An unpleasant case of a woman who ruined her hair with home bleaching sparked an extensive discussion on the Internet, as experts tried to explain why women who are considering doing it themselves must give up the idea.
The discussion started when TikTok user aimegx shared the devastating result of the hair oxidation she did herself at home.
In the video in which the text "This is why you should not bleach hair at home" appears, she shows a series of shocking photos of her hair after oxidation, including a photo of huge clumps of hair on a towel, hair stuck in a comb and parts of hair missing from her head.
Apparently, she bleached her hair excessively in an attempt to achieve the perfect look and ruined it in the process. "It was two years ago during the lockdown. My hair has recovered since then. There is still a long way to go but I am on a journey to healthy hair," she said. "This is a warning to never bleach yourself - exactly two years ago it happened to me"
The video has since gained one and a half million views and was flooded with comments - with some saying they had experienced similar disasters.
@aimegx WARNING DO NOT OVER BLEACH exactly two years ago this happened to me. #bleach #healthyhairjourney #hairtips #boxdye #overdyedhair #hair #hairstyle #fyp #foryoupage #foryou #healthyhair #hairproducts #savedhair #blonde #blondehair #platinumhair #damgedhair #brokenhair #hairbreakage #broken #hairoil #haircut #hairtransformation ♬ som original - speedsongswr • Amigos
"Honey, I'm crying for you," wrote one user, another added: "I was there too. My hair was falling out a lot but I managed to overcome it."
Another woman wrote "This has happened to me so many times. Don't worry, the hair will be healthy again." Another user wrote "I just did this to my hair at home. I lost a few inches but I put eggs and olive oil on it for 20 minutes and it repaired a lot of the damage."
Another viewer added: "This happened to me and then I dyed it straight back to faux black and took all the color out. Now I have hair falling out all over my head." Another wrote: "It happened to my front bangs."
@aimegx My hair jounery over two years ♀️ #hair #hairtok #damagedhair #bleachedhair #haircare #hairtips #hairstyles #hairjourney #salon #tapes #hairtapes #hairexstentions #blonde #moneypieces #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #olaplex #hairburst #bondiboost #hairfix #badhair #bleachblonde ♬ B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All) - Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal
Experts explain
Janima Abdullah, a hair specialist and beautician at therighthairstyles, commented on the video and explained that hair should not be bleached or oxidized at home - because the substance is often stronger than that found in salons.
"Bleaching at home is not a good idea as the processing will probably be uneven. It's best left to the professionals. Once you bleach, your hair is in such a fragile state that you can't re-oxygenate immediately. So you'll have to live with Uneven hair," Janima told the Mirror.
"Bleaching at home is not a good idea as the processing will probably be uneven. It's best left to the professionals. Once you bleach, your hair is in such a fragile state that you can't re-oxygenate immediately. So you'll have to live with Uneven hair."
Janima Abdullah
"The oxidation process also uses some of the harshest chemicals in the salon. A barber will take into account the condition of your hair before oxidation. He may even mix a gentler formula for you so it doesn't damage your hair," she explained.
"Unless you're in this business, it's something you can't do on your own. Home bleaching kits are usually stronger than what you get at salons. The brand wants to make sure it works for everyone, including those with healthy, thick hair that needs extra processing. These kits can literally destroy your hair because they're harsh and can't take into account the condition and type of hair in each person."
Tim Scott-Wright, the owner of The Hair Surgery salon, said that "most color corrections at our salon are the result of home oxidation. You may think you're saving money by bleaching yourself, but it will cost you more in the long run when you need corrections."