Is It Safe to Use Lemon Juice to Lighten Your Hair?

by Jessica Migala

When the weather warms up, you may have the desire to try a lighter hair color. A salon can be expensive, as well as time-consuming. Wouldn’t it just be easier and cheaper to apply lemon juice to your hair and sit out in the sun for a while? You could even do it while working on your laptop or reading a book. Multitasking at its finest? Yes, please.

Though the lemon juice trick has been around for a while, the resurgence in interest may be due to the fashionable focus on natural solutions for skin and hair care. We’ll cover whether or not this works, if it’s a viable alternative to at-home or in-salon color treatments, and how to care for your hair when using lemon juice or traditional dye.

Will Lemon Juice Lighten Your Hair?

It’s possible. “Lemon juice can alter the tone of your hair because of the reaction that

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occurs when it’s exposed to UV rays,” says Meg Schipani, a master hair color expert in Los Angeles and a Colorproof Ambassador.

The way hair changes color when exposed to the sun is a result of damage from UV rays, according to research. 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.

For maximum effect, what’s needed is sun plus lemon juice. “[Lemon juice] intensifies the effect that the sun naturally has on the hair,” Schipani explains. Acids in the lemon break down the hair’s cuticle, allowing the sun’s rays to penetrate deeper.

Lemon juice acids alone could do that in theory, says Jenny 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. Is

Natural Better When It Comes to Hair Color?

One reason lemon juice may be appealing is the fact that it’s a fruit juice and thus seems like a more natural option. If you’re concerned about the safety of regular hair dye, keep in mind the American Cancer Society’s statement that “most studies have not found a strong link between hair dye use and cancer, but more research is needed.” was our Lucky WINNER for the Night on the Town Contest!

In addition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) points 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.)

Also keep in mind, says Liu, that everything has chemicals, and lemon juice doesn’t exactly avoid the issue. “The compounds in lemon juice are also chemicals,” she says, adding that natural ingredients can cause more issues than synthetic ones. As a September 2019 editorial in JAMA Dermatology noted, “natural is a marketing term that does not necessarily mean safer or more effective.” Natural products often contain botanical extracts that cause irritation, allergic skin reactions, and reactions in conjunction with sun exposure, the authors wrote.

One very specific example? The combination of some citrus juices, including lemon, and UV exposure from the sun can cause a condition called phytophotodermatitis, past research found. This is often referred to as “margarita dermatitis” for its propensity to show up on the hands when the citrusy, boozy drink is spilled.

How to Lighten Your Hair Safely

1. Go to a Pro (or Bring a Box Home)

As for ‘natural’ ways to lighten your hair, Liu doesn’t have any suggestions. “I personally don’t recommend playing chemist at home, especially since there are lots of available and relatively affordable coloring products in drugstores,” she says. Ultimately, you’re better off with an at-home coloring kit or an appointment at a salon.

The upside of having a professional stylist and colorist color your hair is that they not only know what they’re 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.

2. Less Is More

If you’re using an at-home coloring kit, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends more subtle changes. Rather than going very blond if you’re a natural dark brunette (or vice versa), they suggest purchasing a dye that’s 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.

What’s 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 more processing on already compromised hair, says Schipani.

3. Watch for Reactions

Hair dye can cause an allergic reaction on your skin, so if you notice a rash, redness, swelling, burning, or itching, the AAD advises you to stop dyeing your hair and speak to a board-certified dermatologist to test you for an allergy to dye.

4. Care for Your Color

Specific 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.

The Bottom Line: Stick With Professional Hair Lightening Methods

Unless you have naturally very light blond hair, lemon juice may create inconsistent or mediocre results – not the sun-kissed beachy look you’re going for. In most cases, it’s best to go to a professional. “I haven’t seen or heard of a ton of clients using lemon juice for lightening. I think it’s 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,” says Schipani.