Perms & Serious Facts

When it comes to  hair relaxers (hair straighteners) there is nothing worse than perming your hair and having it all fall out-The horror!! Daring Divas are always looking for something to make them look and feel just a little  better about herself. Ethnic women have always marched to the beat of a different drummer when it comes to hair care and the top of that list the hair relaxer/hair straightener ranks high. There are dozens of choices out there to choose from but in my opinion selecting which perm is best for you requires you do a lot of research and educate yourself to the benefits, and risk associated with the so-called "No-lye" hair straighteners.

• First let me say that any relaxer can damage your scalp and leave you looking like Yul Brenner if you use it incorrect.
• Just the thought of  Lye as a primary hair ingredient unnerves me! Lye is a caustic substance (Able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action.)
• Lye is found in many hair straighteners because some manufacturers believe it enable the product to work more efficiently. Let me tell you something this  whole concept bothers me.

A common misconception about the no-lye hair straighteners being safe is a misleading and many manufacturers of so-called no-lye hair relaxers have profited from this misconception.. The fact is that any artificial chemical applied to your hair and scalp can be potentially hazardous. The rule-of-thumb is read all directions carefully  once, 
twice and three times if necessary.


Watching my mother with hair relaxers was like watching a  horror movie because she was obsessed with getting her hair as straight as possible. I knew she was destroying her hair follicles but no one could get this point across to her.
I believe that many people are addicted to hair relaxers and this is sad since straightening your hair too frequently seriously weakens and damages your hair. According to some hairdressers, every six to eight weeks, however this depends on the individual and the product that you are using.




Some of use have proliferate hair follicles which grows fast wild and uninhibited. These individual can rejoice while others have slower growing hair. When doing anything to your hair even prior to getting a new hair cut or hairstyle consider your hairs recovery time.




Here are some tips to keep in mind when considering or preparing to perm/relax your own hair.

1. Don't leave the relaxer on longer than the recommended time provided on the applications instructions.
2. THOROUGHLY wash out the relaxer with a neutralizing shampoo. Remember to rinse her hair several times to be on the safe side. Professional hair care specialist believe in rinsing till absolutely clean.
3. A secret weapon against hair loss is to condition frequently. Relaxers and harsh chemicals no matter what the brand and they often strip your hair of precious nutrients.
4. Personally I don't believe in using hair relaxers on very young children. A child's skin and scalp are extremely delicate and more prone to burn & Personally I believe it stunts a child's hair growth and natural development. Always keep these caustic chemical out of the reach of children-Just common sense!
5. Never scratch your scalp or brush your hair prior to applying any hair relaxer, since this can scratch the scalp leaving open superficial lacerations and weaken the hair.

Many beauticians protect their clients scalp by putting petroleum jelly around the hair line, on the scalp, ears and nap of the neck to help minimize the potential for irritation to these delicate sites.


When it comes to Hair straighteners and dye jobs-This is a potential recipe for baldness disaster! 

• You are more likely to damage your hair if you use both hair dye and a hair straightener/perm.
• Always follow the product directions and talk to your beautician because various relaxers have different strengths, benefits, hazards  and instructions.
• Should you opt to perm and dye your hair simultaneously beware there are products available for just this situation ask your hairdresser about the best product for you. Some professional hair care providers suggest you should use a semi-permanent hair color since it is less damaging to your hair than a permanent dye.

For more information:

1. Email Caers@cfsan.fda.gov
2. Call 1-800-FDA-1088
3. The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition(CFSAN) Adverse Evemts RE[prtomg System (CAERS).

We've all made disasterous hair decisions in our lives, but the key is to learn from your mistakes and don't repeat them.  Knowlledge and pro-self health advocacy is the way to ensure possitive results.


Well that about covers it for this issue of Tiease's Valley of the Paper Divas Blog for Fashionistas, I'll see you again real soon.






Tiease D. Deutsch  R.N./Artist/Author
Copyright by Tiease D. Deutsch April 26, 2011