A change is as good as a break – or so they say. Every once in a while, we all like to switch things up depending on what’s going on in our lives or what time of year it is.
You would be surprised by the effect something as simple as changing your hair color can have on your mood and even your personality.
One of the most frequently asked questions we get is – Does bleaching hair loosen curl pattern? Before you go off and try that bold, platinum-blonde color you’ve been thinking about, here are a couple of things your hairstylist might not tell you.
Understanding How Bleaching Works
If you’re going for lighter hair color, bleaching may be necessary to achieve the desired hue. Bleach uses hydrogen peroxide or ammonia, or a mix of the two to permanently lighten the hair.
These chemicals react with the hair’s natural color pigment (melanin) to oxidize it, resulting in a colorless melanin molecule. This chemical reaction leaves the hair cuticle open, increasing its porosity, making it prone to breakage and drying out.
One thing to keep in mind is – different curly hair types respond differently to bleach. If you have fine or straight hair, it may become dry, rough, and sometimes even thicker after bleaching. On the flip side, if you have textured hair, it may become frizzy, curly, or straight. It all depends.
Does Bleaching Hair Loosen Curl Pattern?
Yes, beaching hair can loosen the curl pattern and make your hair less curly.
Many people think of bleaching as simply “lightening” the hair. It sounds less destructive that way. Make no mistake about it, though. Bleaching is highly damaging to the hair, especially curly hair. It doesn’t only strip the hair cuticle of melanin; it also strips it of moisture – an integral ingredient in keeping curly hair curly.
When the hair becomes so porous, it has a hard time holding on to moisture. Any oil you put in leaks out through the open strands, so your curls won’t be as tightly wound as they were before. They’ll also feel dry and brittle, and the curls may become more prone to frizz.
Repeated bleaching of curly hair makes a bad situation worse. It leaves you with strands that feel elastic and stretchy, nothing like the bouncy beauties you had pre-bleach.
Related: Does Henna Loosen Your Curl Pattern?
How to Repair Damaged Curls
You bleached your hair before reading this article. Now what? Can you fix your damaged curls and achieve healthy hair again?
Yes, you can, but getting back to healthy hair is going to take time – a whole lot of time and patience.
Remember, bleaching is a chemical process that alters your hair’s core structure. This chemical reaction is irreversible, so getting it back to its original state or your natural hair isn’t possible. Don’t worry, though. There are a couple of things you can do to inject some life and personality into your dry, stretchy, brittle curls.
- Deep conditioning and moisturizing – You want to find products that “restore” and “repair” and “condition” and “moisturize” bleached hair and all that good stuff. Once you do, you’ll want to use them 2-3 times a week.
- Trimming – Getting your hair trimmed regularly prevents split ends from traveling up the hair shaft and wreaking more havoc to already damaged hair. If you’re feeling brave, get a full haircut.
- Protecting your hair – This means staying away from bleach and heat styling. Instead, put your hair in low-manipulation protective styles and grow it out. It’s a foolproof way of getting your hair back to its virgin state.