From bold pinks to vibrant blues, flashy hair colours have been making waves throughout the last decade, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s a fun way to express personal style, including for kids. With new hair colour trends constantly popping up on social media, your kid has probably persisted for you to bleach or dye their hair. And you might be wondering: is it actually safe to bleach your kid’s hair?
We don’t recommend bleaching for younger kids, but it should be fine for older kids, depending on the condition and health of their hair. Bleaching is a permanent chemical process, in which lightening agents are used to strip hair of its natural colour. This process can cause stress on any hair, even for adults.
Here’s everything you need to know about bleaching kids’ hair, including how the process works and the best aftercare.
Can you bleach a kid’s hair safely?
One of the most common concerns when it comes to bleaching a child’s hair is at what age it becomes safer. In general, bleaching is more suitable for older kids, and we don’t typically recommend it for younger ones.
Depending on your child’s age and their hair condition, bleaching can be done safely on their hair, when performed by an experienced stylist. We don’t recommend bleaching your child’s hair at home, as a professional salon will be able to apply ingredients precisely while also protecting the integrity of their hair.
Leah, one of our stylists at PERFECT X HAIR, recommends against doing a full bleach on children’s hair, as applying any bleach near the scalp can cause discomfort. Mild scalp irritation is normal, but it may not be tolerable for kids, especially as their scalps are more sensitive. Instead, she says: “a balayage might be preferred, as the bleach doesn’t reach the scalp.”
Balayage is a very popular colouring technique in which highlights are hand-painted on hair, seamlessly blending the natural and new colour. With this method of colouring, the bleach doesn’t actually go all the way up to the roots of the hair, so it won’t cause scalp irritation. This style is also lower maintenance and doesn’t require as many frequent touch-ups.
Depending on how dark your child’s natural hair colour is, it may even be possible to dye their hair a lighter colour without using bleach. If you’re concerned about using any bleach on your child’s hair, you might want to consider dying their hair instead.
Even when it comes to bleaching adults’ hair, it’s important to visit an experienced salon that specializes in hair colouring techniques. When it comes to your kids, protecting their hair health is of upmost importance. If you’re unsure of whether your child’s hair is suitable for bleaching, book an appointment at PERFECT X HAIR. Our stylists can help you find the best approach to help your child reach their hair goals.
How does the bleaching process work?
Let’s first dive into exactly what the bleaching process is. Bleaching is a chemical process that involves using lightening agents to break down the melanin pigments in your hair, causing it to turn lighter in colour.
Melanin is what gives hair its natural colour, and the higher the melanin, the darker the hair colour. Higher levels of melanin can make it more difficult for lightening agents to penetrate and lighten the hair. If your child has darker hair, appointments may take longer to allow more lift in the lightening process. In some cases, multiple sessions may even be needed to achieve your child’s desired colour.
When it comes to the bleaching process itself, it’s generally the same for both children and adults. The same techniques are used and the same products are applied, but the amount of time that the bleach stays on may be less than on an adult’s hair. Kids’ hair is typically finer than adults’ hair, and less processed, which can also make it easier for the bleach to penetrate the hair.
A consultation is highly recommended to ensure that your child’s hair is strong enough to handle the bleaching process. During the consultation, the stylist will evaluate your child’s hair condition, as well as determine whether it’s possible to achieve their goal colour.
Once the stylist has decided that bleaching is safe on your child’s hair, the process can begin immediately. The stylist will mix up the lightening agents, then apply the bleach directly onto your child’s hair. The bleached sections will get wrapped in foils, which help to reduce product evaporation and retain warmth to speed up the lifting process. The stylist will then monitor your child’s hair to keep an eye on the lightening.
The processing time can be up to around 30 minutes, depending on how dark your child’s hair is. If their hair still isn’t light enough after the initial bleaching session, another session may be needed.
If your child has fine or thin hair, bleaching can actually achieve brighter colours in one single session. However, if they have thicker or darker hair, it may take longer for their hair to lift. If this is the case, they may actually require multiple sessions to achieve their desired lightness. Keep in mind that the bleaching process can be time-consuming, so you’ll also want to make sure your child is able to handle sitting in the salon chair for a long period of time.
Will bleaching damage kids’ hair?
When considering whether to bleach a child’s hair, it’s important for parents to know the potential risks. If you choose to have your child’s hair bleached, here are some of the risks you should consider.
Weaker and more brittle hair
The bleaching process breaks down the outer structure of the hair strands, making them weaker and more prone to breakage and snapping. It also affects the hair’s elasticity, making it more susceptible to damage, especially when the strands are wet.
If your child’s natural hair colour is very dark, it may also take multiple sessions to achieve lighter colours, which can cause more stress and potential damage.
