WHAT CHEMICAL RELAXER, COLOUR, AND HEAT DO TO AFRO HAIR

There are so many ways to style and wear afro hair. We all know about the natural hair movement (NHM). Beginning in the 1960s, there has been a massive return to natural afro hair. Black people are encouraged to wear their hair natural, the way it comes out of their head, and without treating it with heat or chemical relaxers.

The NHM is a huge one, and it continues to gain momentum, even today.

Despite its impact, there is still more than one way to be black, more than one way to style and wear your hair.

Some of us choose to relax our hair chemically. Some of us apply heat to our hair. And some of us apply colour. As I said, there is more than one way to be black, and there is no wrong choice in how you choose to style your hair.

This said, it is important to always make choices from an informed viewpoint. And this is why this article examines in-depth the changes that chemical relaxers, colour, and heat do to your afro hair.

Chemical relaxers

Chemical hair relaxers straighten extremely coiled, curly, or tightly coiled hair.

To do this, the relaxer breaks down the disulfide bonds found within the hair’s cortex layer. The most common types of hair relaxers are Hydroxide and Thio. Hydroxide relaxer types are the most common and include guanidine hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and lithium hydroxide relaxers.

During the relaxing procedure, the hydroxide relaxer triggers a process called ianthionization, which alters the hair’s curl pattern by breaking its disulfide bonds. The cortex is elongated, and the original curl pattern is stretched,

Thio relaxers are used to straighten hair also, but differ from hydroxide relaxers in a few ways. For one, the pH of thio relaxers is usually around ten, while the pH of hydroxide relaxers is approximately 13. Also, during the relaxing process for Thio relaxers, the disulfide bonds broken by the relaxing process are eventually reformed. On the other hand, when you use hydroxide relaxers, the broken disulfide bonds are permanently broken and cannot be formed again.

What chemical relaxers do to your hair

Most of us are not satisfied with the chemical relaxing process until our hair is bone straight. This is what causes the problem with a lot of relaxed hair.

Relaxing hair until it is bone straight means that the hair is over relaxed. Over relaxing hair strips the hair of its elasticity and thus weakens it. Over time, as over relaxing happens, the hair becomes damaged and tends to break more easily.

Chemical relaxers can also burn the skin, causing permanent damage to the scalp and leading to hair loss.

All this said, chemical relaxers are an efficient and effective way to straighten afro hair. It not only offers quick results, but the results also last for weeks.

Tips for minimising the potential damage done by chemical relaxers

• Ensure that your relaxer is applied only by a professional. Don’t be tempted to DIY.

• Over relaxing is never a good thing. If you must relax your hair, we advise that you straighten it until it is between 65% and 75% straight, not all the way straight.

• Ensure that you protect your scalp by coating it with a base of petroleum jelly before applying the relaxer.

• Never use chemical relaxer on a damaged scalp or unhealthy hair.

• Don’t leave a chemical relaxer on for more than the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.

• Do all you can to ensure the chemical does not touch your skin.

• Make sure that your hair is not relaxed and coloured simultaneously. This is double processing, and it is not good for hair.

• Handle your relaxed hair with care, and always make sure it is properly hydrated and moisturized.

• Stay away from ponytails and tight braids that pull at the hairline.

• Use heat styling tools like flat irons and blow dryers sparingly, as the application of heat can further weaken chemically-treated hair.

Heat

Heat often opens the door to a wide range of styles for the black person. We can create loose curls or waves with heated rollers and curling irons. With straighteners, we can straighten the hair, and you can use a blow dryer for a quicker dry.

However, it is important to note that heat dries the hair and can damage your hair follicles over time.

Constant exposure to high temperatures weaken and breaks down the hair shaft. This causes your hair to become brittle, dry and more prone to damage.

Tips for minimising the potential damage done by heat

• Of course, the first thing is not to use heat tools too frequently. Use it to change up your style once in a while, but not so frequently that it permanently damages your hair.

• When you do use heat tools, also make sure you use a heat protection product before styling.

• Use heat only on clean, dry hair.

• Use the lowest heat setting possible. It is advisable to keep the heat settings under 400°F, as this is more than enough for any style. Keep in mind that damaged or fine hair requires the lowest heat setting, while stronger and thicker hair can withstand a higher temperature.

• It is actually better to use a less hot tool for longer than a hotter one to save time. And should you smell burning or hear sizzling when you touch a curling iron to your hair, ditch it quickly. It is far too hot!

Colour

Colouring afro hair is a great way to really let loose and experiment with your hair. However, colouring comes with several hair issues, such as dryness and a weakened hair structure.

One thing I have discovered in my work is that while dyeing your natural hair can actually damage your texture, it will not do so all at once. Your hair must be repeatedly exposed to dyes for intense damage to be done.

Also, extensively dying your hair in one session causes hair damage, and the more different your desired shade is from your natural hair colour (let’s say blonde to black), the more likely you are to experience a loosened curl pattern and loss of elasticity.

Tips for minimising the potential damage done by hair dyes

• Make sure your hair is dirty before going in for a colouring session. Dirty hair is most ideal for colour application, with the scalp’s natural oils acting as a buffer between the chemicals in the formula and the scalp.

• Use a restorative treatment as a pre-colour treatment. This helps to prime and repair the hair before the colour is applied.

• After you dye your hair, use a colour-preserving shampoo to protect your hair. Never use a sulfate-based shampoo, as it dries out your hair, fades the colour, and reduces the brilliance. On the other hand, a sulfate-free shampoo offers a lightweight layer of protection that preserves highlights and prevents your colour from bleeding out.

• Colour-treated hair needs a little extra love, so make sure you regularly deep-condition your coloured hair.

• To maintain your colour, avoid hot water. Use warm water to wash rather than hot water, and use cold water to rinse out your conditioner to seal the cuticle and lock in moisture.

• Make sure that your hair is not relaxed and coloured at the same time. This is double processing, and it is not good for hair.

In conclusion

Thank God we all have the liberty of choice. You get to choose how you want to wear your hair; if you want to chemically straighten it, if you want to use heat or colour.

We are simply asking you to be well informed about your choices and mitigate whatever inherent damage is in the styling choice you make.

At the end of the day, the goal (and our hope) is that you have the healthiest head of hair possible.

Stay beautiful, stay healthy.