For over two years, I was that guy with the bleached hair. The blonde became part of my signature—people would stop me in the street, comment on it, ask about the upkeep. Some of the people I met during that time only ever knew me as blonde.

So, deciding to go back to black? That wasn’t easy.

It felt like I was letting go of a version of myself—a bold, bright, slightly rebellious era that I really enjoyed. But over time, I started to feel something I hadn’t felt before: style fatigue. The bleach, the constant touch-ups, the dryness, the maintenance… it was all starting to wear me down. And most importantly, my hair and scalp were struggling.

Now let me be clear: I’ve only ever trusted CG Barbershop with my hair, and Sami—the King of Colour—is truly a magician. They’ve always used the best-quality bleach and handled my hair with the care it needed. But the reality is, no matter how premium the product or how skilled the colourist, bleach is still bleach. Over time, even the healthiest routines take a toll.

I noticed my strands were getting thinner. My scalp felt irritated more often than not. I even started noticing some hair loss, which sent me straight into research mode. Turns out, prolonged bleaching can seriously weaken the hair shaft and compromise the scalp’s barrier function, leading to everything from breakage to increased sensitivity and yes—hair loss. According to a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Trichology, repetitive bleaching significantly reduces hair’s tensile strength and moisture retention. Basically, the more you bleach, the more fragile your hair becomes.

And honestly, no matter how cool the look, it’s just not worth it if your hair’s crying for help.

One morning, I woke up and—true to form—I made a call. No overthinking. No second-guessing. Just a solid, decisive Wael moment: I was going back to black.

The shift wasn’t just physical; it felt like a reset. A detox. I wanted to take care of my hair again. Bring it back to life. Let it breathe. And over the next few posts, I’m going to take you through exactly how I did that—what products I used, what routines saved my scalp, and how I revived my hair after 2.5 years of serious bleach damage.

Because going back to black? It wasn’t just about the colour. It was about coming back to myself.