Best Hair Relaxers – Can we identify them?
Hair Relaxers had become part of life for many women with
curly hair. With lots and lot s of people going natural these days, there is
also a booming market for natural hair relaxers. It would be nice to have
natural hair relaxers, but there is no such thing that exists. It is nearly
impossible to break down the hair structure of the hair without using some
harsh chemicals. We can see some natural hair relaxers occupying the shelves
these days like Curlaway , but are not good at producing the results that chemical
hair relaxers can produce.
Chemical hair relaxers are broadly classified into 2 types
namely lye and no-lye. Lye or base relaxers as they are called made of sodium
hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide is a harsh chemical with many industrial
applications and hence should always be reserved for use by a professional. The
other type of relaxers called the no-lye relaxers are milder than lye relaxers.
But, they can cause build up in the hair. Before choosing a hair relaxer you
should always do a strand test. Strand test can determine whether a relaxer is
good for your hair or not.
It is also important that you need to identify the curl
pattern of your hair before choosing the relaxer to use. Not all curly hair is
the same and strength and elasticity of each hair is different. Stronger the hair more the strength of the
hair should be. Hair care industry is a huge industry and you shouldn’t fall
for all the promotions made. Do your own
research before applying a hair relaxer. Any side effects caused by chemicals
in the relaxer will last for years to come and hence you should always take
necessary precautions before applying a hair relaxer. The scalp should always
be protected with a neutraliser. After the relaxing process, wash your hair
with a normalising shampoo to remove the relaxer chemicals completely from
hair.
Alkaline nature of the relaxers is what causes the bonds
present in the hair structure to break. You hair is straightened after the bind
breakage and remains unaltered. The new growth however grows out of your
natural hair pattern. Due to the toxic nature of the chemicals present in the
relaxer it is better to avoid the relaxer during pregnancy and while breast
feeding. Though there is no scientific evidence suggesting you should avoid
hair relaxers, it is better to avoid them in my opinion as there is not enough
research claiming them to be safe or otherwise.
It is important that you choose the top hair relaxer based on user reviews as they might help you make the decision. Always look for both
and positive and negative reviews for a relaxer. Do keep in mind what works for
one might not work for others and don’t forget to do a strand test before using
a relaxer.
Happy relaxing!