Consider getting highlights and make sure they last longer if you want to change how you look and up your style.

Highlights will always be harmful to your hair, but to varying degrees. Although bleach is more harmful than highlights and semi-permanent dyes, they still have drawbacks.

Continue reading for more fun facts about highlights, including information on whether they harm hair, how long they last, how to maintain them, and some frequently asked questions about this type of permanent coloring.

What Are Highlights?

Hair highlighting is a hair treatment performed by a salon expert to change the color of your hair using hair color or lightener to lift your hair strand’s brightness—known as level.

Given that it is lighter than your natural hair, you can pick any color for your hair highlights.

Until your hair begins to grow out, keep in mind that hair that has been lightened with permanent color or bleach will remain that way.

Here are some options for hair highlights that are classic, understated, and can add texture and dimension to your hair.

• Traditional Highlights
• Babylights
• Balayage
• Foil-ayage
• Ombré
• Lowlights

Can Highlights Damage Your Hair?

Theoretically, bleaching your hair or subjecting it to any other form of chemical processing will harm it. Your hair may become dry and dull after being bleached because bleaching removes the proteins and oils from the hair. The amount of damage depends on how light you want to go with your highlights–are you looking for a subtle color or bright platinum blonde? Your hair will be more stripped of color the longer you leave bleach in it. Particularly for hair with curlier textures, losing elasticity can make it more prone to breaking. This is why proper maintenance is key to having healthy bleached hair.

How Long Do Hair Highlights Last?

In typical hair, highlights typically last between two and three months.

But, this timeframe may vary depending on several factors, such as your hair care routine, how the highlights are done, your hair texture, how healthy or damaged your hair is, etc.

The strong chemicals your hair will be exposed to after this hair color treatment could potentially dry out and burn your hair, resulting in hair damage that is unavoidable.

That only means that the more frequently you get hair highlights, the more damage is done to your hair. Because of this, expert hair stylists assert that touch-ups should be needed every four weeks to four months.

So, if you are doing hair treatments more often, we highly recommend you invest in high-quality deep conditioners and apply them regularly to keep your hair from being damaged.

How to Make Your Highlights Last Longer?

There are a few things you can do to prolong the life of your highlights and stop further hair deterioration.

1. Delay Washing Your Hair

Do not wash your hair right after you get highlights at the salon. Before washing your hair again, wait at least 48 hours. The new color can balance and penetrate your hair during this waiting period.

2. Use Cool Water to Wash Your Hair

When washing your hair after the treatment, try to avoid using hot water. In addition to harming your hair, hot water will hasten the fading of your highlights.

With that, we highly recommend you always use cool water to protect your highlights and hair color while keeping your hair healthy.

3. Use Good Conditioning Products

The simplest way to stop further hair damage and balance out the harsh chemicals is to use conditioning products.

After you get hair highlights, it is crucial to use the right conditioner and shampoo that can cater to your hair’s needs. Your hair will endure less harm if you do this.

Furthermore, you can be sure that your highlights won’t quickly fade or become dull.

4. Go to a Trusted Hair Colorist

We strongly advise against trying to highlight your hair at home on your own without the guidance of a hair professional, or even asking someone who doesn’t know how to do it.

Trust us when we say that it will only end up in a mess that will damage your hair a lot. So, only a qualified hair colorist should ever give you highlights. With this advice, your hair will be very grateful to us.

How to Repair Highlights Damaged Hair

Either you visit a professional for professional treatment or you use some efficient home remedies to restore color-damaged hair.

Here are some home remedies and advice for highlighting damaged hair that you should try.

1. Mix Coconut Oil and Aloe Vera Juice

Obtain pure coconut oil and aloe vera juice. Take one small cup of the coconut oil and mix with one-two tablespoon of aloe vera ( just make sure it will be enough to cover all your hair)

Apply it to every nook and cranny of the damaged hair and let it sit for between 30 and 50 minutes.

Using a shower cap, if you have one, will help you conceal it.

Apply your leave-in conditioner after the advised amount of time has passed and rinse your hair with your regular shampoo for colored hair.

Repeat this process for at least 3-4 times a week, until you see a significant result.

You are welcome to substitute an egg, avocado, or banana in place of aloe vera juice since they all work to give the hair more protein and vitamins.

2. Use Healing Masks and Butter on the Hair

Just like buttering the bread and beard, you can also use it on your damaged hair. Who knows what might be effective for you?

Simply apply a butter or mask to your hair, working it through the damaged strands, and then cover it with a shower cap for 30 minutes or overnight.

Rinse it off following that. Using shampoo is optional.

Mind you am not talking about bread butter but Shea butter. Africa’s unrefined Shea butter will work well for this project.

4. Use Protective Formula Next Time

This ought to have been the initial action or idea that was in mind before highlighting.

However, the work has already been completed.

However, it does not prevent you from continuing your coloring work. You heard me correctly, I assure you.

Just give your hair enough time to regain some lost integrity and strength.

You can then pick up where you left off.

So on next appointment with your hair colorist, tell him or her to apply protective products before or doing the coloring process.

Common Mistakes People Make When Getting Highlights

Your hair may suffer severe harm after getting highlights. It is impossible for your hair to endure the process if it is unhealthy. Your hair will look horribly harsh as a result. Here are some pointers for extending the life of your highlights. To get a gorgeous highlight, abide by these recommendations. We sincerely hope that these suggestions have been beneficial to you! Also, after getting highlights, remember to take good care of your hair. After getting highlights, give your hair the attention it needs.

Put highlighted hair through a specific shampoo. Use a purple shampoo because hot water damages hair and can cause highlights to turn brassy yellow. Also, avoid shampooing your hair with hot water, as this can lift pigment from the strands, leaving them more fragile. Additionally, using a deep conditioner will help your hair recover its color and stop breakage. Avoid using hot appliances excessively, and finally. You shouldn’t use hot appliances for the first few weeks after your highlights.

The Takeaway

It’s possible to harm hair with highlights. When possible, damage can be reduced by using hair-friendly methods like conditioning the hair and avoiding excessive heat styling. Limiting the amount of time you are exposed to hair dyes and minimizing damage may be achieved by dying your hair a shade closer to its natural color.

Consult a stylist about dyes with conditioners or other techniques to keep your hair looking and feeling healthy if you’re worried about its health.

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