What are the characteristics of hydroxide relaxers?
Very strong alkalis with a pH over 13; the hydroxide ion is the active ingredient in all hydroxide relaxers. Long, coiled polypeptide chains.
What is a a relaxer?
A relaxer is a type of lotion or cream generally used by people with tight curls or very curly hair which makes hair easier to straighten by chemically "relaxing" the natural curls. The active agent is usually a strong alkali, although some formulations are based on ammonium thioglycolate or formaldehyde.
What are chemical relaxers made of?
Chemical hair relaxers are designed to straighten extremely curly, coiled or tightly coiled hair by breaking the disulfide bonds found within the cortex layer of the hair. Hydroxide relaxer types include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide and guanidine hydroxide. Click to see full answer.
What is the history of the relaxer?
The first documented history of the relaxer began with Garrett Augustus Morgan in 1909. His hair straighten cream was found accidentally when trying to find a solution to ease friction of sewing machine in his tailor shop.
Do hydroxide relaxers straighten the hair?
How do hydroxide relaxers straighten the hair? In lanthionization, the process by which hydroxide relaxers permanently straighten the hair, the relaxers remove a sulfur atom from a disulfide bond and convert it into a lanthionine bond.
What is metal hydroxide relaxer?
Metal hydroxide relaxers are ionic compounds formed by a metal, sodium (Na), potassium (K), or lithium (Li), which is combined with oxygen (O) and hydro- gen (H). Metal hydroxide relaxers include sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), and lithium hydroxide (LiOH).
What are the 3 types of hydroxide relaxers?
Hydroxide and Thio are the most common types of hair relaxers. Hydroxide relaxer types include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide and guanidine hydroxide. These relaxers can be marketed as base and no base relaxers.
What is the action of hydroxide relaxers on the hair?
Hydroxide relaxers are very alkaline and swell the hair up to twice its normal diameter. They break disulfide bonds differently than thio relaxers Hydroxide relaxers remove sulfur atom from the disulfide bond, converting it into a lathionine bond, a process called lanthionization.
How do you use a hydroxide relaxer?
2:549:0262 applying hydroxide relaxer to virgin hair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipApply relaxer 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch away from the scalp and up to the poorest ends to avoid scalpMoreApply relaxer 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch away from the scalp and up to the poorest ends to avoid scalp irritation do not allow the relaxer to touch the scalp until the last few minutes of processing.
What is the safest hair relaxer?
Best for Sensitive Scalps: Avlon Affirm Fiberguard Sensitive Scalp Crème Relaxer. If you've been relaxing your hair for a while, you're likely no stranger to scalp burns—but this doesn't have to be the norm. This gentle formula is safe for color-treated hair and even the most sensitive scalps.
Are lye relaxers better for your hair?
Because lye relaxers break down the hair straighter, silky, softer hair will result after completion. Lye relaxers don't leave calcium build up on the hair, and allow your hair to receive moisture easier than a no-lye relaxer. As a professional hairstylist, I prefer to use lye relaxers.
What are the 3 relaxer strengths?
8. Chemical relaxers: available in different strengths: usually mild, regular, and super. a.
Which relaxer is best for hair growth?
10 Best Relaxers (Perms) For Black Hair (2022)TOP 10 PRODUCTSCHECK PRICEBest For Increasing Hair Strength: Hawaiian Silky No-Lye RelaxerCheck PriceBest Hydrating Formula: Miracle's New Growth No-lye RelaxerCheck PriceBest Natural Ingredients: ORS Olive Oil Organic Root Stimulator No-Lye RelaxerCheck Price7 more rows•Jun 2, 2022
Which is better lye or no lye relaxer?
Based off of the pro's and con's all in all, if you have sensitive skin No-Lye based relaxer is the right product for you. Although, if you do not suffer from sensitive skin or are not as easily burned, your stylist would most likely recommend Lye based relaxer because of the many benefits it offers your hair.
What are the 4 types of chemical relaxers?
Different Types Of Hair Relaxers You Must Know3 minute readLye Relaxer. Lye relaxers are the most commonly used relaxers. ... No Lye Relaxer. These are relaxers which are great for individuals with sensitive scalps. ... Low Lye Relaxer. ... Thio Relaxer.
Can I use relaxer without activator?
A neutralizing shampoo is typically used during the process of relaxing the hair. Another pro of using a lye relaxer is that it does not need to be mixed with an activator, like no-lye relaxers.
Overview
Types
Thio relaxers use ATG, or ammonium thioglycolate, which is also used in permanent waving, but at a much higher pH and concentration than used in permanent waves. It is usually higher than a pH of 10. These relaxers are also thicker with a higher viscosity, or thickness, which makes for an easier relaxer application. Thio relaxers break the disulfide bonds in hair, similar to the permanent waving process. When enough of the disulfide bonds in the hair are broken, the relaxer is rinsed …
History
The first documented history of the relaxer began with Garrett Augustus Morgan in 1909. His hair straighten cream was found accidentally when trying to find a solution to ease friction on sewing machines in his tailor shop. Morgan tested his cream on a neighboring dog's fur. With the success of the cream, he established G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company and began selling his product to Black/mixed people.
General usage
Hair relaxing, or lanthionization, colloquially known as a perm, can be performed by a professional cosmetologist in a salon, a professional barber in a barbershop or at home with relaxer kits. As with hair dye, the treated portion of the hair moves away from the scalp as the new growth of untreated hair sprouts up from the roots, requiring periodic retreatment (about every 8–11 weeks) to maintain a consistent appearance.
Risks
The hair of some Africans is elliptical in shape and therefore very tightly curled (Asian hair tends to be round and Caucasian hair is in-between). The relaxer cream breaks down the chemical bonds of the hair shaft, disrupting the elliptical shape and reconstructing the bonds in a different way. Though hair follicles themselves are not damaged, the hair can become very brittle and break off. There is also risk of scalp burns if the relaxer comes into contact with the skin. Some profes…
See also
• Afro-textured hair
• Hair iron
• Hair straightening
• Hot comb
• Natural hair
External links
• List of articles from National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health regarding relaxers
• Hair Care: An Illustrated Dermatologic Handbook
• Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair