Changing your hair color is a thrilling experience you should look forward to. But, we all know how destructive bleaching can be to your hair, and sometimes there’s no other option for achieving the appropriate color results.
If that’s the case, you may be curious about how long to wait to dye hair after bleaching to prevent further damage. You may have witnessed someone having their hair dyed and bleached during one salon session at some point in your life.
However, someone might’ve told you to wait a few days or even months before dyeing your hair after bleaching it. So, how about we tell you the truth: One of those choices may be the one that is best for your hair, but the answer depends on many other factors.
In this article, we’ll explain things to you in further detail.
What Makes Bleaching Your Hair Bad?
To answer this question, here’s a brief explanation: When bleach is applied to your hair, it breaks down the melanin molecules that give your hair its color by exposing its cuticle or outside layer.
A hair strand is held together by three different types of bonding: hydrogen, disulfide, and salt bonds. Bleaching also affects those hair bonds, causing them to fracture and weaken, and when the hair’s inner structure is damaged, strands are more prone to breakage and snapping.
The result can be minor harm, but if your hair was already damaged before the bleaching process, it will only get worse.
If this is your issue, meaning your hair is fragile and damaged at the start of the procedure, use the smallest amount of developer possible to archive the required level of lightness. Then, deep-condition your hair or apply healing hair masks to repair your hair.
Once your hair has had time to recover, we strongly advise waiting a couple of days or even 4-6 weeks before dyeing it, especially if you’re applying a box dye or any other type of dye that calls for a developer.
Related:
How To Know If I Can Dye My Hair The Same Day I Bleach It?
Sometimes the effects of bleaching your hair will be so subtle that you will not even notice them. However, it might easily cause your hair to break in certain situations, and as you can imagine, a hair dye will only irreversibly ruin it.
Since you’re not a hair expert and you might not be capable of discerning the difference in your bleached hair, it’s essential to get your hair evaluated to determine the porosity level.
Your hair’s potential to absorb nutrients, moisture, proteins, and any substance you put to it, including hair color, can be determined through a quick and painless porosity test that takes only a few minutes to complete.
As a result, you’ll know if you should color your hair the same day you bleached it or wait before doing it. All you’ll need is a glass of water and one hair for this procedure. It’s an easy process, here’s what you should do:
The glass should be about halfway full of water, and you should put one hair in it. Be sure to pay close attention to how that hair responds.
If it stays afloat, the porosity of your material is low to medium. As a result, your strands are in good condition, and you may proceed directly to coloring them after bleaching.
If it only dips halfway, it indicates that your hair is in a rather healthy condition after bleaching. Despite this, we continue to advise waiting at least two to three days between the bleaching step and the coloring step.
This will allow the cuticle to close back up, which will keep your hair from being damaged and will also ensure that the color performs as it was intended to.
If it goes down, your porosity is high and that your hair has been damaged.
After that, the hair dye will make the damage much worse. Because of this, we advise you to wait anywhere from four to six weeks before applying color, particularly if you are working with a dye that requires a developer.
As can be seen, the degree of damage to the hair corresponds directly with the degree to which the hair is porous.
Learn More: Can I Bleach My Hair Twice In One Day?
How To Repair Your Hair After Bleaching
We’ve already walked you through the process of figuring out how long to wait to color your hair after bleaching it.
Now, your hair will not repair itself, of course. So, while you’re waiting, make sure to nourish and strengthen your strands. Fortunately, there are several fantastic tactics you can do right at home to get terrific results.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil may also be used to coat the cuticle of your hair and protect it from protein loss. Even though coconut oil may be used daily, we recommend using it two to three times a week at most.
Before spreading it all over your dry hair, you should first warm up by rubbing it together between your fingers. After that, give it a last rinsing with shampoo and warm water.
Almond Oil
Proteins and vitamin E are abundant in almond oil, and both of these substances can bond to your strands of hair and make them more resilient. It may help fill in gaps in the strands of your hair, which, after bleaching, can make them more prone to breaking.
Almond oil may be used as a component in a treatment that provides intensive conditioning, or you can just apply a few drops to your hair each morning before you leave the house.
Micellar Water
It is, in fact, the substance that wipes away any trace of makeup that may be left on the face. But, also micellar water can bring the hair back into equilibrium, which results in increased shine, volume, and bounce.
And for those who appreciate trying new products, micellar water may remove buildup on the scalp without drying out the skin and get results that are superior to those achieved by strong clarifying shampoos.
The best part is that you may use it on your hair many times during the day without having to worry about damaging it. What you should do is apply it to your dry hair from roots to ends, and let it dry without rinsing.
DIY Hair Masks
Your hair can regain its suppleness and elasticity with the use of hair masks that contain hydrating substances such as honey, avocado, and egg white. Until the state of your hair begins to improve, try using hair masks that are made with common household components by applying them twice or three times each week.
Rice Water Rinse
The strands of your hair might become more resilient if you rinse them with water that was previously used to boil rice. Rice water is full of an amino acid called inositol, which may be used to mend hair strands from the inside out.
After you have prepared the rice water by boiling the rice and filtering it, place it in the refrigerator for the night. If you want the greatest possible outcomes, put a tiny amount of the product into a container that you can readily use in the shower.
If your hair is very damaged, you might try giving it a daily rinsing with water derived from rice.
Olaplex 3
The Olaplex 3 hair product can do its job at the submolecular level by perforating the damaged bonds and cuticles that occur as a result of the bleaching procedure. After using it, coloring your hair won’t put your hair in danger in any way!
Here’s how you should apply Olaplex 3 to archive the best results:
- Your hair should be divided into four portions from the front of your head to the back of your neck, and from ear to ear. Use bobby pins to keep these sections in place.
- After applying a reasonable amount of product to each part of the hair, comb it through to spread the product evenly throughout the hair.
- Keep it on for at least ten minutes. The next step is to give your hair a thorough rinsing with a large amount of water that is lukewarm to the point where it is practically cold. The longer you let the treatment sit on your hair, the healthier it will be for your hair.
It’s finally time to color your bleached hair after a couple of weeks of this rigorous nurturing and hydrating routine!
Read Also: How Long to Wait to Tone Hair After Bleaching?
Conclusion
Let me sum up this topic – how long to wait to dye hair after bleaching?
As enticing as it may be to instantly color your hair after bleaching, the health of your locks must always be your primary concern. Considering dyeing is a chemical procedure, you must determine if your hair will hold up to the dye.
Before beginning any coloring processes, consider your hair’s current state and the type of dye you intend to use, and always hydrate your hair in between sessions. Keep in mind that those who wait for the right hair color will reap the rewards.
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