Dying Hair after awful bleach job

[HeatherG]

So I bleached my dyed red hair about 10 months ago because I decided I wanted a drastic change up of hair color. I'm originally a brunette. So the hair dresser I went to bleach the life out of my hair I had long hair all the way down my back and she bleached my hair 5 TIMES. Needless to say there was extensive damage resulting in major hair loss, making my hair already thinner that it had been, and cutting a huge amount off. My hair was blonde, but it was very dry, completely damagaeed and had no life. I hated it and wanted tot go back to being a brunnete but wasn't about to dye it and possibly making it worse with more chemicals, so I decided to try Henna on it, which did work in getting my hair back to a light brunette color. The only downside to this was that the really really bleached parts of my hair turned green and stayed that way for a month or so. So i had light brown hair with green highlights haha. After the month it was all brown and iv'e remained happy with the color even with my roots growing in. Now that I have a significant amount of roots and my hair was grown pretty long from how short it had to be cut because of the bleach job I want to dye it back red with an ammonia free box hair color, because I miss the red so much. I was wondering if anyone thinks its safe for me to use the chemicals on it, or if it's still too soon for that? As I said above it has been 10 months since the incident and thanks to John Frieda's damage control shampoo and conditioner my hair is so soft, and silky again,like before I bleached it. Any feed back would be very helpful. Thanks so much for reading this post!

[curlymarcia]

You can use Henna for obtaining a red hair color. If you go for the chemical dye, make a test in a small portion of hair that is hide between the hair.

[selderon]

IIRC, Level 2 hair color (semi permanent) is usually fine in terms of safety since you add color rather than the lifting and depositing done in permanent color. Coloring over all the things you've done to your hair is risky though, and could result in a color you hadn't planned on.

You may do best to wait for a response from a hair-experienced member. Some of the LHC community are stylists and colorists who have dealt with your precise set of circumstances and would be better able to predict the results.

[HeatherG]

Thanks for your response, I will def wait to see what the professional say before doing this, I am just so fearful or having my hair break and fall off if I use chemicals on it!

[HeatherG]

You can use Henna for obtaining a red hair color. If you go for the chemical dye, make a test in a small portion of hair that is hide between the hair.
I was thinking of using henna again on my hair, the pure kind this time, but since it turned my hair green for a month last time I;m not sure if I want to try that and risk it again.

[lapushka]

A semi-permanent is not going to make your hair lighter, so that's probably out (no idea what shade of red you want).

Why not stick to the henna, but this time use henna to get red hair? If you *must* color, it's probably the safest solution. Going back and forth between chemical dye & henna is not the smartest thing to do either, doubly so as you got green hair last time.

If it were me, I'd not dye again for some time. At least wait until your hair fully recovers. Products with lots of silicone (like John Frieda) are pretty good at hiding damage, but that doesn't make your hair any less damaged, especially since it's been bleached so many times.

[Sabayon]

IIRC, Level 2 hair color (semi permanent) is usually fine in terms of safety since you add color rather than the lifting and depositing done in permanent color.


Agreed. I had to bleach out years of henna last year. It took two very intensive bleachings. I would hesitate to go back to henna after that, since it sounds like you like to change your color from time to time. After the bleaching I used semi-permanents to get it back to my natural color (dark blonde) and they seem to have not caused extra damage. I was using Clariol Natural Instincts, but had to touch up the previously bleached parts every 6 weeks, then I used Garnier Herbashine and not only did it make my hair noticeably stronger, but I have not had to dye since. Of course since you are planning to dye it something other than your natural color you would still have to touch up, so maybe you don't care about that.

[sunnyhope]

A semi-permanent is not going to make your hair lighter, so that's probably out (no idea what shade of red you want).

Why not stick to the henna, but this time use henna to get red hair? If you *must* color, it's probably the safest solution. Going back and forth between chemical dye & henna is not the smartest thing to do either, doubly so as you got green hair last time.

