Mobile hairdresser has ruined my hair...

[whatadrain]

Having to make a few cut backs after I took a demotion at work to have a better work/life balance and actually see my DC. As a result, I've started using a mobile hairdresser who I have seen twice.

Yesterday she put highlights in my hair using foils and bleach that she had to mix up in a bowl. (Very technical- I have no idea about these things!) My hair is a natural mousey-brown and I've been getting highlights/low-lights in a salon for donkeys. It was pretty light to start with, just needed the roots doing.

Anyway, she applied the bleach to the whole length of my hair and left it on for about 25 minutes - I wasn't paying attention to the time. When she checked, she was surprised at how quickly the bleach had taken and so I went and washed it off upstairs.

Loads of hair came out in the shower and loads came out when she combed it and it just keeps coming. The bottom three inches of my hair are completely frazzled - Each hair (of my dead straight hair) has gone all curly and dry. This has never happened before!

Is there anything I can do?

I'm going to have to cut it aren't i?

I had a similar thing where I went to a cheaper hairdresser who completely ruined my hair by shaving it off at the back. I was so angry and upset. Lesson learnt and now I go to a nice hairdresser, don't have it dyed and have it cut less often.

But yes, time to go and have it cut short and see what can be salvaged. Good luck.

That's a shame. It sounds like she has used far too strong a peroxide that was mixed with the bleach powder.
Did she cut it at all? Is she good at cutting? You could call her and say you are unhappy with the condition of your hair and see if she will do the cut for free?
It does sound like you need it cut unfortunately.
I would also use a good shamppoo and conditioner. If you have a Sally's nearby go in and ask for a recommendation for a good conditioning treatment.
If you don't have a Sally's the best IMO is the Aussie range. Get the "take the heat" 3 minute miracle conditioner. It's meant to be a once a week treatment but if I were you I would use it as my regular everyday conditioner.
I'm sorry that this has happened to you, there's nothing worse than hating your hair!

Thank you for your advice. I have bought some products based on the advice of a very nice lady in Sally's.

The hairdresser did cut my hair, but she clearly knew she's done the wrong thing based on the horror on her face when she checked the foils. She also said as she was leaving that I really need to get an intensive treatment on it as the ends were 'very dry.' To be honest, I don't really want her near my hair again! I get paid next week so I shall get myself to a salon and see what can be salvaged. I think I'm unreasonably upset about this as I've been trying to grow my hair for years! The colour isn't great either.

Is the hairdresser giving you your money back or offering to pay for you to have a new cut or anything?

I dont think you are unreasonably upset at all.
Same happened my hair but it and it literally was breaking off in the over dyed blonde parts. I hate confrontation and didn't want her near my hair again so I went else where and paid alot to get it sorted. Had to steer clear of blonde for a long time. It took about a year to grow out and cut out the horrid bits. You have my sympathy.

I was a salon owner and stylist for millions of years...
My advice is
a) just because she is mobile doesn't mean she is shit, she is just shit!
No stylist would pull bleach through already bleached hair and bloody leave it 25 mins! Unheard of and totally wrong! Bleach 'should' be checked every 5 mins, it is volatile and unlike tint has no time life so just keeps on going!
b) phone and tell her that you want all of your money back and that she will also be paying for you to go to a 'expert' to get it fixed.

OP I'm so, so sorry but she has ruined your hair for now ( it will be ok), it will need loads of loving care, cutting ( if not it will just keep breaking/spliting, it will also if untrated ruin new hair).
It will need intense treatments, no heat and time to recover.
Just think of how long a broken bone takes and she has broke your hair!

Thanks everyone - DH thinks I'm being melodramatic! Think it might be time for a bob...

Please tell me you didn't pay her?! I'd be looking into what costs you can claim back too, also toy need to investigate where you can leave accurate, factual reviews about her. Not to deliberately bad mouth her business but to warn other customers what they may be letting themselves in for.

I wonder if you're local to me, sounds like the same issue I had in October. Four trips to salons and £400 later my hair is finally looking.....okay. She was supposed to be giving me my money back as I'm too nice and paid her but she hasn't. Hope you get a good stylist to help and all will be okay.

Stop being nice.

Before you do anything to your hair (like conditioners, cutting) go and have the damage assessed by an independant hairdresser/colourist.

Then based on the assessment of how much it would cost to make good - you cannot repair the damage done to the ends but hopefully with a good cut and intensive treatment, then you can salavage the hair.

Then take legal action. She'll have Public Liability Insurance.

I know there's compensation for distress but I've no idea how you would prove this,
But even if she said "I'm going to use this dye, there are risks, do you accept them" and you agreed, it sounds as though the bleach wasn't used as it should be.

You saw her twice, what was she like the first visit (presumably okay or you wouldn't have a second visit)
Did she do a patch test and strand test?

It's not like you asked for a sharp " Frankie from the Saturdays " cut and got a duff " Frank Carson " cut.
This is chemical damage.

I'd be taking photos of my hair before repair work and taking it further. There is the cost of future salon treatments until good condition is attained plus the trauma.

Ask for her proposals to cover the cost of salon treatments at least......or try a half hour/15 minutes free advice at a solicitor.
Take pics including close ups. And u will probably have pics of yourself with hair when in good condition.

Sounds like a tale for Rogue Traders....

It's all a bit awkward as I work with several of her family members - Not that I won't address this with her. Last time she did my hair it was fine and I even recommended her to others!

I went to a salon yesterday and had four inches cut off. The stylist pulled a few faces and agreed that the bleach shouldn't have been taken through or left on so long. She did say that she had seen a lot worse in terms of damage so small comfort.

You have my sympathy. The same thing happened to me at a shit salon (junior did my hair even though I'd booked the style Director months previously). I had highlites too and had gone there for about a year. The junior must have used a very high volume peroxide but the thing was, I didn't notice at first because I only had a T-section on very long hair. I only noticed when I woke up the next day and saw that my hair was sticking up all over the place (it's poker straight and normally doesn't get messed up by sleep).

It turned out that the T-Sectioned hair had broken off at about 4 - 6 inches giving me a 'Motley Crew' type mullet.

It look two years of colouring brown and cutting out by a very expensive salon to get it back to normal. Shocking.

I would go to trading standards and however uncomfortable it might be, you have to make her pay for her mistake.

Good luck.