The Concept of using LYE ( sodium hydroxide ) to straighten curly hair began in the 1920's, conditioners and other products were added to the lye as a buffer; one of the most popular addition was petroleum. Hair relaxers didn't become popular among black women until 1947 and didn't enter the mainstream market until approx. 10 years after. It was a black man by the name of George Johnson who first introduced and marketed the chemical hair relaxer as a professional product. He was a chemist.In the early 1980's, corporations began marketing the chemical hair relaxer to general consumers, in addition they produced the no-lye relaxer. The assumptions were that consumers believed that lye relaxers were unsafe. Many experts including the well known cosmetologist ( Barry Fletcher ) believe that lye relaxers do not cause hair breakage. It is the improper application of the relaxer and the poor follow up procedure that cause breakage.When relaxers were first introduced they had warning labels stating that excessive heat from blow dryers and curling irons should not be used on relaxed hair. Cosmetologists were instructed to wet set the hair after the relaxer application. Educational forums and workshops educate cosmetologists about proper chemical usage and application but eventually these venues diminished leaving generations of young cosmetologists misinformed and without the most basic guidelines to proper chemical hair treatment and applications.The most common mistake made today when applying relaxers is in diagnosing the client's hair texture and calculating the appropriate smoothing time needed to successfully straighten the hair. If the hair texture is thin, the smoothing process is 5 min, If the hair texture is regular, the smoothing process is 8 min, If the hair texture is coarse, the smoothing process is 10 min. The total application procedure should never exceed 20 minutes.The no-lye relaxer is the worst hair product to hit the shelves according to Barry Fletcher in his 20 years as a hair stylist. Commercials are geared toward selling and a lie can be perceived as the truth if eloquently told. No-lye relaxers aren't as safe as they are promoted to be. In most cases it under-processes the hair, changes the hair texture and robs the hair of its moisture. Hair that has been repeatedly processed with no-lye relaxers becomes extremely dry and brittle. The reason consumers become relaxed and careless in their usage of no-lye relaxer is because they are under the misconception that the products are harmless to the hair and scalp. And because no-lye relaxers don't last as long as regular relaxers, consumers tend to apply it more frequently. Some no-lye relaxers are higher on the PH scale than a Super relaxer. One thing to remember is, if you have oil, grease or gel buildup, Shampoo and condition the hair and wait as least two to three days before applying the relaxer.Read more...
