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Highlighting Your Hair

Highlighting, streaking and frosting are all similar procedures and each involves the use of a bleaching (or oxidizing) agent. This used to be done by bleaching small tufts of hair after pulling them through a cap pierced with holes. However, bleach had a greater tendency to seep through the holes and burn the scalp.


The modern method involves carefully separating strands of hair, then applying the bleach and wrapping the hairs in foil. While burns to your scalp can still occur, they are less likely with this method. In either method, it’s important that your hair and scalp are monitored throughout any highlighting process.


If you feel a ‘burning’ or an uncomfortable sensation on your scalp, don’t ignore it, even if your colourist claims that the feeling is ‘normal’. It isn’t. Insist that any discomfort is attended to immediately.

Benefits of Highlighting

Highlighting is an effective way of blending grey hair or giving your hair a sun-streaked, natural look. It is also a safer colouring method than having a whole head of bleach, and is often less damaging because highlights only involve a portion of your hair being processed. 

Highlights also tend to last longer and need to be applied less often as your roots don’t grow back as obviously. Even so, overlapping previously bleached tufts can be a problem. It’s a good idea to mention this to your colourist if you are concerned about breakage.

If you would like to find out more about highlighting, our clinics based in London and New York specialise in hair and scalp treatments.