OGOD help me my hair is ruined!

[Toastedtoacrisp]

I have destroyed my hair, it is my own fault, I am 100% responsible for this trauma, but any advice appreciated.

Ladies, I used Sun-In.
It feels like going to confession and feeling the deepest of shame. Except I can't even admit this to a hairdresser.

I have mid length dark blonde hair, was very blonde until reaching 40. Never dyed it until some soft highlights 4 years ago which I only had done twice. Hair was decent condition but a tendency to be porous, frizzy, which I blow dried twice a week.

One month ago I bought a bottle of Sun In from Amazon, had used it one summer as a teen and remembered liking the subtle result. I have only used it sparingly 3 times, a very light spritz at the root, and in the few weeks since doing so the top section of my hair is literally breaking off. It looks like a bowl cut around ear length and won't even sit in a low ponytail any more (it was all one length previously). of course I have thrown the bottle away.

My hair wasn't bad at all so I am a bit confused how the product could do this with so little use. I have wondered if meno and wearing a claw clip broke it, or meddling with it as i often do, but surely it has to be the product?
Perhaps it has snapped at the point where it connected to my old, grown out highlights? I am aware that I can't put anything else on it now!

What would you do in the meantime?

I am lucky that my hair is softly curly/wavy so if i wear it natural you can't see any breakage unlike when i wear it straight.

I have really fine hair. My hairdresser changed the brand of colour they used and despite matching the colour numbers up my hair ended up with brown roots instead of my honey blonde colour. They had to bleach it out and recolour over the top. My hair felt strawlike. They gave me all sort of treatment stuff - deep conditioning packs, leave in serums etc. I did try olaplex and it may have made a slight improvement. I used the most moisturising of shampoos and tiny amounts of it and was very gentle with my hair - just a quick swish through of shampoo and then on with the conditioner. I combed my hair out in the shower with the conditioner on it to minimise tugging. Eventually, my hair got back to feeling like normal and it didn't break. l let it dry naturally too.

By the way, I don't think your hairdresser will be shocked. My hairdresser was dealing with somebody who dyed her hair dark blue during lockdown following a tiktok clip and she managed to keep a straight face.

Hair oil. Get something like argan oil from tesco (it's usually in the aisle with the travel toiletries for some reason) and is around £5 for a bottle.

Massage it into dry hair and leave it on for as long as you can (overnight if possible - sleep with a towel on your pillow) and gently wash it out in the morning (might take a couple of shampoos)

Won't reverse the damage but will prevent more and help with some of the brittleness.

Repeat weekly.

Following as this has happened to me too!! I'm booked in to get my long frizzy bleached hair cut to a long pixie.

I didn't use sun in but I used Bleach London toner which never washed out - so my hairdresser did a bleach bath which just turned my hair exactly like yours.

I've been trawling Pinterest for hair ideas. I know my top layers will have to be short 😔 like ear length short.

Underneath the condition is better!

Bleach toner says it'll wash out in 3 washes. 😂 3 washes my ASS

Olaplex horror stories?? Gosh I have been using Olaplex oil, treatment for years and I always have compliments on how shiny my hair is. Very curious to hear/read those stories.

I've actually seen the Olaplex horror stories! My friends hair started coming out because of it. Awful. Fewer and fewer salons are offering it now

Yes, some women sued them recently @Haveallthesongsbeenwritten! I will find the article as it was in the news.

My Mum was a hairdresser and you want to see some of the frights that rang the doorbell when I was a kid asking for help. One neighbour we even nicknamed Mrs Orange! (Mum didnt know....).

I saw green, scalps with patches fallen out, and wonky fringes.too.

Try not to worry - hair regrows - see a hairdresser and take their advice.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64662934.amp

These are all such helpful comments, thank you for taking the time to share. I will ask at my closest salon when I'm next out there and see if there are any treatments.

I do think that just like bodyweight and dieting, we all respond differently to hair treatments. If you consider hormones, diet, age, etc, no two people can really say the same product is best. It always seems to be trial and error!

@palelavender that sounds promising, I am glad to hear you found an improvement!

That made me laugh, I am starting to calm down a bit now I honestly look like I have a jaw length bob and a mullet.

This happened to me after using John Frieda highlighting spray. I’ve had lots of breakage. I’ve had to go dark and cut out the damaged bits.

Mullets are very trendy

OP I had similar damage caused by bleach a few years ago and I used Redken Anti Snap, as mentioned by a PP and recommended by my hairdresser. It was brilliant, made it feel strong and silly again really quickly. I used the shampoo, conditioner and a leave in treatment.

I have discovered that i can do plenty exciting things with my little mullet! I can put a wee braid in it or a worm-width ponytail the possibilities are endless!

@user18 crikey I have been reading reviews of that product, they were terrifying, I am sorry to hear about that.

heading for the anti snap stuff as we speak x

This thread has made me bring forward my hair cut to this week 😂 I'm frantically searching Pinterest now

I'd see a hairdresser in case they can put in some layers to blend it in and make you feel better? also they may be able to do a deep conditioning treatment.

Bleach London reincarnation hair mask is very good. I no longer have highlights but I still use this especially on holiday as my hair gets really dry because I swim and snorkel.
Umberto Giannini salon smooth wonder glosser is good too.

Your hair has a lovely soft wave to it OP! I'd got to hairdresser and get layers out in to get rid of the dry snapped ends. Then use a leave in conditioner in the picture. It's amazing stuff!

Jeez! Thanks for that!

A few years ago my hair was absolutely fried by a hairdresser who overlapped bleach, the products that made a difference were these:

Redken anti snap leave in is amazing.
Redken Extreme shampoo and conditioner, my favourite combo for when my hair has had bleach damage or heat damage.
Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer as a pre wash.
L'Oréal Professional Mythic Oil to make it feel better.

very tempted by the redken leave in, thank you!

in the meantime, could clawclips be harming it? I cant leave it loose at all, it looks like a haystack in a heatwave!

My best friend used this and her hair broke off all over. She was growing layers out for a year of more. Luckily she'd just fine a few strands. It frazzled then snapped near the root.