Short broken hairs

[KoKonut]

Just wondering if anyone else has had extensive damage from bleach to where it broke off hair all on top of head and top of back hair. My hair is now just below shoulders so I have to constantly wear hats/turbans to hide the top, as well as the dark roots against the blonde. The hair appears to be at least 2 to 2.5" short so it keeps wanting to stick up and out. I'm wondering how long it will take for it to at least start to lay down. I know it just takes time and patience, and I'm trying.

[blackgothicdoll]

According to my photo album, it took about 9 months, but I was still using heat and not using good practices. If you treat your hair better than I did, perhaps it will take a little less. The sticking up only stopped when it grew out long enough. Had I continued bleaching, it probably would have continued.

DEC2015/JAN2016

https://i.imgur.com/YXF9LxK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/s1jYVyn.jpg

SEP2016

https://i.imgur.com/zvC7FF7.jpg

[lapushka]

Just wondering if anyone else has had extensive damage from bleach to where it broke off hair all on top of head and top of back hair. My hair is now just below shoulders so I have to constantly wear hats/turbans to hide the top, as well as the dark roots against the blonde. The hair appears to be at least 2 to 2.5" short so it keeps wanting to stick up and out. I'm wondering how long it will take for it to at least start to lay down. I know it just takes time and patience, and I'm trying.

It can mean that it was over-processed. I would be *very* very very careful with next appointments to bleach if your hair is breaking off so close to the root. That doesn't bode well.

Is there any chance you might like to grow it out? :o Just thought I'd ask. Not that you have to on this forum or anything, there is a thread about bottle blondes that grew long.

And try talking to Ylva. She does bleach too (but I think her hair is quite light naturally).

[KoKonut]

According to my photo album, it took about 9 months, but I was still using heat and not using good practices. If you treat your hair better than I did, perhaps it will take a little less. The sticking up only stopped when it grew out long enough. Had I continued bleaching, it probably would have continued.

DEC2015/JAN2016

https://i.imgur.com/YXF9LxK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/s1jYVyn.jpg

SEP2016

https://i.imgur.com/zvC7FF7.jpg

Your short broken hairs doesn't look near as much as mine on top, I only see a few on yours. I have not used heat and have been really babying my hair since it was last colored this past December, so I'm hoping it will start laying down soon.

[KoKonut]

It can mean that it was over-processed. I would be *very* very very careful with next appointments to bleach if your hair is breaking off so close to the root. That doesn't bode well.

Is there any chance you might like to grow it out? :o Just thought I'd ask. Not that you have to on this forum or anything, there is a thread about bottle blondes that grew long.

And try talking to Ylva. She does bleach too (but I think her hair is quite light naturally).


Yeah, it was a complete bleach nightmare disaster back in October, and then again bleach roots in December. Took most of my hair off and left these short broken hairs all on top. Since then, I have sworn off of bleach forever, don't even wanna hear the name anymore. I decided in December to let my hair just grow, no color, no nothing for however long it takes. Problem is, I'm salt and pepper on top now and short hairs sticking up and have a bad cowlick on top of back of head with all that hair missing, so I pretty much am stuck with just wearing hats all the time. I'm not putting any more color on it for as long as it takes, I just want my hair back and want it back strong, healthy and in good shape and am willing to endure whatever I must do to get there even though I may have to wear hats or up all through the summer. My goal is to get to waist length.

[blackgothicdoll]

Oh wow, ok, that sounds really bad. :( At least you know not to get it bleached again. It'll take time but it will heal and grow back, you may just have to be patient and of course really baby your hair. Protein treatments are good for bleached hair, though you'll still need moisture too.

Good luck!

[lapushka]

Yeah, it was a complete bleach nightmare disaster back in October, and then again bleach roots in December. Took most of my hair off and left these short broken hairs all on top. Since then, I have sworn off of bleach forever, don't even wanna hear the name anymore. I decided in December to let my hair just grow, no color, no nothing for however long it takes. Problem is, I'm salt and pepper on top now and short hairs sticking up and have a bad cowlick on top of back of head with all that hair missing, so I pretty much am stuck with just wearing hats all the time. I'm not putting any more color on it for as long as it takes, I just want my hair back and want it back strong, healthy and in good shape and am willing to endure whatever I must do to get there even though I may have to wear hats or up all through the summer. My goal is to get to waist length.

OMG, I'm sorry to hear that.

BTDT. :o I learned the hard way, let's just say that.

