by Erin Hynes
Many people with curly hair find it more of a curse than a blessing (despite what their jealous flat-haired friends say). If you're tired of trying to tame your hair with ponytails and flat irons, you might be considering using a home hair-straightening kit to relax your curls.
But hair relaxers use harsh chemicals to change hair's structure, and those chemicals can damage your hair and scalp. Before you start, understand how to minimize the risk of damage.
Tips for Applying Hair Relaxer Safely
When straightening your hair chemically, these pointers can save your scalp — literally.
- Choose the mildest hair relaxer that's effective on your hair. Many people prefer no-lye hair relaxers. Lye is a caustic chemical used in many hair relaxers that helps the relaxer work, but it can also burn the skin. Relaxers without lye don't usually are less irritating, but can still burn your scalp if you use it incorrectly.
- Get someone to help you when you relax your hair instead of doing it by yourself. A helper often can apply the relaxer more evenly than you can and rinse it more thoroughly.
- Don't use hair relaxer unless your scalp is healthy and free of sores. To avoid creating tiny openings in your scalp, don't scratch your head or brush your hair before you use a relaxer.
- Apply the scalp-protecting cream that comes with the hair-straightening kit before applying the relaxer.
- Don't leave the relaxer on longer than the directions say.
- Thoroughly wash out the hair relaxer warm water, followed by a neutralizing shampoo to restore the hair's natural pH.
Keeping Relaxed Hair Healthy
Chemically straightened hair is more prone to breakage. Here are ways to keep it as healthy as you can:
- Use conditioner often after relaxing your hair to moisturize it.
- Avoid using blow dryers, flat irons and other appliances that heat the hair.
- Don't straighten your hair too often. How often you can relax your hair depends on the product — 6 to 8 weeks is common. It also depends on your hair, such as how fast your hair grows. Your hair stylist can offer guidance.
- Dying relaxed hair increases the risk of damage. Check the relaxer's label for guidelines about hair coloring. If you do color your hair, many professionals recommend using a semi-permanent color instead of a permanent one.
Erin Hynes is the managing editor for Manage My Life. She's battled curly hair much of her life.
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