Bleach damaged hair

[angelalwhittington]

Hello all! First, I would like to state that I am a client, not a professional! I have been coloring my hair with professional products for nearly 10 years and have a lot of color build up. I prefer the rusk line and have been dying my hair a dark black/ plum color for almost the full ten years using N1.00, 4.5M, and 2.2V combo with a 40 developer. I decided I wanted to go blonde over the course of 4 months or so. I had my first lightening appointment about 3 weeks ago and my experience was awful. I left having paid over $400 and 6 hours later (though quoted $200) and had red brassy hair + an eye injury having been flicked in the eye with a piece of hair soaked in lightener. It was really odd and when I expressed my concern over the red/orange brassiness ( knowing that with the right shade of toner it could have corrected this at least a little) I was dismissed and told that it was poor lighting in the salon that was making it look red. I then cried all the way home with my orange/ginger locks. I decided to go to a different salon for my next 2-3 treatments making sure I knew at least how much I would be charged. I was told by my new stylist ( a color specialist) that if I did my Olaplex treatments at least 2 or 3 times during the week she could attempt another lightening session just one week later. I did my treatments religiously every night for a week, including leaving it in several nights overnight to make sure my hair had good elasticity and texture. I felt really good going in to the new salon. She added the lightener to my hair carefully foiling tiny sections and after over an hour placing me under a low heat dryer for processing. I sat for about 30-45 minutes when she came in to remove foils and tone my hair. She treated me with Olaplex shampoo and Conditioner and asked if I was ok to leave my hair in a bun with repairing product in my hair. I agreed and left the repairing treatment in my hair for several hours. When I got home and washed my hair it began falling out in mushy pieces. My long a-line tips are shorter than the rest of my hair now. She offered me a bunch of product to take home and try to repair it as well as 3 free cuts to remove the damage. I have been treating it every day for 4 days with an arsenal of products including the Olaplex line and my hair isn't getting much better. I have two dilemmas... one, I'm cool with cutting my hair.. .pretty short in fact. It's already just above my shoulders and I have no issue with doing almost a pixie style cut, but I also still want to go blonde. I don't want to repair and cut my hair over the next few weeks just to have to stay this color after I've spent well over $600 already. Is there any way I can baby step my hair blonde? Maybe even just go with a low lift developer and a gentle blonde lightener... leaving it in for 5 minutes at a time and doing a test strand on the weakest parts of my hair each time? I've gone blonde before and have done baylayage on friends and family with great success and I'm just wondering if there was a safer, more gradual way to lighten in little brief snippets between Olaplex treatments that could get me close to my desired color without having to pay hundreds of dollars per session. Sorry that this is a small book! Thanks in advance for any help and/ or guidance.

 

[ronray]

Hello all! First, I would like to state that I am a client, not a professional! I have been coloring my hair with professional products for nearly 10 years and have a lot of color build up. I prefer the rusk line and have been dying my hair a dark black/ plum color for almost the full ten years using N1.00, 4.5M, and 2.2V combo with a 40 developer. I decided I wanted to go blonde over the course of 4 months or so. I had my first lightening appointment about 3 weeks ago and my experience was awful. I left having paid over $400 and 6 hours later (though quoted $200) and had red brassy hair + an eye injury having been flicked in the eye with a piece of hair soaked in lightener. It was really odd and when I expressed my concern over the red/orange brassiness ( knowing that with the right shade of toner it could have corrected this at least a little) I was dismissed and told that it was poor lighting in the salon that was making it look red. I then cried all the way home with my orange/ginger locks. I decided to go to a different salon for my next 2-3 treatments making sure I knew at least how much I would be charged. I was told by my new stylist ( a color specialist) that if I did my Olaplex treatments at least 2 or 3 times during the week she could attempt another lightening session just one week later. I did my treatments religiously every night for a week, including leaving it in several nights overnight to make sure my hair had good elasticity and texture. I felt really good going in to the new salon. She added the lightener to my hair carefully foiling tiny sections and after over an hour placing me under a low heat dryer for processing. I sat for about 30-45 minutes when she came in to remove foils and tone my hair. She treated me with Olaplex shampoo and Conditioner and asked if I was ok to leave my hair in a bun with repairing product in my hair. I agreed and left the repairing treatment in my hair for several hours. When I got home and washed my hair it began falling out in mushy pieces. My long a-line tips are shorter than the rest of my hair now. She offered me a bunch of product to take home and try to repair it as well as 3 free cuts to remove the damage. I have been treating it every day for 4 days with an arsenal of products including the Olaplex line and my hair isn't getting much better. I have two dilemmas... one, I'm cool with cutting my hair.. .pretty short in fact. It's already just above my shoulders and I have no issue with doing almost a pixie style cut, but I also still want to go blonde. I don't want to repair and cut my hair over the next few weeks just to have to stay this color after I've spent well over $600 already. Is there any way I can baby step my hair blonde? Maybe even just go with a low lift developer and a gentle blonde lightener... leaving it in for 5 minutes at a time and doing a test strand on the weakest parts of my hair each time? I've gone blonde before and have done baylayage on friends and family with great success and I'm just wondering if there was a safer, more gradual way to lighten in little brief snippets between Olaplex treatments that could get me close to my desired color without having to pay hundreds of dollars per session. Sorry that this is a small book! Thanks in advance for any help and/ or guidance.

