How Conditioners Can Help Repair Chemical-Related Damage
In "Conditioning the Hair, Part II", we discussed how combing and the weather can damage the hair and how conditioners can help. Here, we take a look at chemicals, in part three of this four-part series.
Relaxers contain sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide as active ingredients. (To date, sodium hydroxide and guanidine hydroxide are the most effective straightening agents.) Relaxers work by changing a third of the cystine bonds into lanthionine bonds, and in the process, the hair experiences a twelve-to-fourteen percent loss in tensile strength.
Permanent waves contain ammonium thioglycolate as an active ingredient and have a pH of 9.0 - 9.5 (The pH level is attained when ammonium or monethanolamine - MEA - is added to the ammonium thioglycolate creme rearrangers or boosters during manufacturing.) Ammonium thioglycolate cremes reduce (or break) 20-40 percent of cysteine (1/2 of cystine) bonds before the hair is rodded. During neutralization process, the reduced bonds are oxidized with the help of sodium bromate, reforming 80 - 85 percent of the broken bonds. Therefore, 15-20 percent of reduced (broken) cystine bonds never reform, thus causing dryness to permanently waved hair.
Permanent hair colors contain hydrogen peroxide as one the active ingredients at 20 to 40 volume concentration. As the color of the hair is permanently altered, cystine bonds are changed to cysteic acid. This process is also extremely drying to the hair.
In each of the chemical processes described above, it is important that hair be well conditioned before, during, and after the procedure and that any existing damage be repaired. Attending to the hair in this way, while it's being chemically treated, will also help eliminate combing damage. Be sure to select chemical systems that incorporate such complete conditioning features.
Hello Dr.Syed,THANK YOU SO MUCH for bringing this site to us I have been a stylist for a number of years.I absolutely LOVE what I do.But at times get discouraged when I run across problems like the one I'm haveing.I have asked other stylist to see if they knew the answer and none could help.So I'm hopeing you can answer .When using a lye relaxer,or when using a no lye relaxer over time the strand of hair becomes very thin and . Doesn't matter if the person has course hair to start with ,after a while the strand becomes thin and weak.What am I doing wrong and how can I fix the problem.
I need the names of the relaxer brands that you're using along with the brand names of the conditioner and neutralizing shampoo.
What product do you apply right after rinsing the relaxer? Do you use any pre-relaxer conditioner before applying the relaxer? Which market/city do you reside?
Once I have this information, I will try to resolve your problem.
Hello Dr. Syed,
I am an African American female and I was hoping you could answer my question. I am considering 'growing out' my relaxer service in favor of having longer, chemical-free hair less prone to breakage. My question is, can I anticipate more breakage during this 'transition' time of growing out the chemical process? I imagine there is a demarcation point where the two different hair textures meet as the natural hair grows. I'm wondering if this causes breakage?
One more question. Would it be more effective to add a humectant like honey, or an oil like coconut to a deep conditioner?
Thank you so much.
Hi:
Some people are transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair. It can be done safely as far as you maintain your hair weekly by shampooing with KeraCare Hydrating Shampoo followed by KeraCare Restorative Intensive Masque followed by KeraCare Thermal Protector on a weekly basis.
Honey is very good material but cannot suffice as a conditioner all by itself.
Coconut Oil (virgin) can be used as a cream hair dress and will keep hair moist and alleviate breakage specially when mixed with KC Restorative Masque.
Good luck,
Dr Syed