Is there a possibility of coloring your hair with a semi or vegetable dye close to your natural color. At least you won't have to cover your hair all the time in that case.

What's your natural color, apart from the salt & pepper?

[Ylva]

And try talking to Ylva. She does bleach too (but I think her hair is quite light naturally).

Hmm, I'm afraid I can't help in this case. :( I have never had breakage that high up so I don't know when it might start acting differently. My ends are pretty dreadful though, haha. Thank you for thinking of me, though, lapushka. :o

And yeah, I'm a medium/dark blonde, so I can get away with pretty "gentle" bleach sessions.

[lapushka]

Hmm, I'm afraid I can't help in this case. :( I have never had breakage that high up so I don't know when it might start acting differently. My ends are pretty dreadful though, haha. Thank you for thinking of me, though, lapushka. :o

And yeah, I'm a medium/dark blonde, so I can get away with pretty "gentle" bleach sessions.

Oh no, I wasn't talking of the breakage, I was talking of your "general" bleach experience that might or might not be useful to her.

[Ylva]

Oh no, I wasn't talking of the breakage, I was talking of your "general" bleach experience that might or might not be useful to her.

Aah! :) Yeah, absolutely, if she's still interested in bleaching her hair, but so far I got the impression that she doesn't want to do it anymore. :)

[illicitlizard]

Just chiming in here, I'd say it took until my hair was about 4" long before it began to lay flat.
Really sorry to hear you had such a trash bleach experience!

[lapushka]

Aah! :) Yeah, absolutely, if she's still interested in bleaching her hair, but so far I got the impression that she doesn't want to do it anymore. :)

I'm glad that's cleared up, Ylva! :) Yes, I had no idea at first she was going to give up bleach cold turkey. But apparently she is. Props to the OP! It's tough growing out bleach!

[SurprisingWoman]

I got a perm in the '80s that was so tight I couldn't get my fingers through my hair, even with conditioner and it being wet. It was soooo overprocessed.

I ended up getting my hair cut super short and it spiked on the top. Have you thought about just taking a big cut and starting over from scratch? I was thin then and could rock it. I couldn't do it now so I understand if that's not your jam.

[milosmomma]

I would suggest a silky scarf, you can tie them all sorts of different ways and I have seen some tutorials on youtube and they are gentle.

[JennGalt]

Seconding the silky scarf suggestion. Most of my new growth these days is very coarse, loves to frizz, and does its own thing in spite of gel. You’d be surprised what you can do with a little styling product or moisturizing cream and a silky scarf :) Disobedient hairs seem to respond much better than simply using gel or pins to hold them in place. Apply your product and tie the scarf in place and leave it there until the product dries or overnight, whichever you prefer.

If you feel you must hide your hair, I’d suggest making sure whatever is laying against your hair is silky. Cotton can exacerbate frizz or dryness for some people, or cause friction and mechanical damage. Silky material is indeed more gentle.

[KoKonut]

Thanks ya'll!!

I currently am going to a salon every week to get shampooed and a botanical treatment by Aveda, one week I get the protein one and the next I get the moisturizing one. I have them rinse me in cold water and I let it air dry, no heat. She had told me 3 weeks ago when I first started doing this that if I could wait until the end of February that it would be okay to color BUT I told her today I have made the decision that I will be going until June before I do anything else to my hair pertaining to color. I'm just so sick about the whole horrendous experience that I'm kinda scared to do anything else to it and once I get to June, I'll re-evaluate how my hair looks and how I feel and if I decide I can keep going without doing anything to it, I'll continue on through the summer with no color.

The thing about it is I figured even IF I were to get it colored this month it won't make much of a difference because of all the breakage and the huge cowlick, there's just no style to it and until those tons of broken hairs all on top get longer and hanging down over the cowlick area, I pretty much am stuck with covering it up. But she told me today that it looks like it's really growing fast and that she's happy to see me keeping up with these weekly treatments.

I am doing everything I possibly can to heal my hair, supplements, eating right, lots of water, no heat, wash once a week with deep treatments. I think I'll be okay. I'm just sad that I abused my hair so badly!

[lapushka]

Can I ask (no judgement) why you are going to a salon to get your weekly wash + DC?

I mean, if you get a good moisturizing conditioner for dry damaged hair + a protein conditioner (Joico or Redken comes to mind), then you could easily do this yourself.

Or is there a reason (health) why you can't wash your own hair?

Like I said, no judgement, I'm just curious.