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Stylist gives 411 on relaxer do's and don'ts

Healthy Hair

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Sophia Emmanuel, hairstylist

Ask a Stylist

Switching brands, harmful habits, and other tips keep hair-nistas in the know

By Sophia Emmanuel, stylist

Q. When should you consider switching relaxer brands?
A. You should consider switching relaxer brands when you notice dry, limp hair after your relaxer service. Your hair should always feel soft and silky and have lots of body and shine after a relaxer service. Relaxers are designed to silken and soften your hair, not the opposite. If your hair feels dry, brittle and lacks luster after your relaxer service, it is defiantly time to switch. It is also wise to pay attention to what type of relaxer your stylist uses on your hair, and if they are following all the steps necessary to make your relaxer service safer for your hair and scalp.

Q. What are some harmful relaxer practices stylists may use that hair-nistas should be aware about?
A. A few of the biggest harmful mistakes include:

Stylists who nonchalantly place relaxer on the scalp. During a relaxer process, the relaxer should never touch the scalp. If you feel any discomfort, it should be minimal. You should never feel burning or stinging. Ask your stylist to use an off-the-scalp technique when applying your relaxer, so you get a more comfortable relaxer experience. When a stylist improperly applies the relaxer, severe burning can occur. Never let a stylist ignore your cry of burning or stinging. If a relaxer is severely burning, never sit and take the pain. Tell the stylist to rinse out the relaxer immediately. This will avoid chemical burns and scabs. Make sure your stylist follows all the steps and manufacture's instructions. Doing so will allow you to have the best chemical service for your hair and scalp.

A stylist should never leave you unattended while your relaxer "sits" on the scalp. A relaxer product should be applied on the new growth, break down the new growth, be smoothed, and then finally rinsed out. Don't let your stylist convince you to allow the relaxer to sit on your hair longer than necessary. This is the quickest route to over-processing your hair. To protect previously relaxed hair, ask your stylist to apply oil or conditioner to it.

Never let your stylist pull the relaxer through your ends unless you are getting a virgin relaxer, or haven't had a relaxer for six months to a year.

Q. What is the appropriate age to first relax a child's hair?
A. Once a child becomes a teenager it is appropriate to relax her hair. Relaxing the child's hair anytime before can cause severe damage because the hair and follicles aren't fully developed. Also you should pay close attention and understand the texture of your child's hair. Softer, more manageable hair textures do not need to be relaxed. When you desire a straighter look for a child with softer hair, a simple press and curl will do-even as a teenager. If your child has severely curly or course hair and suffers with pain from combing and brushing, you can relax or texturize her hair. However, a professional should apply any chemicals to your child's hair. Don't do this at home.

Q. Is there such a thing as a "natural" relaxer?
A. It is my belief that there is no such thing as a "natural" relaxer, but relaxers can have natural and botanical ingredients in them that are affective in conditioning the hair, and maintaining your hair's integrity during and after the relaxer service.

Sophia Emmanuel, who has been a licensed cosmetologist for eight years, is a stylist at Mane Advocates salon in New York, N.Y.