If it were me, I'd not dye again for some time. At least wait until your hair fully recovers. Products with lots of silicone (like John Frieda) are pretty good at hiding damage, but that doesn't make your hair any less damaged, especially since it's been bleached so many times.



I am a fully qualified hairdresser and I m not sure how long your hair is at the time but if its any longer than your shoulders i would advice you to stay away from chemical tint.

Henna would be a lot nicer on your hair, even if you have to do it more often to get it properly red.
I would advice you to buy some Redken protein treatments as well as all soft as it makes the hair very very soft.
I know these products are pricey but if you want to prevent more damage on your hair i would think its well worth it.
Try using leave in treatments at all times too, mix it with some oils and do as many heavy oilings that you possibly can do.

[sunshine80]

awww I went through what you are going through...I had to cut all the damage off my hair...Leave ins and oil can def help...Im sorry cant help with color because I dont know about it...sorry you are going through that...

[Isilme]

I sincerely doubt it was pure henna you used since it should not give green highlights! If you are sure you want to stay red for a very very long time, use henna, but the pure one. Henna is kind to your hair and has amazing conditioning properties.
Whatever you do, be nice to your hair now and really baby it. And if you haven't read it before, do it now:) Nightshade's henna article http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=7

[HeatherG]

A semi-permanent is not going to make your hair lighter, so that's probably out (no idea what shade of red you want).

Why not stick to the henna, but this time use henna to get red hair? If you *must* color, it's probably the safest solution. Going back and forth between chemical dye & henna is not the smartest thing to do either, doubly so as you got green hair last time.

If it were me, I'd not dye again for some time. At least wait until your hair fully recovers. Products with lots of silicone (like John Frieda) are pretty good at hiding damage, but that doesn't make your hair any less damaged, especially since it's been bleached so many times.
Thanks for the advice, I'm still up in the air about the situation but your comments are very helpful in determining what my next move is.

[HeatherG]

Agreed. I had to bleach out years of henna last year. It took two very intensive bleachings. I would hesitate to go back to henna after that, since it sounds like you like to change your color from time to time. After the bleaching I used semi-permanents to get it back to my natural color (dark blonde) and they seem to have not caused extra damage. I was using Clariol Natural Instincts, but had to touch up the previously bleached parts every 6 weeks, then I used Garnier Herbashine and not only did it make my hair noticeably stronger, but I have not had to dye since. Of course since you are planning to dye it something other than your natural color you would still have to touch up, so maybe you don't care about that.
Herbashine is exactly the semi permanent I was going to use for my hair, since my hair is really light, because of the bleaching I think that the red would hold on nicely to my hair. I'm glad to hear you had a great experience with the Herbashine iy make me a little more leaning toward using it. I've heard nothing but great reviews on the product, so i would really like to use that again. The only thing that keeps me away from 100% committing is knowing that the henna is 100% safe for my hair, and not really knowing how safe the herbashine is. How damaged was your hair when you used the herbashine?

[HeatherG]

I am a fully qualified hairdresser and I m not sure how long your hair is at the time but if its any longer than your shoulders i would advice you to stay away from chemical tint.

Henna would be a lot nicer on your hair, even if you have to do it more often to get it properly red.
I would advice you to buy some Redken protein treatments as well as all soft as it makes the hair very very soft.
I know these products are pricey but if you want to prevent more damage on your hair i would think its well worth it.
Try using leave in treatments at all times too, mix it with some oils and do as many heavy oilings that you possibly can do.
My hair is currently about two to three inches below my mid back. I have read the benefits of henna and the last henna i did use was not pure henna, which may account for the green highlights I received. I have been through many deep conditioning treatments at salons as well as using deep conditioning treatments at home and leave in conditioners. I might try doing some test strands of the semi permanent hair dye on the more visibly damaged parts of my hair to see how my hair reacts and if I get a negative feel I will be doing henna on it because regardless of what I use I want a red hair color.

[HeatherG]

awww I went through what you are going through...I had to cut all the damage off my hair...Leave ins and oil can def help...Im sorry cant help with color because I dont know about it...sorry you are going through that...
Sorry you had to go through this as well, it is a terrible experience that take a while to bounce back from. I appreciate your feedback and condolences!

