Watch hair relaxers!

Which hair relaxers do you use? Where do you buy them? Do you have a ‘test’ before applying any relaxer on your scalp? There is need to know this before you go to the salon.

Your scalp is a very sensitive part of your body because of its covering for the veins which supply blood to the brain. Any progressive damage to the scalp could lead to the thinning of the skin layers, thus exposing vital veins.

Hair relaxers contain sodium hydroxide. This chemical is used in cleaning drains and also used in products that are referred to as ‘lye’ relaxers. The strength varies from a pH factor of 10 to 14.  The higher the pH, the faster it relaxes the hair.

But with this effectiveness also comes a more potential damage. Relaxers that are labelled ‘no-lye’ use guanidine hydroxide.  The label   does not imply that there aren’t any strong chemicals used or that the chemicals used are somehow less potentially damaging.  Although this type of chemical hair relaxer can be less damaging than its counterpart, it also requires special care when applied.

 So, before you apply the next relaxer, you have to consider these:

• Never use relaxers on a damaged scalp.

• Watch which relaxers you use for children. Applying such strong chemicals to young hair portends damage that could last a lifetime if misused.

• Touch ups (re-touch) should only be done between a periods of six to eight weeks. The more chemicals applied to the hair, the more possibility of damage.

• Carry out a strand test to determine the best relaxers for your scalp.

• Report problems you are currently experiencing with your hair or scalp to professionals.

Credits: Punch.