Possible way to protect hair from conventional peroxide damage

**ktani** · April 3rd, 2009, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by Freija

It's just anecdotal, but the last time I lightened my hair (two applications of 20 vol. peroxide in succession to tone down an indigo mistake/followed by henna) - a few months ago now - I used coconut oil and there's still no noticeable damage to the ends. Also, I seem to remember my hair was less dry immediately after using the peroxide with the oil than the previous times without it.

I have lightened with 20 vol/one hour (before discovering coconut oil) in the past just to get a brighter henna result, but have stopped now. I didn't notice too much damage even then, perhaps due to the henna, but my hair definitely felt dry and the ends seemed more tangle-prone.

Incidentally, there's a huge difference (to me: from experience and a lucky escape, all told) in the damage 30 vol. can do against 20 vol. More than the difference between 10 vol. and 20 vol., I think. Y'know, just in case anyone is as 'cavalier' with their hair as I was.

Does that help? Thankyou so much for all your wonderful information - you're a goldmine!

Thank you so much for posting. This is not "just anecdotal". It is a report, the same as the others, except that you did not use the coconut oil as a pretreatment but you are reporting no damage, compared to when you used 20 volume peroxide previously.

Thank you also for your kind words.

I enlarged and put in bold your last remarks. They are important too, IMO.

**ktani** · April 3rd, 2009, 04:47 PM

Ok, I will try to keep the numbers straight, lol (I keep messing up the count).

There have been 34 reports so far, 33 with coconut oil and/or argan oil, 1 with just jojoba oil.

Not bad at all so far.

**ktani** · April 4th, 2009, 07:54 AM

An easy way to remember the 3 things one should watch, for the coconut oil/coconut oil & argan oil pretreatment method, is this,
TAM; Timing (at least 1 hour is recommended), Access to the hair (no; build-up, butters, coatings, conditioner, other oils, or residue, on the hair), Amount of oil(s) used.

Ok, I cheated with the letters lol, but it works better for me, than TAA, AMT, or ATM.

**ktani** · April 4th, 2009, 09:02 PM

Method of application for coconut and argan oils used as a pretreatment before conventional hair colouring or lightening

Prior to the pretreatment, the hair should not be conditioned with conventional conditioners, other oils, butters (jojoba oil and shea butter were reported to interfere with colour and lightening results), or have coatings, build-up, or residue on it. The idea is to have the preoiling absorb into the hair as much as possible.

A light oiling with coconut oil or coconut and argan oils, can be applied to freshly washed hair, to condition it, and more applied at least 1 hour in advance of when one is ready to colour or lighten. The full preoiling can be applied from the roots to the tips of the hair, it has been reported, without concern of it interfering with dye uptake, even on grey hair. Coconut oil has been reported to help conventional hair colour cover grey hair better, than not using it.

The hair colour/peroxide/bleach is applied directly over the preoil(s). The preoilng replaces any preconditioner, that comes with at home conventional hair colour and has been reported to be more effective, for both conditioning and colour results.

Letting the oil(s) sit on the hair for some time in advance of the colouring or lightening process is important, to saturate the hair and let the oil(s) be absorbed. 1 hour is the minimum time, up to overnight, (which IMO, is not necessary).

Heavier oilings have not been reported to interfere with conventional hair colour dye uptake or conventional lightening, as long as either coconut oil or coconut and argan oils are used. Other oils, or butters, can cause problems in both areas (they can leave a coating on the hair).

A heavy coconut oiling, has been reported to eliminate after conventional hair colouring dryness of the hair, while still not interfering with dye uptake.

Most importantly, both coconut and coconut and argan oils, used as a pretreatment, have been reported to help prevent hair damage. No damage has been reported after conventionl hair colouring or lightening, when these oils have been used. Coconut oil used as a pretreatment, has been reported to help protect already damaged hair, from any further damage, by conventional hair colouring. The purpose of using these oils, is to chelate the free iron and copper, that cause free radical damage during these processes. Conditioning benefits are a bonus. Both of these oils can deliver that too and have been reported to do so, without any other added oil, being necessary.