[chopandchange]

Oh dear! Poor you.

I am not a professional but just anxiously wish to suggest that you don't do anything else to your hair because dying it over and over to correct the previous botched attempt can lead to you having it completely ruined. I speak from sad personal experience and would not want it to happen to anyone else! I've never had green hair but I've had orange hair and also a root touch-up that turned out a different colour from the lengths! It's amusing to look back on now, but at the time it's absolutely horrible and just makes you cry and cry and cry, so I know how awful you must be feeling! I hope you manage to get the colour you want. xx

[HeatherG]

I sincerely doubt it was pure henna you used since it should not give green highlights! If you are sure you want to stay red for a very very long time, use henna, but the pure one. Henna is kind to your hair and has amazing conditioning properties.
Whatever you do, be nice to your hair now and really baby it. And if you haven't read it before, do it now:) Nightshade's henna article http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=7
Yea the Henna I used before was not pure henna, and I knew that going in, because I didn't want to go right back to red. I have no idea what color the pure henna will give me, since I now have brown henna on top of my hair, as well as my very dark roots growing out and some blonde still peaking out in various parts of my hair, giving it the appearance of highlights.

[HeatherG]

Oh dear! Poor you.

I am not a professional but just anxiously wish to suggest that you don't do anything else to your hair because dying it over and over to correct the previous botched attempt can lead to you having it completely ruined. I speak from sad personal experience and would not want it to happen to anyone else! I've never had green hair but I've had orange hair and also a root touch-up that turned out a different colour from the lengths! It's amusing to look back on now, but at the time it's absolutely horrible and just makes you cry and cry and cry, so I know how awful you must be feeling! I hope you manage to get the colour you want. xx
Thanks so much for your advice. I haven't used ANY chemicals on it since the blotched bleach job and this would be the first time I have even considered trying a semi permanent dye on my hair to see the results, I am going to do a few strand tests to see how it comes out and I'm praying that it doesn't harm it. Sorry to hear about your experience and thanks very much for not wanting anyone else to go through it!

[Sabayon]

Herbashine is exactly the semi permanent I was going to use for my hair, since my hair is really light, because of the bleaching I think that the red would hold on nicely to my hair. I'm glad to hear you had a great experience with the Herbashine iy make me a little more leaning toward using it. I've heard nothing but great reviews on the product, so i would really like to use that again. The only thing that keeps me away from 100% committing is knowing that the henna is 100% safe for my hair, and not really knowing how safe the herbashine is. How damaged was your hair when you used the herbashine?

Well, after bleaching my hair was literally melted in places. I would brush it and great handfuls would come out. Before dyeing over that though I had done several protein and moisture treatments over the course of six weeks. It was still very damaged though. The dye did not seem to cause any additional damage, and my hair even seemed a bit stronger afterwards (this is probably because of the conditioner they include, but still suggests to me that deposit-only color is not or at least not very damaging). The only thing I would warn is that, like all the Garnier hair color, it comes out a bit darker, and in the case of reds, more intense than it looks on the box.

[Lianna]

Yea the Henna I used before was not pure henna, and I knew that going in, because I didn't want to go right back to red. I have no idea what color the pure henna will give me, since I now have brown henna on top of my hair, as well as my very dark roots growing out and some blonde still peaking out in various parts of my hair, giving it the appearance of highlights.

I think what she meant by "not pure henna", is some kind of faux henna with metallic salts. "Not pure henna" as in henna mixed with cassia or indigo (which gives green tones when bleached) is totally fine.

A word of advice here is that most people here do not have good experiences with hair dyes/bleach/whatever chemicals, so most of what you'll get is discourages to dye again, because people think if a hair dye damaged their hair, will probably damage yours too. This is a general feeling I picked up in this place for the last year, it doesn't matter how much we try to change this, the newbies with damaged dyed hair will always bring this up again and some are just non-believers that dyed hair can be healthy, shiny, soft and long.

