How damaging is bleaching your hair white?

Author: Michael Hills  |  Last update: Saturday, June 14, 2025

Any time you wish to make your hair a lighter shade, you will need to use a bleaching agent. You have probably heard that bleaching and highlighting your hair can damage it. This is true, bleaching agents are hard on your strands. They can make your hair dry, brittle, frizzy-looking and prone to breakage.

Does bleaching your hair white damage it?

Hair Structure Damage: Bleaching can significantly damage the hair's structural proteins, particularly keratin. This damage can make the hair appear dull, brittle, and porous. When the hair loses its natural pigments and structural integrity, it can reflect light differently, often resulting in a whitish appearance.

How can I bleach my hair white without damaging it?

Best Way to Bleach Hair with Minimal Damage

Mix 1 part powdered bleach and 2 parts low-volume developer in a plastic bowl. Apply bleach with an applicator brush from the tips to the roots to apply evenly. Let it sit for 20 to 45 minutes until you reach your desired shade. Rinse with neutralizing shampoo and warm water.

What is the least damaging way to lighten your hair?

Natural bleaching agents like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chamomile tea, or cinnamon and honey can lighten hair gently and naturally with minimal damage.

How to fix hair too white after bleaching?

  • Dye your Hair in a Darker Color. Choose the hair color that will cover your uneven bleached hair.
  • Bleach your Hair Again. First of all, you need to wait a few weeks. Nourish your hair between bleaching processes.

8 DIY Hair Lightening Methods Tested: Which One Actually Works? (Surprising Results!)

How long does bleached white hair last?

How long does bleached hair last? In comparison to other dyes, hair bleaching is a permanent process which cannot be washed away over time. This is because the melanin, which gives your hair its colour, is stripped away from the hair during the bleaching process.

What color cancels out bleached hair?

Blue and purple shampoos neutralise unwanted brassy tones to reveal a cooler blonde or light brown shade.

Is it possible to bleach hair without damaging it?

Besides bleach and dye, there are also natural remedies to lighten your hair, such as lemon juice, chamomile tea, honey and beer. These are less damaging alternatives to lighten your hair, as bleaching without damage is unfortunately not possible.

What should hair never be lightened to?

Hair should never be lightened to the stage of white because it can cause significant damage to the hair. The stages in hair lightening include orange and palest yellow, with white being the most extreme. To maintain healthy hair, it's crucial to avoid over-processing to the point of white or damaging stages.

What is the least damaging hair color?

9 Best Hair Colors Without Bleach to Minimize Damage
  • 01 of 09. Chocolate Brown. ...
  • 02 of 09. Beige Bronde. ...
  • 03 of 09. Toffee. ...
  • 04 of 09. Copper. ...
  • 05 of 09. Burgundy. ...
  • 06 of 09. Golden Light Brown. ...
  • 07 of 09. Chestnut Highlights. ...
  • 08 of 09. Caramel Blonde.

How can I cover my white hair without bleach?

10 Natural Methods to Natural Ways to Cover Grey Hair
  1. Coffee for Deep Brown Shades Cover Grey Hair Naturally. ...
  2. Tea Rinses for Enhanced Darkness. ...
  3. Henna for Vibrant Red Tones. ...
  4. Sage Water to Restore Natural Hair Color. ...
  5. Beet and Carrot Juice for Red Highlights and Natural Gray Hair Cover. ...
  6. Lemon Juice to Gradually Lighten Strands.

What to put in hair before bleaching?

Deep Condition

The night before bleaching, apply a generous amount of virgin coconut oil to your hair, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends (which are more prone to damage). You can even massage it into your scalp for added moisture.

How to make white hair whiter naturally?

Chamomile tea's bisabolol, an active ingredient with anti-inflammatory qualities, helps to lighten and brighten gray tones for luminous color and shine. To do: Steep 3 chamomile tea bags in 2 cups of boiling water; let cool, then pour onto damp hair. Let sit 10 minutes, then rinse.

Is your hair permanently damaged after bleaching?

As long as the hair follicle is preserved, the hair will regrow in most cases. Bleached hair will regrow at the same rate as other forms of damaged hair, which in a healthy growth cycle is typically between 6-12 months.

What I wish I knew before going blonde?

YOUR SKIN TONE SHOULD AFFECT YOUR COLOR CHOICE

If you're unsure about which shade of blonde to choose, try taking your skin tone into account. Typically, those with paler or cooler skin tones look stunning with ashy, pearlescent shades, while those with warmer skin tones simply slay with more golden hues.

Is dying hair white a good idea?

As with any shade that requires you to lighten your hair with bleach, achieving white hair coloring can be a damaging process—but don't let that deter you from trying it! A professional colorist can work to improve the look and feel of your strands throughout the lightening process.

What is the least attractive hair color?

Collectively, people with red hair were rated as most unattractive, but it must be noted that in the non-obese woman condition, red hair was seen as equal to blond hair in attractiveness, though in every other condition red hair was seen as significantly less attractive.

What is the safest way to lighten hair?

To create a safer lightening agent, mix lemon juice, a little water to dilute, and conditioner in a spray bottle. Mist over your hair wherever you want an additional highlight boost, head outside for up to 45 minutes, then rinse out your hair.

Does lightening your hair make you look older or younger?

Our skin gets more sallow with age and a few highlights a shade or two lighter around your face can refresh your complexion, but going too light can be just as aging as going too dark. It's important to maintain a contrast between your hair color and your skin tone.

What is the least damaging hair bleach?

Which Lightener / Hair Bleach Is Least Damaging? We love and recommend the Shimmer Lights Plex Lightener, not only because it's really powerful at lightening your hair, but because it's the least damaging I've found. This hair bleach contains plex technology - meaning you can lighten with 97% less breakage*!

Can my hair still be healthy if I bleach it?

This is true, bleaching agents are hard on your strands. They can make your hair dry, brittle, frizzy-looking and prone to breakage. However, by adopting the right preventative steps, you can keep your hair healthy, hydrated and looking its best if you do decide to go lighter.

Should I put coconut oil in my hair before bleaching?

Don't apply Coconut oil before bleaching.

What hair should not be bleached?

Tip 5: Know When You Bleach Your Hair

This is one of the most important hair care tips because hair that is brittle, dry or breaking, should not be bleached.

What is level 7 hair?

The level system is made up of 10 numbers which help determine the depth level of your natural hair. 1 is black, 5 is light brown, 6 is dark blonde, 7 is blonde and 10 is the lightest blonde.

Can you use purple shampoo as a toner after bleaching?

Purple shampoo is for already bleached hair, so if you're hoping to lighten brown hair with purple shampoo, you'll be disappointed. This is all down to the fact that purple shampoo isn't lightening. Instead, it brightens blondes by canceling out yellow tones, which just happen to be opposite purple on the color wheel.

Previous article
How long has SMP been around?
Next article
Can ice make your lips bigger?