How To Grow Out Bleached Hair

Have you ever bleached your hair, only to later regret it when dryness, damage and breakage set in? Bleaching strips the hair of its natural pigment and protein structure, leaving it extremely prone to damage. This damage can worsen over time, leading to hair that is dry, brittle and lifeless.

Growing out bleached hair is a tedious, lengthy process that requires diligence. But with the proper care and techniques, you can nurse your damaged strands back to health. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the steps and products that can help you safely transition your bleached hair back to its former thickness and shine.

Stop Bleaching and Use Transitional Color

The first and most critical step is to cease bleaching sessions immediately. Continuing to bleach hair that is already compromised from previous lightening will exacerbate the damage exponentially.

As your bleached hair grows out, your roots will start to show through with your natural color. Instead of bleaching the regrowth, consider low-commitment options to blend the two tones together.

• Semi-permanent glazes or toners last 4-6 weeks and can seamlessly blend roots into bleached strands without lift or depositing permanent artificial pigment. Select a tone that closely matches your natural shade.
• Temporary root touch-up sprays and powders quickly disguise grown out roots for a day or night out without permanently altering hair. Using temporary camouflage between permanent color appointments can prolong time between damaging bleach sessions.
• Demi-permanent dyes last 4-6 weeks and gently tint hair without peroxide or lifting. They wash out over time and won’t permanently alter your natural pigment.

If you decide to use permanent color on regrowth, choose options with the lowest volume developer possible. Developers with low percentages of peroxide will minimize additional damage while covering roots. Avoid permanent color with high-lift formulations which require maximum strength developers.

Transition Slowly to Natural Color

Rather than dealing with a harsh line of demarcation at the bleached and natural hair border, gradually transition with subtle lowlights and highlights.

• At first, just lightly gloss or glaze darker pieces around your face and part line to softly blend with bleached lengths.
• As your roots grow out more, you can continue touching up the regrowth with demi-permanent color to match your natural shade. Treat lengths with gloss or toners.
• Add subtle highlights and balayage around your face and crown to help the transition look more gradual. Keep them fine and sparse at first.
• Slowly increase the amount of highlights and lowlights to weave your natural color into the bleached strands seamlessly.
• Eventually, the highlights will merge together as your roots take over with natural pigment.

This gradual blending of natural and bleached hair can take many months but prevents a harsh grow-out line. The transition is subtle enough that you avoid having two drastically different colors. Time and patience are essential when aiming for a smooth grow-out result.

Use Olaplex or Bond Building Treatments

One of the best treatments for mending severely damaged, bleached hair is Olaplex. This revolutionary system repairs broken disulfide bonds in the hair through a patented active ingredient called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. Bleach damages and breaks these crucial bonds in the hair structure, leading to texture changes like dryness, frizz, limpness and breakage over time.

Olaplex works by finding broken sulfur bonds and cross-linking them back together, restoring integrity in the hair that was compromised by bleach. This makes hair feel smoother, stronger and healthier. Consistent Olaplex use can dramatically improve the texture of bleached hair as it grows out.

Professional Olaplex treatments are available at some salons, done monthly or as needed. But Olaplex also offers take-home products like shampoos, conditioners and bonding oils to maintain results between salon visits. Using Olaplex minimally once a week can make a tremendous difference in bleached hair’s overall condition.

If Olaplex is out of your budget, “bond-building” treatments work through a similar mechanism. Brands like Redken, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, and L’Oreal all offer hair products designed to repair damage from lightening services. Using a weekly bond-building masque, mask or oil treatment can help reinforce fragile, bleached strands as they grow out to be strong again.

Deep Condition Frequently

One of the most vital things for growing out bleached hair is consistent deep conditioning. Bleached hair often feels dry and straw-like from being stripped of oils and proteins. Deep conditioning treatments can provide much-needed hydration and nourishment.

Focus on using moisturizing masks and masques at least once a week, or up to 2-3 times per week for severely damaged hair. Here are some of the best deep conditioning ingredients to look for:

• Coconut oil – penetrates hair with fatty acids and lauric acid to strengthen and hydrate
• Argan oil – loaded with antioxidants, omega fatty acids, vitamin E and proteins
• Shea butter – moisturizes and protects hair while adding glossy shine
• Avocado oil – full of vitamins, minerals and monounsaturated fatty acids that hair loves
• Olive oil – provides moisture to smooth and soften dry, brittle hair
• Honey – attracts and seals in moisture while adding shine
• Silk amino acids – mimic naturally-occurring proteins in healthy hair structure
• Keratin – bonds to hair to strengthen it and improve elasticity
• Jojoba oil – mimics scalp’s sebum to balance moisture levels

Other great ingredients that provide deep hydration and nourishment include almond oil, grapeseed oil, rosehip oil, aloe vera, glycerin, and panthenol (vitamin B5).

