Chemical Hair Straighteners
Curly hair look absolutely cute, but I know you ladies out there with those curly locks wouldn't agree with me. The reason is, curly hair is extremely difficult to manage and there are only a few hairstyles you can try on with curly hair. I cannot blame women with curly hair for desperately trying to get their hair straightened. Among the various air straightening products available, chemical hair straighteners are the most effective and produce long-lasting results.
How Do Chemical Hair Straighteners Work
Chemical hair straighteners primarily work by altering the chemical structure of the hair follicle. These products use chemicals to break down the disulfide bonds, so that the sulfur items do not come closer. They are also called hair relaxers as they only gently ease the tight curls. So, if you are looking for pin straight hair, then this product is not for you. Before you go for chemical straighteners, it is recommended that you first check if you are a candidate for this treatment or not. This treatment is not recommended for those with very fine hair. In any case, it is best to do a strand test. This test allows the hair stylist to see how your hair react to the treatment. This enables her to take the correct proportion of chemicals for your hair. Although, chemical straighteners are available in home kits, it is usually best to rely on professional help, more so, if you are straightening your hair for the first time. The possibility of something going wrong with home kits is high if you do not have the required technical knowledge about the chemical reactions.
How to Apply Chemical Hair Straighteners
Along with the specific chemical relaxer formula, the other hair care products that you will need are a neutralizer, petroleum cream, hair relaxing conditioners and shampoos especially formulated for chemically treated hair. The first step is to apply a protective layer of petroleum cream to scalp and hair. This step is even more important if you have damaged hair from previous chemical treatments. Next, apply a layer of chemical relaxers to ease the tight curls. There are basically three types of chemical relaxers, namely sodium hydroxide, guanidine hydroxide and ammonium thioglycolate. Allow the relaxer to process the hair for the prescribed time limit. This may vary according to the type of relaxer you are using. The hair is then completely freed off chemicals by rinsing with warm water.
A neutralizer is then applied to hair to restore the pH of hair. The chemical relaxers often increase the pH of hair causing it to swell and break. A conditioner is then applied to the hair to restore the softness and moisture in the hair. Some chemicals relaxers also demand conditioning of hair prior to chemical treatment. If your hair is severely damaged due to previous hair treatments, it strongly recommended that you allow them some time to cure, before exposing them to new chemicals.
Pros and Cons
Most people who turn to chemical hair straighteners do so for their long-lasting results. Your hair will maintain their state until they grow out. Thus, this can be considered as a permanent straightening solution. Your hair becomes more manageable and freeze free. On the flip side, this treatment weakens the hair and may lead to permanent hair damage if proper caution is not executed during the treatment session. Using straighteners from salon is a good way to minimize the damage to your hair. Besides, you might need to fix them once the hair start growing, because the new hair will be curly while the rest will still be very much straight.
Thus, chemical hair straighteners can relieve you of the frequent ironing sessions. However, avoid exposing your hair to chemicals all the time, as it would eventually degrade their texture.
