Hair Scarring from Bleaching?

Hi doctor,

I have heard that hair follicles get scarred if you have had extensive bleaching done for coloring. Could you please explain what exactly happens because I am confused. Does the hair just fall off, or the entire mechanism shuts down ie, the dermal papilla cells get destroyed and the pores close?

Also, say one had his hair (black) bleached three times so that he could have it toned white (I did it 5 years ago, don’t ask why, it was college). Would you notice hair scarring within the year or is it possible that hair will gradually fall off because of it even five years later.

Thank you in advance for your help in the matter.

Bleaching can become permanent if it went down to the bulb of the hair follicles and impacted the granules of melanin that produce color. Bleaches can also damage the production mechanism of the hair-producing part of the hair follicle. That is why bleaching should be done by professionals who know how far to push it without going overboard. I would expect that the damage would occur quickly and not be delayed. See a good dermatologist and get your hair examined.