Did you disclose the fact that you'd already been colouring your hair with 40vol?. 40vol does a lot of damage to the hair if it is misused. Technically there's no reason to use 40vol for what you were trying to achieve anyway, as you are darkening your hair not lightening. As for the hairdresser situation, you should have gone back if you weren't happy! If your hair is now melted and coming out in lumps why on earth are you asking can you put more chemicals on it?
It needs to be cut off to a healthy point and need a course of treatments and continue with the olaplex until its restored to a reasonable/fair condition before I'd even think about lightening it any more.
If your hair is breaking off like you say it is, this means the hair is hydrolysed. When hair is hydrolysed there is nothing on this earth that will repair it, because it has not structure left, so these are the bits that will definitely have to be cut off. But if the hair further up the head is in better condition, you may have a good chance of saving it.
Sounds like you need to visit a true professional, who can recommend some high quality products, and someone who is competent in working towards your goal. Although the main issue of over processing the hair could be the stylist fault, what you have been doing to it over the years and since the first lightening session could also be contributing factors. I would strongly recommend that you do not attempt to colour your hair yourself.
Did either salon take strand tests?

 

[angelalwhittington]

Did you disclose the fact that you'd already been colouring your hair with 40vol?. 40vol does a lot of damage to the hair if it is misused. Technically there's no reason to use 40vol for what you were trying to achieve anyway, as you are darkening your hair not lightening. As for the hairdresser situation, you should have gone back if you weren't happy! If your hair is now melted and coming out in lumps why on earth are you asking can you put more chemicals on it?
It needs to be cut off to a healthy point and need a purse of treatments and continue with the olaplex until its restored to a reasonable/fair condition before I'd even think about lightening it any more.
If your hair is breaking off like you say it is, this means the hair is hydrolysed. When hair is hydrolysed there is nothing on this earth that will repair it, because it has not structure left, so these are the bits that will definitely have to be cut off. But if the hair further up the head is in better condition, you may have a good chance of saving it.
Sounds like you need to visit a true professional, who can recommend some high quality products, and someone who is competent in working towards your goal. Although the main issue ovlf over processing the hair could be the stylist fault, what you have been doing to it over the years and since the first lightening session could also be contributing factors. I would strongly recommend that you do not attempt to colour your hair yourself.
Did either salon take strand tests?

Neither salon did strand tests. I was worried about going back to first person, as the entire experience was unprofessional and very uncomfortable. I mis-spoke on the vol.40. This is what was used during the last "lift" at the salon... I typically use vol. 20 since I re-color with the same color every time. I told both stylists the full history of my hair and explained that it had a LONG chemical history and told them which products were used. I believe the hair at the ends are toast and there's nothing I can do but cut them. I suppose I will start with a with a cut and continue to baby the healthy hair I have left. Luckily it isn't all of my hair, but mainly the tips. Thanks for the advice... I will have to just live with this hideous color until my hair is healthy again.

 

[ronray]

Neither salon did strand tests. I was worried about going back to first person, as the entire experience was unprofessional and very uncomfortable. I mis-spoke on the vol.40. This is what was used during the last "lift" at the salon... I typically use vol. 20 since I re-color with the same color every time. I told both stylists the full history of my hair and explained that it had a LONG chemical history and told them which products were used. I believe the hair at the ends are toast and there's nothing I can do but cut them. I suppose I will start with a with a cut and continue to baby the healthy hair I have left. Luckily it isn't all of my hair, but mainly the tips. Thanks for the advice... I will have to just live with this hideous color until my hair is healthy again.

Wow! Are you saying the last person to lighten your hair, used bleach and 40vol on already prelightened hair? :O

 

[angelalwhittington]

Wow! Are you saying the last person to lighten your hair, used bleach and 40vol on already prelightened hair? :O

Yes. When I went back she said we could try going lighter after the hair healed and the dead stuff was cut off... we would just have to go slower using more like a 20vol.

 

[AcidPerm]

Find a new hairdresser! The one you’re using doesn’t sound very professional at all.

 

[ronray]

Yes. When I went back she said we could try going lighter after the hair healed and the dead stuff was cut off... we would just have to go slower using more like a 20vol.

Oh wow!! Sounds like you haven't met the right hairdresser yet :/