General Overview
Peroxide is a chemical compound known as hydrogen peroxide in its most stable form. It has many uses, but one of the most common uses is as a lightening agent for hair. As a lightening agent, peroxide is usually referred to as hair bleach. The chemical representation of hydrogen peroxide is H202. Pure hydrogen peroxide is extremely dangerous and most of the products sold in drugstores only contain about 3% peroxide and 97% water. Hydrogen peroxide is also a very powerful antibacterial agent often used to kill germs such as e. coli and salmonella.
Peroxide for Hair
When used as a bleaching agent to lighten hair, hydrogen peroxide can be extremely damaging. Peroxide lightens the hair to a lighter shade by breaking down the melanin in the hair shaft. Peroxide also weakens the hair shaft, eventually leading to extreme breakage. Some people report having hair snap off when brushing or combing. Continuous exposure to peroxide, even if it is diluted, will also kill the hair follicles and cause a significant amount of hair to start falling out. In some extreme cases, bleaching the hair with peroxide has led to full hair loss leading to baldness. Other people develop patches of baldness on their scalp that can take a very long time to grow back.
Tips and Warnings
Never use a formula that contains over 6% peroxide to lighten your hair. Always make sure the peroxide has been highly diluted with water. Pure peroxide is extremely dangerous and must be handled by professional chemists in a laboratory setting. Never apply peroxide to your hair more than once a month as this will accelerate the damage. Use deep conditioning treatments and hair masks to protect your hair and help reverse damage. For best results, consult a trained professional when seeking to lighten hair.
Read more: What Peroxide Will Do to Your Hair | eHow.com
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