Bleach leaves hair dry, rough and weak because it breaks down the hair's pigment and opens and roughens the outer layer, and repair means putting moisture and strength back. At kruLA that is cold hair recovery and deep conditioning, $150 to $400, or hair reconstruction, and these treat the strand without changing its shade.
kruLA does cold hair recovery and deep conditioning in Century City for $150 to $300, by hair length: call (949) 883-8301.
Will bleach damage my hair?
Yes, every time: bleach lightens hair by chemically removing its pigment, and the process also weakens the strand.
How much depends on how many shades the hair is lifted, how often it is repeated and the starting condition of the hair.
How does bleach change hair?
Bleach raises the outer layer of the hair, dissolves the pigment inside and strips some of the natural oils and protein bonds, which leaves the strand porous.
Porous hair soaks up water and loses it fast, so it feels dry, tangles and frizzes.
What damage does bleach do to hair?
Typical bleach damage is dryness, a straw-like feel, stretching and snapping when wet, split ends and frizz.
Hair lifted several times, or lightened over lightened hair, can break off. A specialist can tell from the feel of the hair whether it should be repaired or cut.
What is the best hair treatment for bleached, damaged hair?
For bleached hair that is dry and rough, a deep conditioning treatment is the first choice, and for hair that is brittle and splitting the collagen version is stronger.
For hair that is badly damaged and that you also want smoother, reconstruction repairs first and then smooths. The consultation decides which.
What is the best treatment for color-damaged hair?
Hair that has been dyed, and dyed again, is treated by the same repair steps as bleached hair: moisture first, strengthening if it breaks and a trim for the ends.
Repair treatments work on the strand and do not change its shade.
How do I rehydrate my hair after bleaching?
Rehydrate bleached hair with a deep conditioning treatment, a rich conditioner after each wash and less heat, and keep washing gentle.
A salon deep conditioning treatment goes further than a mask for hair that has turned brittle. See the deep conditioning guide.
How do I stop bleached hair feeling like straw?
Straw-like bleached hair needs moisture and strength back and its dry ends removed, and it will not feel normal from one wash.
A deep conditioning treatment, a regular conditioning routine and dusting for the split ends make the biggest difference.
Can bleached hair go back to normal?
Bleached hair does not return to its natural, unlightened state, and it can be made soft, strong and manageable again.
The pigment is gone and the strand's structure is changed, so the aim is condition, not a reversal. The new growth comes in untouched.
What should I not do with bleached hair?
Do not stack heat and chemicals on bleached hair: skip daily hot tools, repeated lightening and harsh clarifying washes.
Lightened hair that you want to keep strong has a routine of its own: see blonde hair care.
- Do not use a flat iron or curling iron on high heat.
- Do not brush it hard when wet.
- Do not skip conditioner, and do not leave it dry overnight.
- Do not book another chemical service before the hair has been repaired; tell the specialist what has been done to your hair.
Why do hair specialists ask what is on box-dyed hair?
Box-dyed hair carries layers of pigment and developer of unknown strength, and a specialist needs to know what the hair has been through before choosing a treatment.
Tell the specialist everything you have used. It decides which treatments are safe and what order they go in.
What drives the price of repairing bleached hair?
Hair length and hair thickness set the price: at kruLA cold hair recovery runs from $150 to $300, the collagen version from $180 to $400, reconstruction from $270 to $650, and thick hair adds $30 to $90.
Every length step is on the prices page.
Bleached hair repair FAQ
Why is my hair so dry and straw-like?
Heat, chemical services and rough handling raise the outer layer of the strand, so it loses moisture fast. It feels dry, tangles and frizzes.
What does porous hair mean?
Porous hair soaks up water and loses it fast, so it feels dry, tangles and frizzes. Moisture and sealing treatments help.
Which treatment fits porous, brittle hair?
Cold hair recovery ($150) restores moisture, and the collagen version ($180) suits extremely dry, brittle hair with split ends. The consultation ($0) says which fits.
Can I get a smoothing treatment on brittle hair?
Often a repair step comes first, since brittle hair may break under heat. The specialist decides after looking at it.
How do I stop lightened hair from breaking?
Cut the splits, restore moisture and strength, keep heat low and handle the hair gently when wet. The consultation ($0) shows which repair fits.
Is deep conditioning enough for chemically damaged hair?
It restores moisture and softness; severely damaged hair also needs strength, which reconstruction ($270) provides. The consultation ($0) says which fits.
What does a specialist check on damaged hair?
The feel of the strand, how it stretches and springs back, split ends and the scalp, at the consultation ($0). The consultation takes 20 min.
Should I trim damaged hair?
The worst ends are better trimmed or dusted; hair dusting ($120) removes only the split ends and keeps the length. The consultation ($0) shows how much is repairable.