I guess I'll have to represent the minority here who enjoys dying their hair, and don't have damaged hair. Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=889) is a link to an interesting thread to be found in LHC.

I don't mind someone changing colors a lot, or even bleaching it. I do it. But your hair was bleached 5 times in one go, and that worries me, this shouldn't have been done. It's a little different if someone bleaches, dyes, bleaches again after a while, dyes again, bleaches again in another month, specially if they're not bleaching all the pigment each time, just a little to be blondish. If you haven't bleached your hair 5 times, bleaching again (carefully) wouldn't be a problem. I don't see much problem with just a box dye over it, though, specially red.

[jojo]

I was thinking of using henna again on my hair, the pure kind this time, but since it turned my hair green for a month last time I;m not sure if I want to try that and risk it again. collect some hair from a brush or comb and test! i hennaered over highlights and had no problems but as you probably know do a test first! though with BAQ henna, you should have no problem. It sounds like your last henna was not a BAQ henna but one which contained metalic salts which do have a reputation of turning bleached hair green!....not a good look:cool:

I see this has been discussed but you should have no problem with a BAQ henna. You would never guess I have highlights under my henna!

[HeatherG]

Well, after bleaching my hair was literally melted in places. I would brush it and great handfuls would come out. Before dyeing over that though I had done several protein and moisture treatments over the course of six weeks. It was still very damaged though. The dye did not seem to cause any additional damage, and my hair even seemed a bit stronger afterwards (this is probably because of the conditioner they include, but still suggests to me that deposit-only color is not or at least not very damaging). The only thing I would warn is that, like all the Garnier hair color, it comes out a bit darker, and in the case of reds, more intense than it looks on the box.

Thanks so much for your information! Yea I've had many moisturizing and deep conditioning treatments done to my hair over the 10 month period. So I feel if you're hair received no further damage then mine should be fine as well. I wouldn't mind the intensity of the red, My hair was so read at one it almost looked purple, but thanks for the warning. Everything you have told me has been so helpful, I really appreciate it! I will be sure to post before and after pictures of it!

[UltraBella]

I bleach my hair, dye my hair, change my color several times a year........ I get bored and need a change.
I think using a Demi color may be a good option for you. It has a low volume developer so it is minimally damaging in comparison to permanent color, yet it is penetrating the hair shaft and depositing color so it won't wash out as quickly as a semi color. My concern is the difference between your roots and length. You stated you are naturally a brunette, how much lighter is your length ? Your roots may take color very differently than your chemically treated lengths and the difference could be quite noticeable.

[Mesmerise]

Well, I don't see anything particularly wrong with chemical dye... BUT the best, longest lasting red I've ever had has been from pure henna. If I were dyeing my hair red (which I do lol) I'd pick henna.

I find that for the most part box dyes fade much faster, in fact reds are known for the speed of their fading! Of course if you don't mind the fade that's probably not a bad thing ;).

I think given the damage your hair already has though, dyeing with henna would be the safest option.

Oh, and if the henna you used to get your brown colour previously wasn't mixed with indigo or cassia or a natural product, but was instead made with metallic salts, then ANY chemical colour over it could be disastrous! Definitely test any strands in your hairbrush before dyeing with a chemical dye to be on the safe side.

Of course, if it was mixed with indigo or something like that, it should be fine ;)

[rogue_psyche]

Oh, and if the henna you used to get your brown colour previously wasn't mixed with indigo or cassia or a natural product, but was instead made with metallic salts, then ANY chemical colour over it could be disastrous! Definitely test any strands in your hairbrush before dyeing with a chemical dye to be on the safe side.

Of course, if it was mixed with indigo or something like that, it should be fine ;

I'd like to repeat that.

I'm not sure what to tell you. You seem like someone who feels the need to change your hair every so often, and so I can't in good faith recommend henna, since henna is permanent. However, if your henna was indeed made with metallic salts chemical dye will be disastrous.

