‘Can one change hair relaxers?’

HELLO there everyone, we are finally at summer’s doorstep and I am ashamed to admit that I think I preferred winter. Yoooo, it is getting hot and promising to get hotter lol. This week we are talking about a question which many people usually ask: “Can one change hair relaxers?” Yes of course, if the hair relaxer you are using is not working for you, change it. But it is not that simple!

After growing my hair beautifully over the last two years to just below my shoulders, I decided to visit an old hairdresser (not mine kikiki) to have my hair relaxed….you know to treat myself.

She decided to change my relaxer without me knowing, to something much gentler according to her. Everything was fine as she did my hair, it smelt nice and she was gentle. The she started to comb my hair which is a no no when relaxing hair. She then went on to do the whole head.

Then she washed my hair and amai we zvangu, did my hair fall. Three months later my hair is still falling all over, from the bottom to the length. I have 16-inch length hair on some parts of my head and one-inch length hair on other parts.

So with my first hand knowledge of relaxer changing disasters, let me give you as much advice as I can. Just a note though that there is what we call natural hair fall, but then there is what we call unnatural hair loss, know the difference. Natural hair fall will not really make a difference to your full head, you should not even see where the hair is falling from. But unhealthy hair loss is when your hair is falling in length or from the root of leaving patches. So now let’s chat about relaxing the right way.

First, before you relax your hair, choose the correct relaxer. Do not use a relaxer just because everyone is using it.

Hair is different and two people in the same family can have different hair types. Get to know your hair and use something that works for it.

Secondly when relaxing your hair, there is what we call re-touch, which needs to be done every six to eight weeks depending on the re-growth of your hair. Retouch is when the relaxer is only put on the roots of your hair, not the whole head. Full head should only be done after two or three retouches. If you ignore this advice, your hair will grow thin and start breaking off at the length.

Thirdly if you have ethnic hair, do not allow the hairdresser to comb your hair when she is relaxing it.

If your relaxer is not making your hair straight it is because it is the wrong strength or you have gone straight from undoing your plaits to relaxing. If your hair has been in plaits, undo it, wash it then a few days later go and get retouched.

Correct hair relaxing technique uses the palm of the hand and or the back of a comb. I guarantee you, if your hairdresser uses a comb on your hair it is going to fall excessively even whilst she/he is relaxing it.

To answer the point of whether you can change your hair relaxer? What most people do not know is that any chemical or medicine stays in the system or on the body a lot longer than the expiry date.

So when we say do only your roots after six weeks (retouch) and not the whole head, this is because after six weeks, your hair length is still carrying the previous relaxer.

It will take at least three months for that relaxer strength to lessen on your strands. So retouching is safe because it is on the root only which does not have relaxer.

Having said that though after six weeks, your re-growth is not long enough for you to have a different relaxer put on it, you will have to wait at least three months before you can change your relaxer. And even then, you can only have the root done. But even with this care being taken, your hair will have quite a bit of hair falling off, because somehow the new chemical is going to touch some strands where the old different chemical is still strong. The two will obviously clash and break the strand.

A very important point to note is that the longer you leave your relaxed hair re-growth untouched and not in a protective hairstyle, the hair will inevitably start breaking at the point where the re- growth meets the relaxed hair.

This is because the weakest point of your hair is at the point where the two different hair textures meet.

So do not try and be wise by leaving your re-growth for months and months thinking its better. Yes it is better (to grow your hair) if your hair is braided or under a weave or cornrow etc.

But if it is just being left loose or in a pony tail or bun, it’s going to break.

Please stick to relaxing rules….every six weeks retouch and every 18 weeks or three months relax the full head.

Lastly as long as you are doing something unnatural to your hair, you need to make oil treatments or deep conditioning treatment a part of your monthly routine. Your hair needs it like our bodies need vitamins.

If you fail to do this, your hair strands will show signs of stress in time which will be hard to rectify.

I have always said this…. Black (ethnic) hair grows regardless of your genes, but the problem is we fail to keep our length.

That is it from me this week folks, until next week, God bless!

Ann can be found at Kutz & Kurlies Hair Salon in Meikles Stores or messaged on 0772 933 845. Or follow her Blog (annruthenburg.blogspot.com), or email on [email protected]