Cutting

• Most severe bleach damage is irreversible and needs to be cut away to prevent and/or curtail hair loss. To determine if hair can be saved, isolate a single strand of hair, and pull on it using minimal strength. If it breaks and shrivels up at the break point, it needs to be cut. If the hair holds strong, it can be saved.
  
  Sometimes, hair that has been overbleached reaches a point at which it no longer resembles hair. When hair reaches this point, it is mushy when wet and matted when dry. This type of damage needs to be cut away as well.
  
  To remove overly-damaged hair, trim the hair until it is approximately ½ inch shorter than the break point or the point where the hair is matted together.
  
  

Conditioning

• Hair that still has some strength can be saved using intensive conditioning treatments. To perform such a treatment, you will first need to gather several different types of conditioners including a protein conditioner, hydrating conditioner and silk serum conditioner. Mix equal parts of all three conditioners. Apply to freshly shampooed hair. Cover with a plastic cap, and wait 15 minutes before rinsing.
  
  Conditioning treatments should be performed two to three times a week initially. Once the hair loss has slowed and the hair has regained some strength, conditioning treatments can be performed weekly.
  
  

Extra Care

• Overprocessed hair requires special care. Never comb, brush or pick the hair out when it is wet. Avoid breakage by allowing the hair to dry before you comb it and try to style it. Hair that has been damaged by bleach is also difficult to dry. Instead of using a hair dryer, which causes more damage, allow your hair to air dry.
  
  Schedule frequent salon appointments during the repair period to hasten hair-loss recovery. Professional conditioning treatments and regular trims are the best methods for preventing additional hair loss.