A client's scalp started burning during a bleach session and I had to act fast

I was doing a full bleach in my home studio in Tacoma when my client suddenly said her head felt like it was on fire. I looked and saw bright red patches spreading fast. I rinsed it all out with cool water right away, then used a calming aloe gel I keep on hand for this. It took about 20 minutes for the burning to stop. Has anyone else had a bleach reaction come on that quick, and what's your go-to first step?

3 comments

3 Comments

henrys602mo ago

Cool water rinse was the right move, but aloe gel right after can sometimes trap heat. I always pat dry gently with a cool towel first to pull that heat out of the scalp.

grantb922mo ago

Wait, aloe gel can actually trap heat in your scalp?

theagarcia1mo ago

My sunburn last summer taught me that lesson the hard way. I put aloe straight on and my scalp felt like it was cooking for hours. Now I use a washcloth soaked in cold water, wring it out, and lay it over my head for ten minutes before any gel. That initial cool down makes a huge difference.