Problems
with permanent hair waving
Adverse
reactions to permanent wave and hair straighteners are fairly rare
but they do happen. The most common problem is hair damage. Waving
and straightening involves some considerable rearrangement of biochemical
bonds in the hair fiber. If the process is applied inappropriately
it can permanently weaken the hair fiber. In its mildest form,
the
damage presents as dull, coarse, lifeless looking hair. If the
damage is more severe there may be split ends and development of
kinked
and frizzy hair. If the damage is very severe there may be significant
hair breakage. This breakage can occur at the scalp surface so
the
breakage looks like hair loss. It is not, but the result is much
the same - a diffuse thinning of the scalp hair. The thinning may
not be uniform all over. There may be more damage in some areas
than in others.
Perming, waving, and straightening solutions bought over the counter
in the pharmacy are usually formulated as weaker solutions than
those available to the professionals in the hair salon. Manufacturers
intentionally do this as a precaution against home users ignoring
the instructions and inappropriately applying too much of the chemicals
or applying them for too long. Even with this safety valve it is
still possible to do significant damage with an over the counter
preparation. Remember to follow the instructions carefully if you
are using these products at home!
Manufacturers assume the salon stylist has training and experience
and so is able to use concentrated forms of their product safely.
However, even the salons get it wrong sometimes. Sometimes stylists
too apply the thioglycolate solutions for too long or do not neutralize
the chemicals properly. The temperature at which the solutions are
applied and the age of the product are also important determinants
of how potent the chemicals are and how they affect the hair. Even
so, the salon is much more likely to get it right than the home
user so having hair straightening, waving and perming done professionally
is always the better option. At least if things do go wrong you
can sue them for a significant amount of money!
Other problems with chemical waving and straightening include skin
damage. The chemicals involved are quite potent and they can damage
the skin if left on for too long or if you have sensitive skin.
Sometimes this can lead to an inflammatory skin reaction to the
chemicals, which can be itchy, red, and even painful in more severe
cases. Sometimes this skin reaction can send the hair follicles
into a telogen resting state. Hair follicles are fairly sensitive
to skin inflammation so if there is a lot of inflammation around
they may shut down until the inflammation subsides. This can result
in a thinning of the hair over the scalp. The hair follicles should
recover and return to producing hair, but it may take them six months
and sometimes longer to get back to normal. If you already have
damaged skin and problems with seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis,
then the chemicals involved n waving and straightening may exacerbate
the problem. Unless the condition is fully under control with mediations,
a wave or straightening procedure is best avoided. When in doubt,
speak to your doctor.
The most severe adverse response is a chemical burn. If the chemicals
are left on the skin far too long there can be severe and irreversible
damage. Chemical burns are pretty obvious at the time of the chemical
exposure as they should be quite painful. If you have any pain
during
the process you should wash off the chemicals immediately.
|
