Bleach is a general term for any product that can permanently lighten the color of hair. Many people have their head hair bleached or highlighted, but eyebrow bleaching is another option. This procedure involves applying bleach to the eyebrows to lighten them, either to match a new hair color or to give the face a different look. Risks of eyebrow bleach include potential damage to eyesight or to skin as bleach requires chemical ingredients that are strong enough to alter the components of hair.
Eyebrows frame the face and are also used for communication purposes. Altering the eyebrow shape can dramatically change somebody's appearance and even change the natural expression of the face. Women and sometimes men pluck, wax, or thread the eyebrows to affect this change. The color of the brows, however, also plays a role, as dark brows can create a stronger impression than lighter brows.
Dark head hair is easily bleached or highlighted to a lighter shade. If the new blonde hair clashes with existing dark eyebrows, then the person may wish to lighten the eyebrows to match. People may simply want to reduce the impact of dark brows, and eyebrow bleach can be used to make a fashion statement.
An unusual look can be achieved if the eyebrow bleach turns the brows unnaturally light or almost unnoticeable. This alters the expression and look of the face and is attention grabbing. The need to tidy up stray hairs can also be reduced as they are bleached to an unobtrusive color.
Typically, bleach contains some form of strong chemical, such as hydrogen peroxide, which react to biological molecules and, in this case, destroy the color pigments in the eyebrow hairs. A side effect of the strength of the chemical is that it can also adversely alter skin or other parts of the body, like the eyes. For this reason, eyebrow bleach is tightly regulated in many countries, and home bleaching is not recommended. Blindness, skin irritation, or allergic reactions are possible, and eyelashes should never be bleached. Beauty salons may offer the treatment at reasonable prices that can help reduce the risk of the bleaching going wrong.
Beauticians paint the bleach on the brows and leave it for a specified amount of time, depending on the product's instructions. This can vary from one minute to 15. The longer the product is left on, the lighter the hair will become, but too long an exposure can damage the skin and hair. After an eyebrow bleach, the effects last six weeks or less until the hair regrows in its natural color.
