Can I Bleach My Hair a Third Time? Only if your hair passes this test

thin hair and split ends

You can bleach your hair for the third time, but you must do the strand test beforehand. And I’ll give you the details about it.
If your hair doesn’t feel chewy after the strand test, you can detangle it, and you don’t notice any significant hair loss, you can bleach your hair a third time.
Also, consider waiting at least three weeks after the previous bleaching session to bleach your hair for the third time.

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When it comes to bleaching, there’s only one thing I don’t like: to be too obliging.

And that is part of my professional ethics.

If you’re thinking about bleaching your hair for the third time and you’re wondering if you can do it, my answer will be yes.

But that doesn’t mean you should.

Bleaching healthy or slightly damaged hair for the third time is quite different from bleaching hair with split ends and visible signs of damage. The resistance to the process won’t be the same in each case.

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Timings should also be considered. Did you bleach your hair yesterday? Three weeks ago?

So, can you bleach your hair a third time?

Yes, you can, but if you want to keep your mane, you need to assess your hair health first.

It’ll help you save a lot of tears. I don’t want to scare you or suggest that bleaching your hair for the third time is the end of the world.

But I want to appeal to your responsibility and awareness of the pros and cons of each process.

What does it mean to make a conscious decision?

Acknowledging your limitations. What are they?

If you’re not a professional colorist, chances are you can’t tell if your hair can stand another bleaching session.

Believe me when I tell you that if your hair can’t withstand a third bleaching session, your only solution will be to cut the damaged or burned hair.

I’ve had to cut up to twenty centimeters of burnt hair after successive bleaching sessions.

Do you want to avoid that road?

Then, you’ll have to do one thing first.

Tabla de Contenidos

Before bleaching your hair for the third time, do the strand test

determine how long to leave toner on orange hair

I understand women who want to make changes to their hair almost every month. I do because I’m one of them.

But some hair changes can be more damaging than others. For example, if you get a haircut, you may or may not like it, but you won’t burn your hair.

On the other hand, bleaching your hair several times could be damaging.

So, if you’re considering bleaching your hair for the third time, you need to test the resistance on your hair. It’s what colorists call a “strand test.”

It checks your hair’s resistance to bleach and you can even see how much lighter your hair will become after bleaching it.

Also, not all hair is the same. For example, some are more porous and bleach faster, while others may need several sessions to lighten a few shades.

Let’s take a step-by-step look at how to perform this test:

Comb through all of your hair and hold it in a ponytail.
Separate a strand at the back of your hair that is easy to manipulate.
Prepare a small amount of bleach because you only need to cover the strand.
Cover the hair strand with bleach from roots to ends without staining the rest of the hair.
Wait 20 minutes and rinse the strand.

Once your strand is dry, take a good look at it.

Is it smooth?
Can you comb it?
Do you notice an increase in hair loss?
Is the color of the strand lighter than the rest of your hair?

If your hair has broken little pieces, is too coarse, you can’t comb it, or it looks gummy when you pull it up, don’t bleach it a third time. Your hair won’t resist another chemical process.

So, what can you do?

You’ll need to repair and nourish it before bleaching it again.

And I’m not talking about using a moisturizing conditioner.

You should use a deep repair treatment like Olaplex or Wellaplex because the hair is overly damaged. The previous bleaching sessions damaged it severely, and you didn’t repair it enough.

Also, you’ll have to wait to bleach your hair for the third time

Not three weeks or two months. You’ll only be able to bleach your hair for the third time after six months of intensive repair treatments.

Now, what if your hair passed the strand test, and you can bleach it a third time?

That’s what I’ll talk about next.

How to bleach hair a third time without damaging it

second time in 20 days

If the result of the strand test is positive, you’re ready for the third bleaching session.

But I recommend that you take a few precautions to take better care of your hair.

Apply coconut oil the night before bleaching, and don’t rinse it out before the bleaching session.
Don’t wash your hair for 48 hours before bleaching so that your scalp is protected by its natural oils.
Apply coconut oil to the bleach.
Don’t use more than 30 vol.
Don’t leave the bleach on for more than 20 minutes.

If you take these precautions, you can bleach your hair and care for it at the same time.

Now, even though you probably know how to bleach your hair, it never hurts to explain a few things.

Comb and separate your hair into four sections, from forehead to nape and from ear to ear, holding them with hair clips.
In a plastic container, place the bleach powder and the 30-volume developer.
Now it’s time to add coconut oil to prevent hair damage.
Release one of the strands. Wearing gloves, apply the bleach from roots to ends.
Repeat until you saturate the hair with bleach.
Leave the bleach on for 20 minutes. Check frequently.
After the exposure time, rinse your hair with plenty of cold water to stop the chemical reaction.
You can use your regular shampoo to remove traces of the bleach.
I recommend that you apply the conditioner and leave it on for about five minutes to allow your hair to absorb all the nutrients.
Blow-dry your hair on medium heat.

Now that you reached your desired blonde shade, I recommend you start repairing your hair with creams, serums, and moisturizing masks to recover from the chemical process.