Should You Bleach Hair Extensions?

Tired of your ‘boring’ hair and decided to get hair extensions to spice things up? While it worked wonders for you the first week or so, now you’re tired of them again and want to get another color. But you still have a perfectly good set of hair extensions, and wouldn’t it be a waste if you just throw these away? Oh, that’s right. You can always just dye or bleach extensions yourself, right?

But wait! Can you bleach hair extensions? The answer is both YES and NO! Here are three reasons why you should and three reasons why you shouldn’t!

Yes, bleach hair extensions!

Can I bleach my hair extensions? This is a common question that we get to hear from hair extension enthusiasts on a regular basis. We’re first going to discuss why you should bleach hair extensions, especially in the situation given above.

1. You can save money on buying new extensions

The first reason why you should just bleach hair extensions is because of money matters. Let’s face it: hair extensions can be pretty expensive, especially if you’re really picky about yours and prefer high-quality stuff (as you should). Bleaching hair extensions that you no longer want can help you get more value out of your extensions, instead of just throwing it away in the trash.

2. High quality hair extensions can withstand bleach

In addition to the first point, there actually is nothing wrong with using bleach on high-quality hair extensions. Take note of the keyword – high-quality. Sure, your $20 hair extensions may become burned if you attempt to do this. But we’re willing to vouch that the real, high-quality, 100% Remy human hair extensions, like the ones we have here at ZALA, won’t bat a single eye at bleach.

But, can you bleach wet hair extensions, you ask! Yes, you can bleach wet human hair extensions. In fact, wet extensions, when bleached, cast an ultra-fine vibe. But how to bleach hair extensions when they’re wet? Well, it’s tricky. Plus, your hair is more fragile when it is wet and taking the DIY bleaching route may damage it. As such,  you should make sure to visit a colorist for the purpose.

Did you know that some people actually regularly change their hair extensions’ color? Some people just like using extensions for extra length and would like the color to match their own strands, hence the coloring materials, like bleach.

No, don't bleach hair extensions!

Given those points, bleaching hair extensions, in this case, does sound like the best course of action. However, there are also quite a few reasons why you should probably consider just getting new hair extensions.

1. Bleaching is tricky for beginners

Considering that you’re reading an article right now about whether or not you should bleach hair extensions, it’s pretty safe to assume that this must be your first time doing this. While we do like encouraging people, especially beginners, to be more creative and adventurous with their hair, bleaching is on a whole ‘nother level. It’s tricky to do successfully for beginners, that much is certain.

2. Too much bleach can damage extensions

Regardless of how high the quality of your extensions are, too much bleach can still damage them to the point of no repair. Remember, bleach is an extremely strong chemical that has the ability to change the actual chemistry of hair. Add that to the trickiness of pulling off a successful bleaching job for beginners, and well, it’s starting to seem more and more like you shouldn’t bleach hair extensions after all.

3. The lifespan of your extensions could be reduced

Let’s say that you did manage to bleach your hair extensions successfully. Congratulations! That was definitely amazing. Unfortunately, the lifespan of your hair extensions has almost certainly been reduced, even if it’s made of 100% Remy human hair. Why? To put it simply, bleach can greatly dry our hair. In the case of real hair, at least you’ve got oils on your scalp to bring moisture to your strands. But hair extensions don’t have the same oils to protect them from the sudden dryness, which can severely affect longevity.

Made up your mind yet? Regardless of your final choice, always remember to be careful and to do your due diligence in researching before doing these hair treatments!

For more hair care advice and answers, feel free to check out our ZALA blog!