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Will Lemon Juice Lighten Your Hair?
\nIt\u2019s possible. \u201cLemon juice can alter the tone of your hair because of the reaction that occurs when it\u2019s exposed to UV rays,\u201d says\u00a0Meg Schipani, a master hair color expert in Los Angeles and a\u00a0Colorproof\u00a0Ambassador.<\/p>\n
The way hair changes color when exposed to the sun is a result of damage from UV rays, according to\u00a0research. It’s more likely to happen if you have lighter locks to begin with. If you were ever a towheaded kid, you may remember how sun-bleached your hair became in the summer months.<\/p>\n
For maximum effect, what\u2019s needed is sun plus lemon juice. \u201c[Lemon juice] intensifies the effect that the sun naturally has on the hair,\u201d Schipani explains. Acids in the lemon break down the hair\u2019s cuticle, allowing the sun’s rays to penetrate deeper.<\/p>\n
Lemon juice acids alone could do that in theory, says\u00a0Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. But this is a very inefficient way of lightening hair: It takes a long time and produces mediocre results, she says.<\/p>\n
Is It Safe and Effective?<\/strong> If you have darker hair, lemon juice and sunlight probably won\u2019t deliver your ideal color. And if your hair is already highlighted and you\u2019re trying to enhance it with lemon juice? You may get a brassy look instead, says Liu.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schipani agrees: \u201cNaturally light blond is the only starting base that would likely experience the brightening effect that\u2019s desired,\u201d she says. Most likely, you either won\u2019t notice much of a difference or you’ll get the brassiness Liu mentions.<\/p>\n UV rays also affect the structure of hair, which can cause drying and make hair more breakable, per\u00a0research. If your hair is already dyed, UV rays can cause the color to fade \u2014 so you may also be doing your hair more harm than good. The combination of lemon juice\u2019s acids and UV rays may mean you\u2019re left with faded, dry, and brittle hair, says Schipani.<\/p>\n Is Natural Better When It Comes to Hair Color?<\/strong> In addition, the\u00a0American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)\u00a0points out that a small amount of chemicals in hair dye is absorbed through your scalp, and experts today now give the green light to dyeing your hair during pregnancy. (Always talk to your ob-gyn for specific guidance, though.)<\/p>\n Also keep in mind, says Liu, that everything has chemicals, and lemon juice doesn\u2019t exactly avoid the issue. \u201cThe compounds in lemon juice are also chemicals,\u201d she says, adding that natural ingredients can cause more issues than synthetic ones. As a\u00a0September 2019\u00a0editorial in\u00a0JAMA Dermatology\u00a0noted, \u201cnatural is a marketing term that does not necessarily mean safer or more effective.\u201d\u00a0Natural products\u00a0often contain botanical extracts that cause irritation, allergic skin reactions, and reactions in conjunction with sun exposure, the authors wrote.<\/p>\n One very specific example? The combination of some citrus juices, including lemon, and UV exposure from the sun can cause a condition called phytophotodermatitis,\u00a0past research\u00a0found. This is often referred to as \u201cmargarita dermatitis\u201d for its propensity to show up on the hands when the citrusy, boozy drink is spilled.<\/p>\n How to Lighten Your Hair Safely<\/strong> 1. Go to a Pro (or Bring a Box Home)<\/strong> The upside of having a professional stylist and colorist color your hair is that they not only know what they\u2019re doing, but they can also advise you on a color or product for your specific hair color, texture, and the current health of your hair.<\/p>\n 2. Less Is More<\/strong> What\u2019s more, a color correction on a home job often takes more time and money than if you’d had it done at a salon in the first place. That also requires\u00a0more\u00a0processing on already compromised hair, says Schipani.<\/p>\n 3. Watch for Reactions<\/strong> 4. Care for Your Color<\/strong> The Bottom Line: Stick With Professional Hair Lightening Methods Will Lemon Juice Lighten Your Hair? It\u2019s possible. \u201cLemon juice can alter the tone of your hair because of the reaction that occurs when … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2279"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2281,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2279\/revisions\/2281"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tipsforahealthylife.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThere\u2019s no available research on the merits or safety of using lemon juice to lighten your hair. With a couple of rare exceptions, lemon juice and UV are generally safe, but you might not get the look you\u2019re going for, and it\u2019s likely not the healthiest practice. \u201cThe problem is unpredictable results,\u201d says Dr. Liu. \u201cNaturally, that\u2019s really how coloring works. In part, the process removes the protective coating on hair to allow a different color to come through.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOne reason lemon juice may be appealing is the fact that it\u2019s a fruit juice and thus seems like a more natural option. If you\u2019re concerned about the safety of regular hair dye, keep in mind the\u00a0American Cancer Society’s statement\u00a0that \u201cmost studies have not found a strong link between hair dye use and cancer, but more research is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nNo matter how you\u2019re looking to lighten your hair, keep these four tips in mind to do it safely and effectively.<\/p>\n
\nAs for \u2018natural\u2019 ways to lighten your hair, Liu doesn\u2019t have any suggestions. \u201cI personally don\u2019t recommend playing chemist at home, especially since there are lots of available and relatively affordable coloring products in drugstores,\u201d she says. Ultimately, you\u2019re better off with an at-home coloring kit or an appointment at a salon.<\/p>\n
\nIf you\u2019re using an at-home coloring kit, the\u00a0American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)\u00a0recommends more subtle changes. Rather than going very blond if you\u2019re a natural dark brunette (or vice versa), they suggest purchasing a dye that\u2019s within three shades of your natural color. Going any more drastic requires more damage, and that’s best left to a professional for the safest and most predictable results.<\/p>\n
\nHair dye can cause an\u00a0allergic reaction\u00a0on your skin, so if you notice a\u00a0rash, redness, swelling, burning, or itching, the\u00a0AAD\u00a0advises you to stop dyeing your hair and speak to a board-certified dermatologist to test you for an allergy to dye (or a specific dye ingredient).<\/p>\n
\nSpecific shampoo and conditioner, as well as other products, like hair masks, designed for color-treated hair help preserve your color and promote the health of your hair by restoring moisture and strength, says Schipani.<\/p>\n
\nUnless you have naturally very light blond hair, lemon juice (plus the sun) may create inconsistent or mediocre results \u2014 not the sun-kissed beachy look you\u2019re going for. In most cases, it\u2019s best to go to a professional or use a professional at-home product. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen or heard of a ton of clients using lemon juice for lightening. I think it\u2019s because professionals have created more of a presence on social media and are posting informative videos about the risks of different methods of at-home lightening,\u201d says Schipani.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"