Some of us have to make a decision between longhair and chemically colored hair. The bleached length that I'm growing out still splits even with almost three years of LHC babying and henna to make it stronger. My taper begins exactly where the bleach starts. That's not a coincidence, that's proof that chemical dyes are damaging. Ammonia free does not mean that it isn't damaging. Box dyes are formulated for undyed hair and have an agent in them to open up the cuticle and let the dye in. Your bleached hair already has an open cuticle so the dye won't take there but will take well in your roots (that is if it doesn't melt off from the metallic salts that may be in your henna).

If I were freaky-Fridayed with you I'd probably start going for the BAQ henna to get my red fix and gradually trim out the damage. But its your hair so do what you want, but be sure to strand test and be sure that what you're doing is really what you want for your hair, and have a plan for the long term. After all, hair only grows 1/2" a month so mistakes can cost a lot of time.

[Toadstool]

I've never had a problem with henna over bleach. But when I bleached out my henna, my hair melted off. I did leave the bleach on for an hour though. What I am trying to say is that if you do henna over already damaged hair and at a later date want to remove it, it may be too much for your hair. It was for mine, and I always thought my thick coarse hair could withstand anything!
I personally would use the herbashine to get the result you want.

[Allychan]

Hi HeatherG
Your hair turned green because of the colour wheel. ie yellow (blonde) + brown = green
Putting a red over the green would send the colour back to neutral. I know this because I used to bleach my hair then dye it brown and end up with a green tinge too. The only way to avoid the green hightlights is to go red first. The return to brown process goes yellow, orange, red then brown. A red henna over the damage and green would be the option I'd go for if it were my hair. Avoid the chemical dyes you may fix the colour but you'll be adding more trauma to your hair.
Hope I've helped
ps My profile pic is crap but believe it or not I once had waist length red healthy henna'd hair

[Sabayon]

Thanks so much for your information! Yea I've had many moisturizing and deep conditioning treatments done to my hair over the 10 month period. So I feel if you're hair received no further damage then mine should be fine as well. I wouldn't mind the intensity of the red, My hair was so read at one it almost looked purple, but thanks for the warning. Everything you have told me has been so helpful, I really appreciate it! I will be sure to post before and after pictures of it!

You're Welcome! I am glad my hair experience can help someone else. I would also second the idea of a test patch before you dye if you are unsure what was in the brown henna you have used. I mean it never hurts to check.

[HeatherG]

For everyone who was wondering what was in the henna I used, I used two treatments of henna a week or so a part. It doesn't look like any metalic salts were used in either of the dyes and the place I ordered from, which was, HennaHut assured me when I emailed them that they only used plants in all of there Henna Mixes. I am definaely not a Henna expert, so anyone more familiar with Henna could you please tell me if anything I listed looks like a metalic salt? Thanks so much.

Mmohagony Henna
87% Indigofera Tinctoria

5% Lawsonia Inermis

2% Red Kaolinite or Red Clay

2% Eclipta Alba

2% Centella Asiatica

1% Triminalia Chebula

1% Terminalia Bellirica Roxb.

Brown Hair Henna

55% Indigofera Tinctoria

35% Lawsonia Inermis

5% Emblica Officinalis Gaertn

4% Eclipta Alba

1% Azadirachta Indica

[HeatherG]

Again thanks so much to everyone who keeps responding on this forum all the information I am receiving is extremely helpful.

[HeatherG]

I bleach my hair, dye my hair, change my color several times a year........ I get bored and need a change.
I think using a Demi color may be a good option for you. It has a low volume developer so it is minimally damaging in comparison to permanent color, yet it is penetrating the hair shaft and depositing color so it won't wash out as quickly as a semi color. My concern is the difference between your roots and length. You stated you are naturally a brunette, how much lighter is your length ? Your roots may take color very differently than your chemically treated lengths and the difference could be quite noticeable.
My hair is quite a bit lighter so the color difference will def be noticeable, I know this from previous experience of dying my hair with having darker roots and lighter length, but that color difference doesn't bother me, since as of right now I have about 3 different colors in my hair haha from everything I have done to it.

