How to Bleach Hair

Whether you want to be blond, or you have to lighten your hair before dyeing it another color, bleach is a great way to try out a new look. This guide will tell you how to bleach hair successfully.

1. Make sure you really want to change your hair color, and consider the potential risks for your health and appearance.
2. To minimize hair damage, use a good conditioner for a few weeks before you bleach.
3. If you have used any hair dyes, strip them out before bleaching.
4. Buy a respected, brand-name bleach kit, and read the instructions carefully.
5. Test a strand of your hair and a patch of your skin for sensitivity before bleaching.
6. Mix up and apply the bleach, doing the roots last.
7. Rinse out the bleach.

• Maybe you've always heard that blonds have more fun, and you want to see if it's true.The Early Show: The Right Hair Color Can Do Wonders (March 27, 2006) Maybe you want to try being a redhead, but you have dark hair that needs to be lightened before you can go red. Maybe you just want to make a dramatic change in your look.

• Whatever your reasons, you've decided to bleach your hair. If you do it right, bleaching can look terrific. But bleaching can be risky, and if you don't know what you're doing, you can seriously damage your hair or injure your skin. This guide will tell you how to bleach your hair safely and effectively.

(CC photo by Nikki)

• Before you bleach your hair, think it over carefully. This is not a decision to make lightly (no pun intended).

1. Remember that there is always the risk of damaging your hair or just looking bad.
   • Do some research to help you figure out what hair colors would look best on you.How to Do Things.com: How To Choose a Hair Color That Suits You
   • You can always experiment with a picture of yourself using a photo editing program to see how you would look with a different hair color.Tutorialoutpost: Quick Brunette to Blonde: Photoshop Tutorial
2. Consider whether your bleaching would be better handled by a salon.
   • Lightening your hair is risky, and it could well be that a pro would do a better job than you will at home.Paula's Choice: Drugstore Versus Salon Hair Color
3. Bleaching will be more challenging if you have naturally dark hair.wikiHow: How to Decide if Blonde Hair Is Right for You
   • It will probably require several treatments, which could be damaging to your hair.CareFair.com: Going Blond
   • You should really talk to a professional hair stylist before trying it.
     

     (Creative Commons photo by Laura)
4. Bleaching reddish-brown hair also has challenges.
   • It's likely your hair will turn orange, and you will need multiple treatments.wikiHow: Bleach Your Hair Platinum Blonde
5. Bleaching will inevitably do some damage to your hair.Helium: Effects of bleach on hair
   • You can minimize this be washing with quality conditioners for a couple of weeks before you bleach.Hairfinder: Hair Conditioners & Conditioning Treatments
6. If your hair has had any treatments recently, like perming or relaxing, you should give your hair a few weeks to recover before bleaching.AllExperts: Hairstyling (June 5, 2007)
7. If your hair already has some coloring in it, you'll need to remove the coloring before you bleach.CareFair.com: Removing Dark Hair Dye
   • Removing existing coloring before you bleach puts additional stress on your hair, so proceed carefully.CareFair.com: Hair Stripping
   • If you dyed your hair with a dye containing metallic salts, do not attempt to bleach it now. The bleach and metallic salts could have a bad reaction, causing hair breakage and other problems.AllExperts: Hairstyling (May 22, 2006)

• Hydrogen peroxide is potentially dangerous, and there are things you should know before using it.Wikipedia: Hydrogen peroxide

1. Improper use of bleach can cause hair loss, painful blisters and other problems.Hairfinder: Hair Bleaches & Scalp Irritation
2. If you're pregnant, your body might be very sensitive to certain chemicals and you'll need to take special precautions.Hairfinder: Dye or Bleach Hair During Pregnancy
   • Talk it over with your doctor before you bleach.
   • Be sure to do a skin test before bleaching, don't get the chemicals in your eyes and avoid saltwater and chlorine for several days afterwards, to prevent a possibly dangerous reaction.eHow: How to Dye Your Hair While Pregnant
3. Using bleach during your period shouldn't cause problems, although you might be more sensitive to chemical aromas.Hairfinder: Colouring Hair During Your Period
4. If you swallow hydrogen peroxide or get it in your eyes, it should be treated as an emergency situation.
   • Seek medical attention immediately if you've swallowed it, and if you get it in your eyes, flush them with water for 15 minutes and then see a doctor or call a poison control center.Drugs.com: Hydrogen peroxide overdose (May 10, 2005)

(Creative Commons photo by Orin Zebest)

• There's no stopping your "blond ambition!" You've made up your mind, and you are going to bleach.