After shampooing, apply your deep conditioner liberally from roots to ends. Allow it to soak in for 10-30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Repeat 1-3 times per week for optimal results. This intensive moisture therapy helps heal bleached hair damage.

Protect Your Hair From Further Damage

Once hair is bleached, it is extremely fragile and susceptible to further damage. To nurse your strands back to health, keeping them safe from additional harm is crucial. Here are some tips:

• Avoid any heat styling tools like blowdryers, curling and flat irons. Allow hair to air dry instead to prevent dehydration and burning.
• Wear loose hair ties without metal clasps or tight elastic that can pull, snag and break hair. Scrunchies, fabric ties, and spiral coil ties are gentler options.
• Choose low-manipulation protective hairstyles as often as possible. Buns, braids, and ponytails put less stress on hair than wearing it loose and brushing repeatedly.
• Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase. The slippery fabric minimizes friction and tangles that could break hair overnight.
• Handle wet hair with extreme care. Bleached hair is most vulnerable to snapping and damage when wet. Avoid vigorous brushing, combing or twisting hair while damp.
• Install a shower filter to prevent minerals in hard water from building up on strands and drying them out over time.
• Upgrade hair tools like brushes and combs to seamless, rounded options to avoid tugging and pulling at fragile strands.
• Avoid chlorine and salt water that can leach moisture. Opt for swimming caps and rinse hair immediately after swimming.
• Be extremely gentle when detangling. Start at the bottom and work upwards with plenty of conditioner to avoid breakage.
• Avoid unnecessary chemical processes like perms, relaxers or colors that require developers, which further damage hair.

Bleached hair needs to be handled with extra care and protected from anything that could cause additional stress, dehydration or trauma to the strands. Taking precautions allows the integrity of your hair to rebuild over several months as it grows out.

Do Hot Oil Treatments

Using natural oils is an excellent way to nourish parched, damaged bleached hair. The fatty acids and vitamins in certain oils can penetrate into the hair cortex to add important moisture and strength.

Some of the best oils for bleached hair include:

• Coconut oil – contains lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid that coats hair and prevents protein loss after bleaching. The saturated fats also help hair hold onto moisture.
• Argan oil – loaded with antioxidants, vitamin E, fatty acids and proteins to strengthen hair and improve elasticity. The natural phenols provide UV protection as well.
• Marula oil – rich in omega fatty acids, plus antioxidant vitamins C and E to boost shine and smoothness.
• Avocado oil – with vitamins A, D, E, fatty acids and plant sterols, avocado oil hydrates and protects fragile hair.
• Jojoba oil – actually a liquid wax that mimics scalp’s natural sebum oil to moisturize hair and enhance suppleness.
• Almond oil – light yet full of vitamins E, A, B, and plenty of monounsaturated fatty acids that are terrific for hair.

To do a hot oil treatment, warm up a few tablespoons of your preferred oil either in a saucepan or by microwaving for 15-30 seconds. Apply the warm oil generously to your hair from roots to ends after shampooing. Pile hair on top of your head and cover with a shower cap. Allow the oil to penetrate for at least 30 minutes. For deeper conditioning, some people leave oils in overnight and shampoo out in the morning. Rinse thoroughly. You may need to shampoo twice to remove excess oils. But hair will feel softer, smoother and shinier afterwards.

Repeat oil treatments 1-2 times per week for ultra-hydration of fragile bleached strands as they recover. The oils’ nutrients protect against damage and provide nourishment that assists healthy regrowth.

Boost Growth with Scalp Massages

Healthy circulation is vital for optimal hair growth. Improving blood flow to your scalp can help speed up regrowth so you can see your natural color emerge faster.

Aim to give yourself scalp massages for at least 5-10 minutes daily. Using your fingertips, apply gentle pressure in small circular motions all over your head. Or try using devices designed specifically for scalp massage:

• Scalp massager brushes – These manual tools have soft silicone or boar bristles that feel terrific on the scalp and enhance blood flow. Use for a few minutes daily.
• Electric scalp massagers – Massage devices like the Renpho scalp massager use oscillating motions that feel like a shiatsu massage on your head. Use for 5-15 minutes per day.
• Head scrubbers – Exfoliating tools like the Heeta scalp scrubber remove dead skin cells and product buildup while improving circulation. Use 2-3 times a week in the shower.

