How have my ladies been? Trust you been good. Sorry, I've been MIA. Well, today, we will be talking about relaxers. Hmm, I'm sure most of you already know about them, but, if you allow me, let's do a quick review on them.
Brief History
Relaxer was actually discovered by an African American named Garrett Augustus Morgan around the year 1910. He found a lubricating liquid which could change or alter the basic structure of the hair shaft. He called it "G.A. Morgan's Hair Refiner Cream". It was patented as the first chemical hair straightener.
How It Works
Relaxers are chemicals used to permanently straighten the hair. These chemicals usually come in a creamy form. A process called lanthionization occurs by breaking down the disulfide bonds (protein or keratin) in order to alter the curl pattern by loosening the hair shafts. The cortex is elongated making the curl alteration permanent. There are specific time frames for which the chemicals should be left in the hair to allow it relax. It can be used on curly, coily or wavy hair textures. They are also come in regular, super and mild strengths. The regular is for normal hair, mild for those with fine hair and super for coarse hair. These strengths depends on how much chemical is deposited into it.
Types of Relaxers
There are three types of relaxers namely;
Lye Relaxer - This relaxer contains Sodium Hydroxide. I belive they are the most popular. They can be harsh and can cause damage to the hair or/and scalp if not used properly.
No lye Relaxers - This contains Calcium Hydroxide. It is formulated for mild and sensitive scalps. It is believed to be less harsher than lye relaxers. But I know better because they are both chemicals and must be used with utmost care. It comes with an activator which must be mixed with the base relaxer. It also comes with a neutralizing shampoo which deactivate the alkalizing chemical process. It leaves the hair feeling drier than usual.
Thio Relaxers - This contains Ammonia Thioglycolate. The disulfide bonds are reformed after they are broken during the relaxing process compared to hydroxide relaxers in which they are broken permanently and cannot be reformed again.
After usage, it must be oxidized with a special solution of Hydrogen peroxide or Sodium bromate. Hydroxide relaxers should not be used interchangably with Thio relaxers as it can damage the hair resulting to serious hair loss.
The Relaxing Process
It is advisable to do a strand test to be sure that the relaxer is suitable for you. Hmm....but seriously how many of us bother with this. Avoid overlapping (retouching already processed hair) as this can cause hair damage. So it is advisable to stretch your relaxers by waiting about 6-8weeks to ensure there is enough new growth, and for the hair to regain its strength after the previous relaxer.
Base your scalp with petroleum jelly or any other oily but thick substance. When I'm out of some jelly, I use Shea butter which works for me. This is meant to act as a barrier to prevent burns.
If it is virgin hair, apply the relaxer from roots to tips. It is said that the roots process faster than the tips because of the body's heat. Don't wait for it to tingle your scalp before rinsing it out.
I'm more of a lye relaxer fan. I have medium to coarse hair and lye relaxers works for me. What relaxer type do you use and what has your experience been? Did you suffer any damage from using any relaxer?
