Wig bleaching is usually done on dry hair, and most avid wig wearers know this. But as time goes on, more and more trends surface. Now, people are increasingly talking about how they bleach their wigs while wet.
Can you bleach a wet wig safely? Is bleaching a wet wig recommended?
In this article, we’ll tell you without a shadow of a doubt whether you can bleach a wet wig and answer any other related questions you might have. Let’s get into it!
Note: All of the information in this article applies to human hair wigs. Bleach should not be applied to synthetic wigs. The chemicals in the bleach can damage the wig’s fibers. Even if that doesn’t happen, you may not even notice any color change.
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Can You Bleach a Wet Wig?
You can 100% bleach a wet wig, but the question is, “Should you bleach a wet wig?” The one thing you need to be mindful of when bleaching a wet wig is that the water on the wig’s strands can dilute the bleach.
As a result, you could experience unpredictable results and diminished bleaching power. The results could come out streaky, and in some cases, you may not notice much of a change at all.
So, while you can bleach a wet wig, we don’t recommend you do so unless you have extensive experience bleaching your hair. If you’re new to the concept and practice of bleaching a wig, you’re not out of luck.
All you need to do is book an appointment with a stylist experienced in bleaching wigs.
Then, take your wig in and let the stylist do their magic! Going the professional route could be much better for you than ruining your wig or getting an unwanted result and starting all over from square one.
When It Makes Sense to Bleach a Wet Wig
Though we don’t recommend bleaching your wet wig if you’re inexperienced, there are situations where you might want to go this route. For instance, if you think applying bleach to the wig’s dry strands may be too damaging for the wig’s fibers, you might opt to bleach the wig wet.
Another instance when it makes sense to bleach a wet wig is when you don’t want a substantial color change. Of course, you can use hair dye instead of bleach to achieve a subtle color result. But if bleach is all you have on hand, you can apply it to your wet wig.
Again, the results of applying bleach on a wet wig will be a little more unpredictable than most would like. So using a hair dye instead would probably be the better choice for subtle hair color transformations.
Should You Bleach a Wig Right After Washing It?
It’s never a good idea to bleach hair right after shampooing it–that is, if the hair is on your head. The main problem that could creep up is scalp irritation.
With your hair freshly washed and your scalp recently scrubbed, there are no protective oils acting as a buffer between your scalp and the bleach. But with a wig, there’s no issue here. There were no scalp oils, to begin with, and there was no scalp to burn. So, you can wash a wig and then bleach it right after.
Tips to Keep in Mind When Bleaching a Wet Wig
When bleaching a wet wig, there are lots of things that can go wrong. But with the right information, you can take certain precautions and reduce your risk of a wig emergency. Here are some tips to keep in mind when bleaching a wet wig:
Always Check Your Progress
The unpredictability that comes along with bleaching a wig is natural, so it’s always a good idea to check your progress while the bleach is sitting on the wig. Though you probably won’t see a substantial color change, bleach does process faster on wet hair. It pays to be vigilant just in case the bleach processes quicker than expected.
Mix the Bleach According to the Packaging Instructions
Your chances of a hair color failure increase considerably when you mix bleach incorrectly. In case you weren’t aware, bleach is a mixture of powder and cream or liquid developer.
Just like with a chemistry experiment, you need to get those measurements right before applying the mixture to your wig. Otherwise, you could experience unexpected results or no results at all.
Don’t Apply Heat to the Hair While Bleaching
Adding heat to the bleaching process in the form of a hooded dryer is a bad idea when bleaching hair. This applies even when the hair is wet prior to bleaching.
The water can dilute the bleach, but if you add heat to the mix, your hair could still end up over-processed. So, if at all possible, skip the heat when bleaching your wet wig.
Can You Do a Bleach Bath on a Wig?
Doing a bleach bath differs slightly from bleaching a wig with wet hair. A bleach bath is a hair lightening/dye stripping treatment where you’ll mix the shampoo with a bleach mixture and apply it to damp or wet hair. You’ll then later the hair up and let it process for around 10 minutes, check your progress, and then rinse it all out.
Just be aware that you won’t get a super dramatic result with a bleach bath, so don’t expect your wig to go from black to platinum blonde.
You’ll need straight bleach on dry hair to achieve a result like that. But if you want to take your wig from black to light brown or even dark blonde, this is an option to consider.
Pros and Cons of Bleaching Your Wet Wig
Are you on the fence regarding whether you should bleach your wet wig? To help you make a choice, here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros
- Bleaching wet hair can dilute the bleach. This dilution can help preserve the health of the hair.
- Color may process faster on wet hair than on dry hair.
- Easier distribution of the bleach.
- Less dye will be needed to cover all the hair.
- You can achieve more subtle bleaching results on wet hair.
Cons
- For those who want a dramatic hair color result, the dilution of the bleach can be considered a con.
- The results of the bleach may not be as even as you’d like.
- To a degree, the results of bleach jobs on wet hair are unpredictable.
How to Care for a Bleached Wig
However you decide to bleach your wig, you’ll need to care for it afterward. If you don’t, you’ll eventually deal with premature shedding, split ends, or breakage.
Here are some tips for how to care for a wig after bleaching it:
- Be careful of how much heat you put on the wig after bleaching it. Before using heat on it, be sure to apply a heat protectant spray.
- Minimize the number of future chemical treatments on your wig. Each chemical treatment damages the wig even further.
- Baby the ends of your wig with conditioner and oils when they look dry.
- Trim your wig if it shows signs of damage. The longer you leave the damaged ends on the wig, the worse the damage will get.
- Be gentle as you wash, dry, detangle, and style your unit.
- Can You Dye Hair Wet?
- Can You Bleach Over Semi Permanent Hair Dye?
- Bleach Bath Recipe for Hair
- Do You Put Toner on Wet or Dry Hair?
So, there you have it! You can bleach a wet wig, but you may not want to, depending on your skill level and desired results. Regardless, we hope you found all the information you were looking for. Good luck!