adminHELLO there everyone, I hope you had a great week. I truly hate the heat, but I am loving the sun – weird right? Lol. Just a note to the many ladies that keep asking me how to deal with acne, I have written about this over and over in this column for months. The reason I am not answering you is because I cannot keep writing about acne the whole year. What is worse is that many of the so-called acne the ladies are asking about are not the normal acne caused from hormonal changes or imbalance. If you have genuine acne, which may look the same, in the form of pimples, when you squeeze the pimples either a whitish substance like a needle head or dry black head will come from there. So if you missed my earlier tips, the best bet is to visit your local pharmacy. The black lumps or pimples you see coming up on your cheeks and chin and sometimes forehead, which have blood coming out of them when you squeeze are a reaction to using lightening creams.
I am sorry ladies I warned you several times about using lightening creams and many ignore my advice. This is the thing I warned would happen if you continued using these creams which are supposed to be used for no more than a month at a time. So my advice now to those of you who are using skin lighteners is STOP! In time the black pimples which are not black heads, will go away with tender washing, exfoliating, cleansing and gentle moisturising. Right that said, this week, I am talking about relaxers.
I have had several questions from women asking about hair relaxers and the like. I shall try and clarify this for all. First, please note that relaxers are used on all ethnicities with tightly curled, frizzy hair. In the olden days our great grandparents used to use a hot comb. It was a comb made of strong metal which the women and men for that matter; would put over a fire or hot stove until it was smoking hot then they would comb it through their hair.
The result would be straight hair for a couple of days at least. At the same time in the western and Asian countries, the women who were not born with naturally straight hair would use hair straightening creams to get the desires straightness in their hair. And as usual as it is with most female products they make their way into Africa lol.
So we moved from heating the comb on the fire or stove to straightening creams. But also as usual our home made products were taken to the western world and developed, then returned to us in the form of “the curling iron”. Which hairdressers use to give us “tongs”, funny how things go round in full circle.
So now chemical relaxers are popular among all women with tightly coiled or highly textured hair. It is not about race creed or colour mostly. You may decide to relax your hair for a variety of reasons, but many chose this procedure for easier maintenance and styling.
Relaxed hair can give you more styling options and free up your time, but there are risks. If the chemical process is done incorrectly or you neglect to properly maintain your hair following the treatment, you may experience significant damage, scalp irritation, breakage and hair loss.
Now many relaxers have the label “Lye or No Lye” or “organic” and “natural.” These descriptions can be misleading – all relaxers are potentially harmful and contain chemicals. Relaxers work by permanently breaking down protein bonds within the hair shaft to loosen the curl pattern. There are two types, “lye” and “no lye.” Lye relaxers contain sodium hydroxide, a harsh, caustic chemical with a pH factor ranging from 10 to 14. No lye relaxers are milder, but can, like Lye relaxers, cause damage to the hair and scalp.
Relaxers also come in three strengths, Super, Regular and Mild. The strength to use depends on your hair texture, so be sure you select the correct strength to avoid under- or over-processing. Super is for those with very tight curls on the root, Regular is for people with curls that are not so tight. Then of cause Mild is for people who have wavy roots. So if you find Regular not working on your hair, maybe you need to use Super which has more strength.
The unfortunate thing is that once you start relaxing your hair, you will have to continue all your life, unless you choose to grow the relaxed part out, which means you will have to eventually cut it off because it will start break over time.
Also you will have to redo the roots every six weeks and then relax the whole head at least every twelve weeks. Delaying relaxing your hair will cause the hair to start breaking from mid-way.
Your hair should be healthy and in adequate condition prior to relaxing to reduce the risk of damage. If a relaxer is left on too long or your hair is relaxed too soon after a colour or chemical service, over-processing can occur.
This can cause permanent damage, breakage and hair loss. The neutraliser is an important part of the relaxing treatment because it halts the chemical process. Over-processing can also occur if your hair is not neutralised in time, making it feel brittle, porous and weak. Overlapping relaxer on previously relaxed hair will also cause over-processing. When retouching your new growth, make sure the relaxer is applied to the roots only.
Many a time after having your hair relaxed, one leaves with burns on their scalp. This is caused by the caustic ingredients of chemical relaxers. They can burn your scalp and lead to permanent hair loss. If left untreated, many burns leave the scalp infected and require medical treatment. Permanent hair loss and bald patches are often a consequence. It’s important to apply base or petroleum jelly to your scalp, hairline and nape of neck to minimize the risks. Make sure your scalp is free from abrasions, and if it starts to tingle or sting while the relaxer is being applied, rinse immediately.
It must be noted that the strength of tightly coiled, highly textured hair found mostly on African people is among the most fragile and driest types, even in its natural state. Once relaxed, your hair will be weaker and very dry. Regular conditioning and protein treatments are vital to strengthen the hair, restore the moisture balance and prevent breakage. Deep condition your hair every two weeks, and use a leave-in conditioner between washes to keep your hair strong and healthy. Regular trims prevent split ends; roller sets protect your hair from the drying, damaging heat of blow dryers and flat iron
Please do not wear wigs or weave straight after straightening your hair, because the strands of the hair a still too fragile, especially the hairline.
That’s it from me this week folks, hope this helps. Have a blessed week.
Anastasia can be messaged on 0772 933 845.
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