Relaxed hair is hair that has been chemically treated and straightened. Freshly processed and relaxed hair can be maintained with a healthy hair care regimen. In this article, we describe What Is Relaxed Hair, going From Natural To Relaxed Hair For the First Time & tips on How To Care For Relaxed Hair to keep it Healthy.
What Is Relaxed Hair
Relaxed hair is curly hair that has been treated with chemicals in order to straighten and relax the natural curls permanently. Natural hair that is straightened using flat iron will revert back to its curly state but relaxed hair stays permanently.
Going From Natural To Relaxed Hair For the First Time
Follow these tips when you are going from natural to relaxed hair for the first time
Choose The Right Relaxer type based on your Scalp
Use a No Iye Relaxer if you have sensitive skin as it causes less irritations and burns however a No Iye relaxer causes dryness so for other skin types use a Iye relaxer.
Choose Relaxer Strength Based on Your Hair Type
Usually, a regular strength relaxer works for most people especially if you have normal hair. If you have color-treated hair or hair that is damaged then use a mild strength relaxer. For coarser hair which is thicker, you can use a super-strength relaxer.
Don’t Wash Your Hair before using a relaxer
It is ideally suggested that you should not wash your hair in the week before going to a relaxer as otherwise, it might lead to scalp burns.
Don’t scratch Your Scalp
You should not scratch your scalp as that might lead to a burning sensation when applying relaxer to your hair especially if you are going to DIY your relaxer.
Prepare your Base By Applying a Cream before relaxing your hair
Applying a relaxer can cause irritation or burns to your skin so take care by applying a base cream or a petroleum jelly to your scalp and for more safety apply it to the hairline and ears as well.
Keep Relaxer on Your Hair for the Right Times
Usually, you should leave the relaxer on your hair for 10 to 15 minutes but take care to follow the instructions that are mentioned on the package that you are using and don’t leave the relaxer on your hair for too long in search of getting bone straighter hair as that may instead cause damage to your hair.
Tips on How To Care For Relaxed Hair to Keep it Healthy
Follow these tips to maintain your relaxed hair
Get regular Touch-ups for Relaxed Hair
Though relaxed hair is permanently straightened the new hair growth you will get would be naturally curly so you will need to get regular touchups done on your relaxed hair to keep your hair straight. Generally, you would need regular touch-ups for relaxed hair every 8 to 10 weeks, and take care not to overdo this. While you can accomplish it at home we would ideally recommend using a hairstylist who can work well with chemically treated hair and who can suggest correctly the kind of relaxers you need would help.
Only get Touch-ups done for New Growth
If you are doing it at home make sure that you are only touching up the new growth and not applying relaxers on the previously processed hair. If needed get someone to look at the back parts of your hair if you are going the DIY way. Most hairstylists will take care of this if you are getting this done in a salon.
Reduce heat applied on to Your hair
Daily use of heat-based hairstyling tools like flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers can lead to damage and dry hair. You should use protective hairstyles like buns, updos, and braids and techniques like wet sets, wrapping, flexi rods, and curl formers that don’t use heat. The use of these hairstyles protects the ends of your hair as it keeps them hidden allowing them to retain moisture.
Cover your Hair in a wrap at Night
Wrap your hair at night and use satin pillowcases instead of cotton that will help maintain hair volume and body with a method that is heatless.
Go for regular Protein treatments and Deep Conditioning of Your hair
Once you apply a relaxer to straighten your hair you will end up losing a lot of natural oils from your hair and so it is important to get those oils back through regular protein treatments and deep conditioning treatments.
Get regular Hair Trims
It’s better to get rid of the spilt ends by getting regular trimming of your hair done as otherwise they will travel through the hair and will lead to broken hair and damaged hair. If you are regular with deep conditioning then you should see lesser split ends and would need less frequent trimming otherwise you would need more hair trimming.
How often should you relax your hair?
You should relax your hair every 8 to 10 weeks on average going up to a maximum of 3 months. If your hair grows faster than the usual estimate of 1/2 inch per month then you may need to relax your hair every 6 weeks also. The frequency of touch-ups required for relaxed hair varies based on the hairstyles for example if you have shorter haircuts like a pixie cut you may have to relax your hair every 4 to 6 weeks also.
How Long Does A Relaxer Last
A relaxer is a permanent treatment so it will last which is why they also have the name perm however your new hair that will come out naturally curly so the only way you can remove the relaxer is by growing out new hair. The new hair growth would also mean that you will have to continue to get touch-ups done to maintain your hair straight.
Relaxed Hair vs Natural Hair
Natural hair is the hair that comes out naturally from your scalp or the hair you are born with having any changes done to it while relaxed hair is the hair that has been chemically treated to make it straight. Most African women have natural hair that has more volume than relaxed hair. Some other advantages of natural hair are that it can handle more chemical treatments and hair styling than relaxed hair. Relaxed hair on the other hand has the advantage that it is straightened so will not get tangled up like natural hair while combing and will also be easy to style and have lower maintenance.
Questions
Can You transition relaxed hair back to natural?
Yes, you can transition your relaxed hair back to natural by growing out your hair and then cutting it at the point where there is a difference however you cannot change the relaxed hair back to natural as the process is permanent.
How long does it take for relaxed hair to go natural?
Relaxed hair will remain permanently straight but new growth that comes out will mean that within 6 to 8 weeks your hair will start going natural and you can cut your relaxed hair length and go back natural.
How to turn relaxed hair into natural hair without cutting it?
You can turn relaxed hair into natural hair without doing a big chop by letting your hair grow out gradually and going for consistent hair trimming every month while keeping your hair in a protective hairstyle and not doing any touch-ups and slowly you will get back to your natural hair.
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