**ktani** · April 5th, 2009, 06:04 AM

Method of application details for coconut and argan oils (TAM)

Timing
The method of application post timing of at least an hour, is a general recommendation, based on reports of 10 and 15 minutes, resulting in after pretreatment and conventional hair colouring/lightening dryness. There was still no hair damage reported. Timing can vary with individual choice and what process is being done to the hair. The oil(s) need time to saturate the hair and be absorbed as much as possible. In the research on cells, the cells were preincubated with flavonoids for 24 hours, before being subjected to hydrogen peroxide. I do not think that 24 hours or overnight is necessary for the pretreatment but either is an option. So is less time, as in less than 1 hour.

Access to the hair
Any coating on the hair can negatively affect conventional hair colour and lightening results and has been reported to do so. The pretreatment oil(s) should help with porosity issues and uneven colouring results and both dye uptake and colour results have been reported to be excellent, when these oils have been used.

Amount of oils used
Initially there were concerns, that a heavy pretreatment oiling, would interfere with conventional hair colouring and lightening results. The opposite has been reported to be the case. More of the oil(s), has been reported to resolve after process dryness issues, and both colour and lightening results have been reported to be excellent, when coconut oil/coconut oil & argan oil have been used.

The method of application post is designed to help the pretreatment yield optimal results, and is based on the reports to date, and research.

**longinthehair** · April 5th, 2009, 06:41 AM

I have been following this thread's advice for quite some time now, and it is a regular part of my monthly lightening process. Thank you for this help Ktani- it has made a world of difference for me.
Coconut oil pre-treatment that is - would not do my root lightening without it. Of course I coat all my hair, the whole of my head as I would for any pre-washing treatment but (and importantly)a lighter coating than for my pre-wash and have varied in the time..have tried anywhere from one hour (and this only due to a time restraint) to a couple of hours to overnight pre-conditioning w. coconut oil. Protects the length while applying my solution; and all in all leaves my hair in a much softer and moisturized condition after the lightening. In my root-lightening process I use 20-volume 1 (50/50 color ratio) to 1.5 (20 volume) ratio now. I am thoroughly pleased with the conditioning effects of the coconut oiling beforehand; and the lightening process is undisturbed, working well.
At first when I tried the pre-coconut pre-lightening treatment, I was reluctant to put it on my roots where I would be lightening, but as I kept updated with this thread; that fear subsided and have been doing all the hair.
I think it's most beneficial for me to have the coconut pre-treatment on for at least two hours if not more..and ideally, I seem to be preferring if I can soak it overnight although from reading here, I see that's not necessarily so. {It could also be the idea for me that it splits up the time devoted to the touch-up.}
I know that for my regular pre-wash coconut oil applications, I really saturate my hair and I see a much more moisturizing effect from an overnight length of time, after a regular wash. So that's why I feel the longer, the more moisturizing effect. Thanks again for all your help!

**ktani** · April 5th, 2009, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by longinthehair

I have been following this thread's advice for quite some time now, and it is a regular part of my monthly lightening process. Thank you for this help Ktani- it has made a world of difference for me.
Coconut oil pre-treatment that is - would not do my root lightening without it. Of course I coat all my hair, the whole of my head as I would for any pre-washing treatment but (and importantly)a lighter coating than for my pre-wash and have varied in the time..have tried anywhere from one hour (and this only due to a time restraint) to a couple of hours to overnight pre-conditioning w. coconut oil. Protects the length while applying my solution; and all in all leaves my hair in a much softer and moisturized condition after the lightening. In my root-lightening process I use 20-volume 1 (50/50 color ratio) to 1.5 (20 volume) ratio now. I am thoroughly pleased with the conditioning effects of the coconut oiling beforehand; and the lightening process is undisturbed, working well.
At first when I tried the pre-coconut pre-lightening treatment, I was reluctant to put it on my roots where I would be lightening, but as I kept updated with this thread; that fear subsided and have been doing all the hair.
I think it's most beneficial for me to have the coconut pre-treatment on for at least two hours if not more..and ideally, I seem to be preferring if I can soak it overnight although from reading here, I see that's not necessarily so. {It could also be the idea for me that it splits up the time devoted to the touch-up.}
I know that for my regular pre-wash coconut oil applications, I really saturate my hair and I see a much more moisturizing effect from an overnight length of time, after a regular wash. So that's why I feel the longer, the more moisturizing effect. Thanks again for all your help!

