Why does hair look flat after a relaxer?

[prettygrl]

Why does hair look flat after a relaxer? It usually takes a few days or the next wash before it starts to look full again... does anyone know why this is...?

 

[Supergirl]

There is a great answer to this in Shamboosie's book. Do you have it? I can't remember for the life of me what it says, but if I have a chance I'll try to find it in my book.

 

[prettygrl]

There is a great answer to this in Shamboosie's book. Do you have it? I can't remember for the life of me what it says, but if I have a chance I'll try to find it in my book.

No I don't have it....maybe someone who does will post....

 

[balisi]

It could be from the base you use in preparation. If it is too heavy and not washed away thoroughly, you get flat hair. Also, I was taught in cosmetology school that the neutralization process does not stop the chemical action immediately, it merely slows it down. Therefore, the relaxer chemicals are still somewhat active after neutralizing.

 

[missyT]

It could be from the base you use in preparation. If it is too heavy and not washed away thoroughly, you get flat hair. Also, I was taught in cosmetology school that the neutralization process does not stop the chemical action immediately, it merely slows it down. Therefore, the relaxer chemicals are still somewhat active after neutralizing.

Is it me, or is that quite worrying?

 

[Ashee]

It is to me!

 

[iwantlongerhair]

It could be from the base you use in preparation. If it is too heavy and not washed away thoroughly, you get flat hair. Also, I was taught in cosmetology school that the neutralization process does not stop the chemical action immediately, it merely slows it down. Therefore, the relaxer chemicals are still somewhat active after neutralizing.

That sounds scary.

 

[balisi]

Don't mean to worry anyone. This just shows why impeccable care is very important to relaxed hair, especially moisturization and following the relaxer directions every time. This is why stylists who skip important conditioning or reconstructing steps (as in the case of Affirm, for example) should have their licenses revoked. The hair softens and swells when highly alkaline chemicals such as sodium hydroxide (lye), peroxide, etc. are applied, raising the hair's cuticle. The neutralization process helps to harden the hair and close the cuticle somewhat, but of course it is never the same afterwards. This is why relaxed hair is often weak and prone to breakage and splits. So when you neutralize, the hair is still pretty soft from the chemical beating it just took. I don't know what Shamboosie says to explain flat hair after a relaxer, but this is what I was told, and it may or may not be entirely true.

 

[lkg4healthyhair]

This is why I do a protein treatment 3-4 days after a relaxer.

 

[mighty_isis]

Maybe the relaxer wasn't fully washed out of your hair correctly or not enough neutralizer was used.

I noticed that with a friend's hair and I assumed it was because she self-relaxed and didn't thoroughly wash out the relaxer.

 

[scoobygirl]

My hair always looks flat for the first 1-2 weeks after a relaxer. I really don't know why, I just assumed it was because I don't have thick hair. I do have Shamboosie's book checked out from the library. If someone could tell me what section he mentions this in, I will read it and report back.

 

[senimoni]

I wonder if this isn't a sign of over processing ..ie bone straight relaxing. I used to wash when I came home to get rid of helmet hair.

 

[akilijata]

I just figured that my hair was flat because there is no new growth to give the hair a little volume after I get my relaxer. This isn't based on any facts, I just always noticed that my hair seemed flat until my new growth started to come in. I usually try not to get my new growth bone straight so I don't get the flat lifeless look.

 

[Kitkat]

I was taught in cosmetology school that the neutralization process does not stop the chemical action immediately, it merely slows it down. Therefore, the relaxer chemicals are still somewhat active after neutralizing.

If the relaxer chemicals are still active, then why doesn't everyone who gets a perm experience breakage? Isn't the job of the neutralizing shampoo to return the hair's pH back to normal levels? And if the chemicals are still active the pH level is still abnormal, which would lead to breakage in all cases, no? I'm not doubting you, but that sounds somewhat hard to believe. Not to mention it sounds scary!

Either Shamboosie or Barry Fletcher's book said that hair is flat after a relaxer because the swollen cuticle closes. The cuticles open again after a few days. I've had the flat relaxer head, and I hated it.

 

[balisi]

If the relaxer chemicals are still active, then why doesn't everyone who gets a perm experience breakage? Isn't the job of the neutralizing shampoo to return the hair's pH back to normal levels? And if the chemicals are still active the pH level is still abnormal, which would lead to breakage in all cases, no? I'm not doubting you, but that sounds somewhat hard to believe. Not to mention it sounds scary!

Either Shamboosie or Barry Fletcher's book said that hair is flat after a relaxer because the swollen cuticle closes. The cuticles open again after a few days. I've had the flat relaxer head, and I hated it.

Yes, it sounds scary, and it is not something you ever hear about. Let me explain further. The breakage doesn't occur for everyone getting a relaxer because for one thing, hair can withstand a lot and still appear to be "healthy" to the naked eye and to the touch. Any residual chemicals do become weak over time, and neutralization slows it down greatly but not completely. The type and condition of hair before the chemical process also comes into play. The normal pH of skin and hair is 4.5-5.5. Most chemical relaxers are between a level 11-13. Neutralization brings the hair CLOSER to a neutral level 7, but not all the way back to 4.5-5.5, which still allows the hair to be "okay." The cuticle can never again be as tight and closed as it was prior to the chemical process. It may be closed afterwards, but in essence, the integrity of the hair is irrevocably compromised with "chemicalization" and no neutralization process truly normalizes it. Even many shampoos take our hair away from its normal pH, as does water. In fact, combing, washing, setting, the elements, anything and everything we do to our hair is damaging to some extent, but as I mentioned earlier, hair is still pretty resilient. Relaxers have been around for a while and I'm sure they are here to stay. So ladies, if you've been getting your hair relaxed with few or no problems, no worries. Just continue to practice proper hair maintenance.

 

[Supergirl]

If the relaxer chemicals are still active, then why doesn't everyone who gets a perm experience breakage? Isn't the job of the neutralizing shampoo to return the hair's pH back to normal levels? And if the chemicals are still active the pH level is still abnormal, which would lead to breakage in all cases, no? I'm not doubting you, but that sounds somewhat hard to believe. Not to mention it sounds scary!

Either Shamboosie or Barry Fletcher's book said that hair is flat after a relaxer because the swollen cuticle closes. The cuticles open again after a few days. I've had the flat relaxer head, and I hated it.

Yeah, yeah, that's what it said!!!!!!!!!