[HeatherG]

Well, I don't see anything particularly wrong with chemical dye... BUT the best, longest lasting red I've ever had has been from pure henna. If I were dyeing my hair red (which I do lol) I'd pick henna.

I find that for the most part box dyes fade much faster, in fact reds are known for the speed of their fading! Of course if you don't mind the fade that's probably not a bad thing ;).

I think given the damage your hair already has though, dyeing with henna would be the safest option.

Oh, and if the henna you used to get your brown colour previously wasn't mixed with indigo or cassia or a natural product, but was instead made with metallic salts, then ANY chemical colour over it could be disastrous! Definitely test any strands in your hairbrush before dyeing with a chemical dye to be on the safe side.

Of course, if it was mixed with indigo or something like that, it should be fine ;)

I have toyed around with the option of using Henna to obtain that read color, but I don't know I'm still quite on the wall about it. In response to your question about the metalic salts I posted exactly what was in both of the henna's that I used, there doesn't seem to be any salts in there at all, it's all plants. I will def do a stand test before dyeing for sure. And from previously dyeing my hair red for 4 years before deciding to bleach it I know that reds fade fast haha, it's something that I have learned to live with haha

[Alvrodul]

The ingredient list you posted did not include any metallic salts, fortunately! If you had dyed your hair with something that included metallic salts, putting a chemical dye over that would be a Very Bad Idea - as in your hair going up in smoke. It would certainly destroy your hair!
The green color that was the result of the dye obviously came from the indigo (Indigofera Tinctoria). I must warn you that using products containing peroxide over indigo is likely to result in just that sort of color. :( I strongly suggest that you and your colorist do extensive strand testing so as to prevent any more hair disasters!
Since you like to change your hair color frequently, I would not recommend henna - that is a very permanent color. Personally, I adore both the color and the other effects, but that is me.;)
I think that what your hair needs most now is a rest from chemical colorants. Perhaps you should try to get your hair back to your natural hair color, and avoid using permanent colors for a while? Once upon a time I, too ruined my hair with bleach, and that is what I did.:o

[teela1978]

So this one time my friend and I decided to go blonde... I ended up with blonde roots and very red length with some brown mixed in (doing it at home was not the best plan).

My solution was to go to the drugstore, and look at the backs of all the boxes until I found one with results on blonde and brown hair that were similar... a reddish brown evened things out surprisingly well.

[HeatherG]

The ingredient list you posted did not include any metallic salts, fortunately! If you had dyed your hair with something that included metallic salts, putting a chemical dye over that would be a Very Bad Idea - as in your hair going up in smoke. It would certainly destroy your hair!
The green color that was the result of the dye obviously came from the indigo (Indigofera Tinctoria). I must warn you that using products containing peroxide over indigo is likely to result in just that sort of color. :( I strongly suggest that you and your colorist do extensive strand testing so as to prevent any more hair disasters!
Since you like to change your hair color frequently, I would not recommend henna - that is a very permanent color. Personally, I adore both the color and the other effects, but that is me.;)
I think that what your hair needs most now is a rest from chemical colorants. Perhaps you should try to get your hair back to your natural hair color, and avoid using permanent colors for a while? Once upon a time I, too ruined my hair with bleach, and that is what I did.:o

Thanks so much for your information! I actually think I have decided to used Henna. I have used it before and it did do it's job without damaging my hair. I don't really like to change my hair color a lot I just liked to experiment with different colors to see which on looks best on me. I was red for four years and I loved it, I just really wanted to see what I would have looked like blonde. Since I didn't like how that looked I plan on staying red for a very long time, and probably won't be planning on going back to my natural color for about 10 years if ever. I am very permanent with the red color, despite the red it comes out. I'm placing my order with Henna Hut today and will be sure to post pictures of the color I end up with. Again thanks so much for your information truly appreciate it, and i believe that I'm making the best decision for my hair at the moment, since I don't wish to damage it further.