleted nutrients. The four main components of Nutrifuse, Keratin, Argan Oil, Collagen, and Vegetable Protein, all work together to replenish the natural keratin that hair may have lost in the bleaching process and fill cracks along damaged areas in the hair shaft. Nutrifuse works to heal the hair from the inside out for stronger, healthier hair growth. Did you know you can order yours today on our site? Click here to shop Nutrifuse for Men & Women.