At 47 years old, my hair was untouched by chemicals although I had used a semi permanent rinse that washed out maybe three times in my life. New town, new hairdresser, I picked a salon voted best in the city. My hairdresser was young, she suggested I highlight my hair. At my age I should have looked into the process, I should not have simply trusted her. I'm not sure why I did except maybe I was just too vain. Christmas was coming up and I wanted to look fabulous for the company Christmas party.

The girl used a 20 volume bleach and a toner. I didn't know highlights used bleach. My hair was sort of a light brown with gray. It must be very porous. Within 24 hours of the process, I had an allergic reaction with itching, burning and swelling. Saw my allergist and he put me on prednisone and topical lotions.

My hair was like straw and began to break at the crown. It is now falling out at the root, very brassy and light. My scalp still bothers me and is sensitive, pink and itchy. It's been almost 4 months.

I have an appointment with the dermatologist but I have to be careful what I put on my scalp. I can't believe what I got myself into at my age. I'm embarrassed and upset with myself as I had very strong, beautiful hair prior to this. I don't think I've slept through the night since it happened.

I just wish hairdressers would be more cautious with their clients about color and not throw bottles of bleach around when they know how damaging bleach is.  

It's possible you had a reaction to the ammonium in the developer and not the bleach. I've seen some people with sensative skin develop similar conditions as you've described above. It could be that you are allergic to that color line that was used on your hair. What line was it? Are you on any type of prescription medications before the color treatment like predisone or any type of high blood pressure, cholesterol medicine, corticosteroid or accutane? Perhaps a prescription medicine reacted with the haircoloring and you had a reaction. If you are still interested in coloring your hair try going to a salon that uses CHI Color Line. CHI doesn't contain any ammonium in the developer and it is one of if not the most gentle color lines I've used. I use it on my clients who have had allergic reactions in the past.

To help manage the damage done to your hair I'd suggest using a moisturizing shampoo daily with a good conditioner and deep conition your hair weekly.

Thanks for the replies. Although I don't feel old, my hair is a bit over the hill to bounce back from a trauma the way it would have at say, your tender age of 17. I appreciate your response though.

The color line she used was Aveda since it was done at one of their salons. I'm not on any medications so it wasn't that.

I'm using Redken lines of shampoo/conditioners, Extreme and all soft. I bought the anti-snap too. I try only washing hair once a week and I do not use any heat, appliances or products in hair at all. I have also used the organic shampoos but still the itch continues.

The process also changed the texture of my hair from wavy and strong, to thin and fine. It's like I had my hair straightened. The hair strands are visibly thinner as the though the outside layer is gone. I think this is the worst feeling because it's not like my hair at all. I can't imagine it will hold a style. I don't know what to do with it except to keep it trimmed shorter than I usually wear it.

After 4 months is there any color left in my hair or is it all just bleached hair? Will it get any lighter or brassier? Could it get any more damaged or is the worst over?

Did the stylist not perform a strand test before highlighting your hair? That was the first mistake and the salon can be sued and you will win.

Highlighting hair is almost always done with bleach. Unless of course you have virgin hair but you said you have put color in your hair so that's out.

Halo makes a very good product for damaged hair.

Sorry about your problem. I feel for you.

Wait, something that doesn't make sense, you said you had an allergic reaction with itching burning and swelling? How is that possible since the bleach shouldn't have touched your scalp. Did she use foils or pull through a cap? How did it get on your scalp to cause so much irritation?

She used foil when she applied the bleach. Then she took off the foils and rinsed my hair but she did this in sections. She then applied toner to my whole head.

Unfortunately, she put in a ton of highlights. It looks like my whole head was dyed. 

I checked my hair last night and it looks like a lot of breakage is still going on.   I imagine damaged hair only gets worse, not better with time as daily wear and tear adds up.

No strand test either which was both our faults.

at least you learn from this experienced

but did you go back to the stylist and explain your problem

i mean if he/she was good stylist they would help you to get what you want.

I did go back to the salon about two months later. I met with their color expert who thought it was too brassy and that the stylist did not need to use bleach but it was her choice. She wanted to know what I wanted the salon to do, i.e. fix it with more color or do a protein treatment. At the time, I would not let them do either since my scalp was and still is very sensitive. They did not offer to refund any money but offered to cut my hair. So much for being voted best of the city, three years in a row.

By the way, was at the mall buying cute hairpieces to add to ponytails when the saleswoman told me she had a customer come in from the same salon with a similar bad dye job. 

It's been 4 months and I've had two haircuts, (different salon!) trims really. It looks better if I keep it trimmed and I wash it only once a week, condition it more often. I have an appointment with the dermatologist in a few days. My scalp still bothers me, turns pink from just rinsing it with water.