Bond‑Rebuilding Treatments
A number of professional salon and retail products are marketed as bond‑rebuilding or bond‑protecting treatments. Their goal is to reduce breakage and improve manageability after oxidative or thermal processing.
Mechanisms (typical claims)
- Some treatments contain thiol or disulphide‑reactive chemistries intended to temporarily reconnect broken keratin bonds or shield susceptible sites during subsequent processing.
- Others deposit polymers, proteins or conditioning agents into the cortex and cuticle to increase apparent strength and reduce friction.
Practical notes
- Bond treatments can reduce immediate breakage and improve texture, but they do not fully restore a fibre to its virgin structural state after heavy bleaching.
- Best results come from appropriate salon technique: conservative lightening, adequate timing, and combined reconstruction + moisture protocols.
Specific limitation after bleaching: many bond builders improve tensile behaviour by rebuilding or temporarily crosslinking sulphur‑containing residues, but they cannot fully replace lost melanin or undo severe cuticle erosion from aggressive bleaches. Combine bonding with moisturising masks, protein fillers and reduced mechanical/thermal stress for best long‑term outcomes. See: Hair Bleaching.
Safety & expectations
- Users should expect improved manageability and some reduction in breakage, not complete recovery of pre‑bleach tensile strength.
- Follow product instructions and avoid layering incompatible professional chemical services without consulting a trained stylist.