Can you bleach stained hair?

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So I'm going to the hairdressers on Friday. My hair used to be black. Now it's what I describe as "50 shades of rust", from a black patch, dark red, light red, orange.. the technical term I believe is "fucked". It's been stripped, bleach bathed, all sorts and the colour doesn't shift, so it's stained to bastarding hell.

I have my hair in a really short bob and I've been advised that the only thing I can do with it is have a full head of highlights. But if I'm having a full head of highlights, couldn't I just have the whole lot bleached?

I'm starting a new job in 3 weeks time and I really don't want to go there with a pixie cut :(. I'm seriously considering just cutting it ALL off.

Never dye your hair black people, it doesn't come out :(

I'd be a bit concerned that if it's red/orangey and you highlight it, it is still going to have a red/orange base and therefore look pinky/peachy overall.

If it's in good enough condition to have a full head of highlights (which will have to be bleach if your hair has been previously coloured, as tint won't lighten it) then it's in good enough condition to have a 'base colour' put on the rest of it whilst the foils are in, which will give a better overall colour.

There are lots of other things you could do with it too. What colour do you want to be?

(I'm a hairdresser BTW)

That's what I was thinking with the highlights, surely they'd just go pink? Ideally anything medium brown or lighter, but I seriously doubt that's going to happen so I'm just going to be hopeful and aim for one solid colour!

A friend of mine has recently gone from black to blonde. It's not easy and the only way to do it is with bleach.

I'm trying to shift permanent red and I'm struggling. It's mostly white now but I have peachy bits still.

How are the patches distributed? Is there any way you could cut off the worst bits and just use a box dye?

Scarlet The only way I could cut it out would literally be a pixie cut. I'm starting to think I should just do it and see what she can do with the rest of my hair.

I've done this, hair was v dark brown, not black. It does need a good hairdresser, cos I had layers of dye and they all reacted differently to the bleach.

My hairdresser used a L'Oreal bleach, she said it was the best to limit damage to the hair. She placed the lights v carefully to maximise the impact- it looks lighter depending on which way I flip it IYKWIM.

It did work, but it wasn't perfect. But it is about 80% better than it was... I get compliments but I can still see the patchiness myself...

Oh and the condition is not too bad... Need more conditioner than before but looks ok.

Just chuck a warm chocolate brown on top. It will need to be warm to avoid a dodgy khaki hue. If you go for a permanent mid warm brown it won't turn black and should cover up the differences in colour because it will have enough depth.

I think L'oreal excellence is the best option. I would have suggested the preference one but they have reformulated it and the chestnut brown turns a golden Ginger colour now. That used to be such a good shade (wistful)...

Iced brown is a good shade to go over bleach bits etc.
HTH.

Thank you so much for your replies everyone, much appreciated.

I've found a haircut I like - (from about 2.48 onward). I just hope I can get it all kind of one colour :). I'm going there on Friday so I will definitely post before and after photos. The befores are horrible (had to send them to the hairdresser) - thicker side of my side parting is like a dark red, the thinner side is orange. Two different colours. Horrible!