How should relaxer be applied?
Posted by Dave on April 11, 2002 at 12:08:01: Previous Next
Last year I had a hair relaxer applied at a salon. It worked, but I'm not sure if it was done correctly. It was pasted on by each hair layer. The stuff touched my scalp under my hair, so it felt like my head was on fire for 5 minutes, and I had a nasty, itchy rash on my skin for a couple of weeks. Is there a certain way relaxers should be applied to avoid this? I'm thinking about having another one done soon (the effect from last year's is wearing out). Also, does the Bio Ionic stuff have the same effect on skin?
Re: How should relaxer be applied?
Posted by tock on April 11, 2002 at 15:23:50: Previous Next
In Reply to: How should relaxer be applied? posted by Dave on April 11, 2002 at 12:08:01:
: Last year I had a hair relaxer applied at a salon. It worked, but I'm not sure if it was done correctly. It was pasted on by each hair layer. The stuff touched my scalp under my hair, so it felt like my head was on fire for 5 minutes, and I had a nasty, itchy rash on my skin for a couple of weeks. Is there a certain way relaxers should be applied to avoid this? I'm thinking about having another one done soon (the effect from last year's is wearing out). Also, does the Bio Ionic stuff have the same effect on skin?
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The stuff I've used should be applied with a brush 1/2" from the scalp to 1" from the hair ends. First you section the hair into quadrants, then you take 1/2" subsections in each quadrant (I start at the top and work down, half inch section by half inch section. When all four sections are done, ya go back and comb it through the ends.
You never apply more relaxer to previously relaxed hair, unless you don't mind losing it. After a few months and it's time to do a touch-up, you have 'em relax just the new growth, starting (of course) 1/2" from the scalp. Never apply this stuff to the scalp; I've seen cases where the skin gets so damaged that hair won't grow anymore. Not good.
There are relaxers where you apply a vaseline-type goo to the scalp first, which more or less keeps the sodium hydroxide from contacting the scalp. You can ask your hairdresser about this.
If it was my hair, I'd just have a thio straightener applied (again, just to the new growth), because it is a lot easier on the hair.
Bio-Ionic? Don't know about that stuff . . . would like to see a list of ingredients to see what's in it . . .
Good luck,
--Tock