HAIR STRAIGHTENING

Benefits of using hair relaxers (Straighteners)

• The hair can be more easily combed and styled.

• Hair breakage may be decreased due to less combing friction.

• Hair shine is improved with a straighter hair shaft.

• Fashion may dictate the need for straight hair.

Types of Hair Relaxers (Straighteners)

 Sodium Hydroxide Straighteners “Lye-Based”: these products are generally restricted to professional or salon use and may contain up to 3.5% sodium hydroxide.

 Guanidine Hydroxide and Lithium Hydroxide: known as “no-lye” or “Lye-free” chemical hair straighteners because they contain no sodium hydroxide. (ex: Soft&beautiful, Dark&lovely)

 Thioglycolates: are extremely harsh on the hair and are the least popular of all the relaxing chemicals for this reason. (ex: Glatt, Wellastrate)

 Ammonium Bisulfate creams: the least damaging of all hair relaxers but can only produce short-lived straightening.

General considerations while using chemical relaxers

User should follow the instructions of each product strictly.

 The key to successful hair relaxing is a professional hairstylist to:

 quickly apply and remove the chemicals

determine when the desired degree of di sulfide bond breaking has occurred.

 Avoid chemical burns that may occur if a novice  is performing the straightening procedure

 The hairstylist must wear gloves.

 Longer contact of the chemicals with the hair shafts will result in irreversible damage.

Application techniques of hair relaxers

1. Do not shampoo to leave a layer of protective sebum since relaxers are irritating.

2. Apply petrolatum base to scalp and hairline to prevent skin burns.

3. Section hair by dividing into 4 sections to work systematically.

4. Apply relaxer cream from hair root to end beginning at nape of neck first because it is more resistant to the relaxing because the hair there has undamaged cuticle.

 For previously straightened hair the chemical straightener is applied to the new growth only, then combed through the previously straightened distal ends for the last 10 minutes of the process.

5. Gently comb hair straight for 10–30 minutes to pull it straight concurrently with the straightening cream application until degree of relaxation is achieved

6. Rinse thoroughly with water to remove all of the straightening chemicals within 20 minutes. This requires skill and organization. For this reason that hair straightening should not be performed by someone without education and experience.

7. Apply neutralizer to smooth the hair, taking care to keep it straight and untangled, since the hair shafts can very easily fracture until the neutralization process is complete.

8. Shampoo with a non-alkaline shampoo to minimize hair shaft swelling.

9. Apply conditioner since the hair straightening chemicals produce holes in the hair shaft cuticle through which the hair shaft water evaporates, leaving the hair shaft dry and inelastic. The remoisturizing post-straightening conditioner minimizes hair shaft brittleness and breakage.

10. Style the hair.

Dermatologic Consideration

 After chemical straightening procedure, the hair shafts become brittle and are broken with minimal combing.

 Customer should use extra wide and wide combs to avoid pulling the hair.

 There is nothing that can be done to repair the damaged disulfide bonds.

 Hair breakage can be minimized by:

 combing or styling the hair as little as possible

 Applying hair conditioners (Instant, leave-on and deep conditioners)

 Avoiding any further chemical treatments such as permanent hair dyeing or bleaching.