Bleaching is one of the harshest hair treatments, which is why it’s crucial to visit a salon that specializes in colouring services. A skilled stylist will be able to properly control lift and ensure your child’s hair stays as healthy as possible with minimal damage.
Dry, straw-like hair
Bleaching disrupts the hair’s structure, which can also reduce moisture levels, resulting in your child’s hair becoming drier and more straw-like. This can also happen as a result of over-processing, which is why expert care is needed.
To replenish moisture back into your child’s hair, it’s recommended to invest in moisturizing products like colour-safe shampoos and conditioners and hair masks.
Split ends
When the hair cuticle is damaged, it becomes more susceptible to split ends. Again, moisturizing products can help to repair the damaged strands. Regular trims are also recommended to cut off split ends, as they can move up the hair shaft and cause even further damage to your child’s hair.
You can also book an appointment at our salon for a deep conditioning hair treatment to help repair your child’s damaged hair. The Milbon Damage Repair Treatment is specifically designed to strengthen and rebuild severely damaged and over-processed hair, including damage from services such as bleaching.
Scalp irritation
If your child does get their hair bleached closer to their scalp, it may cause mild discomfort and scalp irritation. Children have more sensitive scalps than adults, and in some cases, if their scalp is very sensitive, it may even result in more severe scalp irritation. For this reason, we do not recommend bleaching hair near the scalp until your child is of an older age.
Additionally, if proper care is not taken, or your child’s hair isn’t suitable for bleaching, there may be more long-term issues in the future like hair loss.
If you’re unsure of whether bleaching is suitable for your child’s hair, book a consultation with one of our experienced stylists at PERFECT X HAIR. Our stylists are experts in hair colouring, and can determine the best way to achieve your child’s dream hair goals.
What aftercare is needed after bleaching kids’ hair?
After your child’s hair has been bleached, it will become weaker and more prone to breakage and split ends. It’s essential that you maintain a proper aftercare routine to repair your child’s hair and keep it as healthy as possible.
Products to use
Our stylist, Leah, recommends using the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask. This leave-in treatment can help repair hair breakage as a result of the bleaching process. After towel drying your child’s hair, apply 1 to 3 pumps of the treatment to their damp hair, working it evenly from the ends up to the roots. Wait 4 minutes while the product works its way into their hair, then comb and style as usual – no rinsing necessary.
As your child washes their hair over time, the bleached parts of their hair may fade into more orange or yellow shades, so you’ll want to invest in a purple shampoo to help maintain the tone and brightness for as long as possible. Additionally, you can visit the salon to get their hair toned back to its brighter shade.
Avoid using heat styling tools
As your child’s hair will already be weaker and more fragile from the bleaching process, it’s recommended to avoid using any heat styling tools that could cause further damage. It’s also best to be more gentle with your child’s hair in general.
If you do choose to use any heat styling tools on your child’s hair, be sure to use a heat protectant spray to protect it from heat damage.
How often is it safe for a kid to get their bleach touched up?
Bleaching is a permanent colouring service, and it actually does not wash away or “go back to normal” over time. As your child’s hair grows out, the difference between their natural and bleached hair will become more obvious.
If you notice your child’s roots growing out significantly, it may be a sign to get their roots touched up. Children’s hair grows at an average rate of about half an inch per month, though it does vary depending on a variety of factors. It’s also normal for their bleached hair to fade over time and become more orange or yellow, which is when you’ll want to have it toned. Regular touch-up appointments at the salon can help keep their hair looking fresh, bright, and even.
During the touch-up appointment, the stylist will apply bleach only to the new growth, while toning their current bleached hair to return it back to its original brightness. If your child has a balayage, less frequent root touch-ups are necessary.
Who is not a candidate for bleaching?
Bleaching may not be the right choice for every child, and there are some situations where it may not be recommended. For example, children may not be good candidates if they have:
- Very young age
- Overly-processed or damaged hair (such as from perms or previous chemical treatments)
- Weak and very fine hair
Even if bleaching isn’t a good fit for your child, they may be able to do other colour services like regular hair colouring. There are still ways for them to achieve fun hair colours and styles!
Bleach your kid’s hair at PERFECT X HAIR
Giving your child a new hairstyle and colour that they love can completely boost their confidence, and bleaching is one of the many ways to achieve a totally different look. When performed carefully by an experienced stylist, bleaching can be performed safely on your child’s hair, provided that their hair is in healthy condition.
As bleaching is a harsh chemical process, it’s important to ensure that your child’s hair is strong enough and the service is done with care. Visiting an experienced salon that understands how to work with children’s hair helps ensure that the process is performed both safely and correctly.
At PERFECT X HAIR, our stylists are highly experienced in working with a variety of different hair types, and can determine the best way to achieve your child’s hair goals. Book an appointment at one of our locations in Toronto to give your child their dream hair!
