Why don't hairdressers do a full head of bleach?

[Amber-]

This is just something I've always wondered.
I am a natural level 3/4. A few years back, when I decided I wanted to go blonde, I thought that it would be done by a full head of lightening and then some highlights/lowlights on top to add some contrast/depth.

Not one hairdresser I had a consultation with agreed with me, they all said that the way to go blonde is to have a full head of meche done and to keep getting them done until my whole head is blonde because that way is "less damaging".
Which takes months, and costs an absolute fortune.

I never understood this. After all those meches your whole head is going to be lightened anyway so surely all these meches is just prolonging the inevitable.
Why is it that hairdressers are so reluctant to do an all-over lightening?

PS I got bored of being blonde in the end, back dark again now

 

[dee]

not sure if some hairdressers on here agree with me but ... a decent full head bleach is hard to do esp on a 3-4 , i have seen many disasters from peeps having it done with either bad hairdresser / wrong products etc...
sometimes as much as we want it its hard to acheive , if you want it done then a top notch colourist is deffo worth paying for

 

[lisa82]

Yes I agree, on a base 3-4 it would be too damaging and harsh. And then especially when you get regrowth done, any tiny overlap would leave you with broken hair etc x

 

[MissOwen]

This is just something I've always wondered.
I am a natural level 3/4. A few years back, when I decided I wanted to go blonde, I thought that it would be done by a full head of lightening and then some highlights/lowlights on top to add some contrast/depth.

Not one hairdresser I had a consultation with agreed with me, they all said that the way to go blonde is to have a full head of meche done and to keep getting them done until my whole head is blonde because that way is "less damaging".
Which takes months, and costs an absolute fortune.

I never understood this. After all those meches your whole head is going to be lightened anyway so surely all these meches is just prolonging the inevitable.
Why is it that hairdressers are so reluctant to do an all-over lightening?

PS I got bored of being blonde in the end, back dark again now

I'm not a hairdresser so this is only my opinion, but maybe this is a factor too..... lots of people change their mind. It must be less damaging to cover a few highlights than try to convert back from a full head. It may test the real commitment of the client if they have to wait a little longer, adding slowly to gain the full blonde look. xxxx

 

[persianista]

We generally don't like doing full head bleach on midlength or long hair because;
1. The condition WILL be poor, no matter what we use.

2. People find the colour a huge shock, with lots of pale highlights, there is still some colour and tone present. With full bleach there is none at all

3. Set against a pink face, unless it is overbleached and toned to grey, it will "look" yellow, as there is no other colour set against it.

4. It is irreversible as the condition is so compromised.

5. Roots need to be done every ten days, which is a huge financial and time comitment.

6. Bleach must never be overlapped on a regrowth app, as you get instant breakage.

So for short, funky styles it can look great, on longer hair, think Lily Savage!

 

[fena]

I'v got the opposite problem. My hair is naturaly dark. I'v always had 3 colours. Blonde, caramel and a light brown. The last couple of times the hairdresser has not coloured my hair well nor cut it how i would like.
I'v phoned around a few hairdressers and none want to do 3 colours in my hair. One salon said i have to go blonde all over, then return for a darker blonde and return again for a brown. At monthly intervals.

 

[persianista]

I'v got the opposite problem. My hair is naturaly dark. I'v always had 3 colours. Blonde, caramel and a light brown. The last couple of times the hairdresser has not coloured my hair well nor cut it how i would like.
I'v phoned around a few hairdressers and none want to do 3 colours in my hair. One salon said i have to go blonde all over, then return for a darker blonde and return again for a brown. At monthly intervals.

Rubbish! 3 colour highlights as you describe are standard stuff. Keep having consultations until you find a hairdresser that you are happy with.

 

[sharneshairroom]

I agree 100% with persianista. Well said and explained. Its not that we dont want to do it, its just so fiddly and unpredictable when applying on mid lengths and ends, as a colourist, on a first time customer, its just too risky. Also on a 3-4 base, your not likely to get a nice blonde, it will look yellow sorry.

 

[skankinchar]

I have a full head bleach (my hair is very short) and everything that persianista says is true! I wouldn't do it on anybody that had hair much longer than mine, the chewing gum feeling is not something I favour, and when I explain this to my longer haired clients they can appreciate that too.