Limitations
of chemical hair straighteners
People need to be realistic in how straight you can make your
hair. If you have extremely curly hair then it is going to be much
harder to get it absolutely straight compared to someone with wavy
hair. Chemical straightening products are only so effective and
overuse might get the hair straighter, but only at the cost of more
hair damage. The directions and precautions for each product should
be read and strictly followed. Altering the method of application,
the time or the concentration of the chemicals may lead to severe
adverse results. Manufacturers include instructions for use with
their products for good reason!
Bisulfite and thioglycolate based products are relatively mild
on the skin and the risks of damage to the hair are more limited.
Bisulfite products are somewhat better straighteners than thioglycolate
products but neither are really capable of changing very curly hair
into completely straight hair. Alkali based products in the salon
are more potent, but they carry the greatest risks of skin and hair
damage. If you have really curly hair and want it very straight
your best option is to go to the salon and have it done professionally.
However, you will likely find the result is not one hundred percent
straight hair. There are limits to what even the professionals can
do!
Waving
and straightening already processed hair
You can wave and straighten hair with has already been processed,
for example hair colored with a permanent dye. However, any previous
chemical processing will have reduced the hairs' strength to some
degree. How much weaker the hair is depends on the nature of the
previous process. A change in color of just a few shades is less
damaging than changing the color from dark brown to pale blond hair.
The more processed the hair the weaker it is and the more careful
you have to be when applying fresh processes like straightening
or perming. The best approach is to have already processed hair
straightened or permed in an experienced salon. A qualified stylist
should be able wave processed hair properly without causing too
much additional damage.
If you must process your hair at home there are hair straightening/waving
products available specifically for processed hair. These products
are specially formulated and generally less concentrated for use
on damaged hair. Realistically though, home users with extensively
processed hair should anticipate some additional damage and hair
breakage. To find out the degree of damage a test should be performed
on a small section or lock of hair before applying the product to
all of the scalp hair. Most home products contain directions for
doing this test (called a strand test) and interpreting the results.
If you have scalp skin damage such as scratches and open sores then
you should avoid chemical processing completely. If you have seborrheic
dermatitis or psoriasis then it may also be wise to avoid chemical
processing in case the chemicals further exacerbate the condition.
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