With the state of the current US financial markets the way that they are, many should be getting accustomed to wild swings in daily performance. I figured that now would be an apt time to discuss the pH of hair during relaxing. The pH of the hair goes through considerable changes during the relaxing process and it is appropriate to discuss these changes because such changes can be made to play a positive role in the art and science of relaxing hair. The following events take place before, during, and after relaxing with respect to the pH of the hair, swelling of the hair, and the state of cuticles:
- The pH of the untreated hair is in the range of 4.5 to 6.5 and the cuticles are considered closed, as the hair isn't swollen in the dry state.
- The pH of cream relaxers is around 13.0. When the relaxer is applied to the hair, the pH of the hair increases to 13.0 and the hair diameter swells as much as 60 - 80 percent of its original size. Also, the cuticles become wide open while the relaxer is on the hair. This is the best opportunity to condition the hair because the cuticles are open to the widest possible degree.
Unfortunately, most conditioners are not stable at the pH of 13; especially the single molecules of quaternary ammonium compounds-- conditioning agents used in most conditioners. However, there a select few cationic polymers that remain stable at a high pH, and condition the hair while it is simultaneously being straightened by the relaxer. These conditioning agents are able to penetrate deep into the cortex of the hair and condition the hair more permanently than conventional conditioners. Since the molecular weight of these conditioners is around 1 million, they get stuck in the cortex of the hair when the cuticles start to close during rinsing of the relaxer. Also, these conditioners can stay in the cortex of the hair upto 4 shampooing treatments.
- After 13 to 18 minutes of relaxer treatment, the excessively curly hair generally becomes straight and at that stage, the relaxer is rinsed from the hair with tepid warm water for 4 to 5 minutes. The pH of the hair drops down to about 10 and the hair isn't as swollen as when the relaxer was on the hair. The cuticles are about 30 percent open at this stage. This is the second best opportunity to condition hair in the relaxing process. Since the cuticles are about 30 percent open, the conditioners such as high molecular weight cationic polymers are able to penetrate deep into the cortex of the hair and condition hair from the inside out. This penetration of conditioning agents is less than the penetration of conditioners during relaxing process.
- After rinsing the post-relaxer conditioner with water, the hair is then shampooed with Neutralizing/Normalizing shampoo of pH 4.5 to 6.5. Generally, a high quality neutralizing shampoo contains cationic polymers, mild detergents, organic acids (like citric acid or lactic acid), and color indicators to signal the neutralization of alkaline residue derived from relaxers. The hair acquires the pH of the neutralizing shampoo, that is, it comes back to its natural pH balance while the cuticles close back down to a level that is close to the original state.
Thanks, another page to place into my "In The Lab With Dr. Syed" binder. We could use a follow-up to the above entry with an informative entry on exactly what is the difference between neutralizer, neutralizing shampoo, normalizing shampoo, neutralizing lotion, etc. Alot of students and cosmetologists are confused and will pass the confusion on to their clients.
Mr. Fahiym
Fahiym:
In the hair relaxing process, there is not much of difference between Neutralizing Shampoo or Normalizing Shampoo. These two terms can be used interchangeably. Neutralizing/Normalizing Shampoo does not react with the bonds of the hair but it neutralizes the residual sodium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide left in the hair. As such, no chemical bonds are formed between the hair and the neutralizing/normalizing shampoo. One must use two sudsings of the shampoo to effectively neutralize the relaxer remnants from the hair. If not done so, the hair will be more damaged.
In the Permanent Waving Process (or Thio Straightening process), the neutralizing Lotion is composed of sodium bromate solution or hydrogen peroxide solution and reacts with the half cystines of the hair to convert them into full cystines.
Sincerely
Dr Ali Syed
Thanks for this insight article about hair relaxers. I will pass this info on to my many friends who uses relaxers.
You mentioned "there a select few cationic polymers that remain stable at a high pH, and condition the hair..." What are these polymers? I would like to start checking to see if these are the ingredients in any of the relaxers I have previously used.
What is your opinion about adding a hair oil like ApHOGEE Essential Fatty Acids Oil Concentrate to any of the at-home relaxer kits prior to application?
The cationic polymers that are stable in relaxers are Polyquaternium 6, Polyquaternium 7, and two others that are patented by Avlon industries.
Dr. Syed, the cationic polymers that you refer to are they present only in the conditioner or does there exist a seperate conditioning agent made of these polymers that could be applied during the process? Further which if any of your relaxers acheive this conditioning process?
Thanks in advance,
Ms. Byfield:
The cationic polymers are used just before the relaxers as a protective (leave in) serum. This way the cationic polymer can penetrate in the hair cortex during hair relaxing.
The relaxer itself contains a good dose of a cationic polymer as well.
After the relaxer is rinsed from the hair, a penetrating conditioner containing the same cationic polymer is applied to the hair for 5 minutes and then rinsed. Finally, the Neutralizing Shampoo also contains the cationic polymer in order to make sure that enough of the cationic polymer stays in the hair cortex and the surface.
The function of the cationic polymer is to strengthen the hair fibers and make the hair fibers comb very easy during wet and dry states.
This process was devised by me about 25 years ago and I keep refining this process as the new and innovative raw materials become available.
There are three relaxer systems that are available in the market place based upon this approach: The FiberGuard Relaxer System, The Affirm Relaxer System, and the latest one is The Syntonics Botanical Relaxer System.
Avlon's latest strengthening deep conditioner containing cationic polymers, and other strengthening ingredients as well, is called KeraCare Intensive Restorative Masque, which is a deep conditioner and increases the strength of the hair by 42% in one application.
Assuming that the intensive restorative masque is a fortifying conditioner, is it in essence stronger than the 5 in 1 conditioner or even the fiberguard substanence. Also can the intensive restorative masque be used as a post chemical conditioner.