1. First, you'll need to select a quality hair-bleaching product.
2. If possible, always ask a hair stylist for a product recommendation.LoveToKnow: Blonde Hair
   • You can also talk to your friends for suggestions about brands that they've used.
3. Use an established hair bleach.
   • The larger, better-known brands (L'Oreal, Clairol, etc.) have been used by millions of people, and you should be safe with them so long as you follow the product's directions.L'Oreal: Official site Clairol: Official site
   • The larger brands are also more likely to have 24-hour phone lines with operators standing by to answer questions if you have a problem.SoYouWanna.com: Soyouwanna Dye Your Own Hair?
4. Bleach is sold as "on the scalp" and "off the scalp."
   • "On the scalp" means it is safe to use on your scalp; "off the scalp" means it isn't. "Off the scalp" bleaches are intended for highlights.Hairfinder: Haircolor Level and Peroxide Developer
5. Bleach is sold in various volumes ("10," "20," "30," "40") with the strength increasing as the volumes go up.
   • The higher volumes work faster and are better for people with naturally dark hair, but they can also be much more damaging.wikiHow: How to Dye Your Hair an Unnatural Color
   • The lower volumes can also be effective, but generally you have to leave them on for longer, which is more risky for your hair and scalp.Helium: Effects of bleach on hair

(Creative Commons photo by Alana Elliott)

• Now you've got your bleach, and you're ready to get started.

1. Become very familiar with the instructions that came with your kit. They will offer step-by-step info, and you will need to follow every step.HairBoutique.com: Home Hair Color Secrets (July 31, 2005)
2. A few days before bleaching, test a strand of your hair and a small patch of your skin on your elbow, behind your ear or some other inconspicuous place.LoveToKnow: Hair Color
3. If the strand of hair became the color you wanted and your skin has not reacted adversely to the bleach, you're all set.HairBoutique.com: Hair Color Disasters: Allergic Reactions (March 15, 2007)
4. The night before you bleach, wash your hair thoroughly and leave-in conditioner for half an hour.wikiHow: Bleach Your Hair Platinum Blonde
5. Note that coloring your hair will always go much more smoothly if you have a friend help you.eSSORTMENT: Tips on dying your hair yourself
   • Certain parts of your head can be difficult to see or reach.
6. Bleaching can be very messy, so do the bleaching in the bathroom.Wikipedia: Hair dye
   • Wear a towel around your neck and clothes you don't mind ruining.CareFair.com: Bleaching One's Hair
7. Wear rubber or plastic gloves.CareFair.com: Coloring Hair - Tips for Doing it the Least Harmful Way Be very careful you don't get any bleach on your hands.
   • If you do get bleach on your fingers, wash your hands carefully, apply moisturizer and use exfoliating lotion later to help scrub away the dry, dead skin cells.Hairfinder: How to Remove Bleach
8. You can put a little Vaseline or petroleum jelly along your hairline and ears, so the peroxide won't spread and stain your skin.About.com: How to Fix Fried Hair
9. Mix the powdered bleach and the developer together until they are a pasty consistency.
   • Use a glass or plastic bowl to mix. Do not use a metal bowl.wikiHow: How to Go from Black Hair to Blonde Hair
10. Start at the back of your head, where your hair is darkest, moving forward in 1/2 inch sections and working quickly but carefully.How to Do Things.com: How To Bleach Your Hair
11. Apply the bleach to each section of hair, but stay away from the roots for now.wiseGEEK: What is the Best Way to Bleach Hair?
12. Once your hair is covered with the bleach, put on the plastic cap that comes with the product and set a minute timer for the time specified by the package's directions.About.com: Hair Bleaching Guide
13. If you feel pain at any point during the bleaching process, wash the bleach out right away to make sure you don't have a serious reaction.
14. Near the end of the process, it's time to do the roots, keeping the bleach off your scalp as much as possible.eSSORTMENT: Tips for dying brown hair blonde
15. Do not leave the product on for longer than the directions specify, or you could seriously damage your hair and injure your scalp.WebMD.com: Hair Dye FAQ's
16. When your time is up, rinse the bleach out and gently shampoo your hair.
    • You can rinse out any remaining bleach with lemon juice or white vinegar.eHow: How to Bleach Hair Platinum Blonde Of course, be very careful not to get either liquid into your eyes!
    • Bleach kits will sometimes be packaged with a special rinse.HairBoutique.com: Bleached Hair Blues (November 11, 2007)
    • If your kit comes with a rinse like this, you must use it or the bleach will damage your hair and scalp.
17. Never attempt to bleach your eyebrows or eyelashes.LifeTips: Tinting Eyelashes or Eyebrows
    • Using bleach near your eyes is dangerous.
18. If you are experiencing significant pain or redness after you wash the bleach out, see a doctor.

1. It is important to use a good conditioner after you bleach, to help your hair recover.
   • Conditioner is especially helpful if you things have gone wrong, and you fried your hair.About.com: Everything You Need to Know About Hair Color
2. Give your hair some time to recover for at least a few days before bleaching again.
3. Avoid pools with chlorine as they can turn your bleached hair unpleasant colors.eHow: How to Lighten Hair With Peroxide

• Bleaching your hair is a bold move. If done poorly, it can result in disappointment or even injury. But done well, it can give you an exciting new look. With these tips, you're on your way to a new you!