You are most welcome! Thank you for such a detailed report! I just want to confirm one thing. Since you have been doing this, have you seen any damage to your hair post colouring?

**ktani** · April 5th, 2009, 12:42 PM

Not even the hair colour companies can get this right. Here are reviews for Clairol Nice n Easy Gray Solution, only they are not all nice and it wasn't that easy for everyone who tried it. This hair colour is specifically aimed at grey coverage. It looks like the professional answers to this problem are still to come. I am not saying that I have the answer. I am saying, that there is an easier (and possibly more cost effective), more hair friendly way to deal with resistant grey hair to start with, before trying more aggressive methods. Clarify the hair in advance of chemically colouring it, and do not use conditioner afterward except coconut or coconut and argan oils. Do not use a conventional hair colour preconditioner at the time of colouring. Use more coconut oil, or coconut and argan oils as a pretreatment, and see if all of that, makes a difference.

**ktani** · April 5th, 2009, 02:57 PM

Selected report quotes. 21 straight no damage reports (out of 21) with the use of coconut oil and or argan oil used before conventional hair colouring/lightening chemicals and in the one case coconut oil used with peroxide.

Coconut oil as a pretreatment

"I'm pleased with the results; and really do believe it miimizes damage."

"In any case, the colour worked perfectly. My roots look the same as they do after any other touch-up, colourwise. .... It was a very pleasant rinse-out too. My hair didn't feel stripped as it sometimes does after a touch-up, even though I do not pull the colour through."

"I bleached it once, and got an yellow on the ends, and orange by the roots. I colored my none destroyed hair with an ash color, and now I have a pretty golden blond."

"IMO the coconut oil applied to my hair before dying it did seem to protect it from getting dry and damaged. I will continue to use this method when I color my hair."

"My method was agressive and dangerously mean to my hair, the coconut oil was it's saving grace .... it's a good testimonial to the protecting properties of the oil."

Coconut and argan oils as a pretreatment

" .... I did one last peroxide treatment using a pre-mix oil of coconut, argan .... here is what I did with no damage at all ..."

"OMG My hair is so soft. Softer than before the color. Seriously. So my conclusion is that the coconut and argan oils DID protect my hair."

Note: None of the added products used in the coconut and argan oils mixes, shea butter, avocado oil or hemp seed oil, can chelate free iron or copper to the same degree or at all, that coconut and argan oils can, which is the purpose of using the pretreatment, based on any of the research I have read.

**ktani** · April 5th, 2009, 03:14 PM

I wonder, based on this post, if using coconut oil, under a sunscreen on the skin (allowed to absorb into the skin for some time first), and on the hair (also allowed to absorb into the hair for some time, prior to sun exposure), may help prevent free radical damage from sunlight, to both hair and skin. Coconut oil chelates free iron.

One would still need to cover up and avoid too much sun. Sunscreens do not replace common sense but I wonder. Argan oil can make one sun sensitive, used on the skin this way but not coconut oil.

From the P&G research, chemical chelants can be used a number of ways. One of them is as a pretreatment before the hair is exposed to conventional chemical lighteners (peroxide/bleach). Adding them to a peroxide/bleach formulation requires exact calculation that I think, is best left to professionals.

Based on LHC reports, using coconut or coconut and argan oils on the hair for too short a time prior to conventional colouring or lightening, did not yield results that were as good as leaving the oils on the hair longer.

If one wants to use a bit of coconut oil on the skin, under a sunscreen, or on the hair, I think that applying the oil first and letting it absorb for at least 20 minutes is a good idea. I use Ombrelle SPF 30 Extreme Sunblock, which states on the label, that it is to be applied 15 - 30 minutes before sun exposure. There is something to pretreatment and timing, using protective substances that IMO, should not be ignored.