How can I safely bleach my 17-year-old son's hair at home? Photo

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My son would like me to bleach his hair as light as possible- ie white!

He doesnt care if it all goes wrong and he needs it shaved off - i have warned him of this!

I just dont want to hurt him.

Online is very confusing. Can i buy stuff in boots and do it for him? He' 17.

Get a hairdresser to do it. If you don’t leave it on long enough it will go orange, leave it on too long and it will destroy the hair.

It’s quite short I reckon you could do it, watch some successful Brad Mondo videos. It’s not like long hair where different bits will process at different times.

Go to Sallys and buy powder bleach and 30v developer, brushes gloves, purple toner, shower cap etc, slap it on and follow the instructions.

Worst comes to the worst and it goes orange, you can get a £3 bottle of orange/red Crazy Colour and go over it.

Despite my dire warnings my DD19 bleaches her hair probably once a month and then often dyes it a lurid colour straight after. She sometimes bleaches it twice in a row to get it really light (she is probably a bit lighter naturally than your DS but not much). She has never had any burns, and, to my amazement, her hair is not in particularly awful condition - she slaps a hair mask on every week and that's pretty much it. I can't pretend it always looks good (it certainly doesn't) or that I think it's a good idea, but assuming you read the packet and don't use very high-strength bleach, it certainly needn't be a disaster.

He has a great head of hair. Shame to bleach it. But if he's determined - recommended hairdresser

When I was a kid we absolutely would have done this at home, but kids today have salon worthy hair. You will not acheive this at home.

Go to a hairdresser.
He will look like Ronald McDonald if you attempt it.

Yes, you can easily do it with a box kit at home. As his hair is short one box should be enough. Make sure you do the patch test and strand test first for safety. We've done this many times, on dark hair and as others have said, results can be unpredictable & orangy, but it sounds like he's pretty easy going & a toner can help. He could always put a semi permanent colour on top if he doesn't like it.
I'd recommend Bleach London Bond Building bleach kit, it's 20 vol & gives good results.
Have fun

DD did DS’ twice, similar starting colour. First time using a kit from Bleach London with their toner afterwards, worked really well.

Second time was using a Garnier Nutrisse one that was less good and was a bit yellow. Fine now it’s growing out and he’s just got blond tips.

Seems to be a rite of passage though his teachers did call him Eminem for a week (similar hairstyle)

This!
he had great hair anyway!!!!
but if he must then a professional hairdresser is the way forward

Don't. Just don't. (I have a thread)

I remember that....was it your daughter's hair at a hairdresser. Awful

dont leave home diy box stuff on for longer than directed. even if you think itll go lighter if i just leave it a bit longer. . i did and my hair just broke off in my fingers.

I thought of your daughter straight away.
I hope she is doing well.

OP, your son has great hair, it really looks in fab condition. Try to talk him out of it if possible.

sun in! It’s a right of passage

If you decide to do it, buy professional bleach & developer from Amazon, I use the Wella Blondor bleach & developer, then Colour Fresh toner to take out the yellow tones. Get a deep moisturising hair mask to use between colours as purple shampoo can be drying, you can even mix purple shampoo with the mask as a mild toner between colours, mix in a colouring bowl & apply as you would for a full head colour, leave on for at least 20 minutes & rinse with cool water. If he uses a hair dryer always use heat protector.