Any type of scalp massage lifts dirt and oils from the scalp and follicles while stimulating blood flow. This nourishes hair with oxygen and nutrients to maximize growth. More rapid growth helps your natural pigment emerge faster as the bleached hair is cut off.

Take Supplements for Healthy Hair

Nutrient deficiencies can lead to stalled or sluggish hair growth. Taking supplements ensures your body has the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients your hair needs to grow quickly and stay healthy.

Some of the top supplements for healthier hair include:

• Biotin – This B-complex vitamin produces keratin and speeds up hair growth while improving texture. Take 2.5-5mg daily.
• Vitamin C – Important for circulation and iron absorption. Also boosts collagen that strengthens hair. Take 1,000mg daily.
• Iron – Ferritin, the storage form of iron, should be over 70 for optimal hair growth. Supplement if low.
• Zinc – Prevents hair shedding and helps vitamins/nutrients be properly absorbed. Take 30mg per day.
• Vitamin D – Deficiency can lead to excessive hair fall. Get levels tested and supplement as needed.
• Omega-3s – Nourish hair follicles and boost shine. Take 1,000mg supplement or eat omega-rich foods like salmon.
• B complex – Important for cell growth and health. Take a quality B-complex vitamin daily.

Talk to your doctor about testing for any nutritional deficiencies. Get your iron and ferritin levels checked in particular. Address any deficiencies with the appropriate supplement and dosage recommendations.

A balanced diet is also crucial, emphasizing protein sources like poultry, fish, eggs, beans, Greek yogurt and nuts. Drink plenty of water and eat fruits/veggies high in vitamin C like citrus, peppers and leafy greens.

Get Trims Regularly

Getting your hair trimmed regularly is always important for healthy hair, but especially critical when growing out bleached hair.

Schedule trims every 6-8 weeks to snip split ends and remove any damaged portions. This helps prevent further splitting and breakage up the hair shaft as your hair grows out.

Ask your stylist for “dustings”, removing just 1/4 to 1/2 inch max. You want to retain as much length as possible during the grow-out phase. However, the ends tend to show the most damage from lightening processes. Getting rid of them regularly keeps damage from traveling up the hair shaft.

Many people avoid trims when growing hair longer or transitioning colors. But frequent light trimming is truly best for preventing excessive damage and tangling. Removing tiny amounts keeps ends neat and healthy.

Use Leave-In Treatments

Leave-in treatments provide an added dose of moisture and protection that bleached hair needs between washes. They help maintain soft, supple hair and prevent drying and breakage.

Some excellent leave-in options include:

• Masks or creams – Look for moisturizing masks that can be left in as a daily conditioner, like It’s A 10 Miracle Leave-In Mask.
• Detangling sprays – Formulas like Untangle Me help comb through fragile, bleached strands without snapping.
• Hair milks – Lighter, hydrating formulas like Verb Ghost Oil can smooth frizz and flyaways.
• Heat protectants – If using hot tools, prep with a thermal protectant like Tresemme Thermal Creations to minimize further damage.

• Oils or serums – A few drops of something like BioSilk’s smoothing argan oil nourishes bleached hair.
• Leave-in conditioners – Look for hydrating formulas without silicones or waxes that weigh hair down.

Apply your preferred leave-in treatment to towel dried hair, focusing on the lengths and ends. Use them as often as daily to reinforce moisture, reduce tangling and enhance shine in fragile, bleached hair.

Have Patience!

Growing out bleached hair is a marathon, not a sprint – expect the process to realistically take 6 months to a year. Bleached hair needs time to regenerate strength, elasticity and shine. There are no shortcuts when reversing damage from lightening.

With consistent deep conditioning, oil treatments, protective styling and other nourishing care, your hair will steadily improve week by week. But dramatic changes happen gradually over many months.

Try to embrace the grow-out process and enjoy your hair at each stage. As your roots come in, play with new parts, braids, clip-in highlights or headbands to complement the two-tone look. Gradually incorporate trims, balayage and body-building treatments.

While bleach damage cannot be completely reversed, with patience and TLC, your hair can look and feel stronger, shinier and healthier than ever.

Conclusion

Growing out bleached hair and returning it to its former thickness and shine is challenging but absolutely possible. It requires diligently nourishing strands from root to tip while also preventing further damage from heat, friction or chemicals. With time, care and techniques like bonding treatments, hot oil masks, scalp massage and protective styles, bleached hair can make a full recovery.

If you decide to go platinum blonde again in the future, be prepared for the lengthy grow-out process. Transition slowly and gently without further bleach sessions. Your hair will thank you for the TLC as your natural color grows in stronger than before.

Have your own tips for repairing and growing out bleached hair? Share your thoughts in the comments below!