Let's be honest, we have all at one point or another done our own relaxers. And yes, I am included in the "we" so I can definitely say that I have been there and done that. We all love to save money and when you see that five to ten dollar box relaxer versus having to pay someone seventy dollars or more, that box relaxers starts looking really good! Before I even thought about going to cosmetology school I did my own relaxer a few times (a few meaning more than two!) and I have also had a few "kitchen beauticians" (i.e my friend, sister, roommate, mom, or whomever was available at the time) do my relaxer for me. It was not until I became a professional hairstylist that I realized exactly how much damage I was doing to my hair by not allowing only professionals to handle my chemical services. It is only by the grace of God that I did not suffer from any long term or permanent damage as a result. Now that I am a professional stylist and I care very much about the health of your hair, I want to shed some light on what goes on when your relax your own hair. I am here to tell you five things you don't even realize that you are doing wrong when you do your own relaxer.
Not being able to see what you are doing- You can not see what you are doing when you do your own relaxer. Yes you can see yourself in the mirror but you can not see exactly where you are applying it, especially in the back of your head. You also can't see where the new growth stops and the previously relaxed hair begins so the chances of you overlapping are pretty high.
Processing the hair too long- If you read the directions that come in the box relaxer (how many of us really do that??) it says to not process more than eight to ten minutes. I know for me personally it takes more than ten minutes for me to even base my scalp, and that is the easy part! So how many of you can really get the relaxer in the hair (that includes the ENTIRE head), process it, and rinse it out in eight to ten minutes? NOBODY!! As a professional, I can get it done this quick on someone else but doing someone else's hair is much easier. When doing your own hair your arms are constantly raised so it's almost like you are doing the process while lifting weights and doing anything with additional weight is much more challenging. If you are going past the time on the directions, then you are processing your hair for too long and this can lead to breakage.
Over processing already relaxed hair- I touched on this in statement number one but anytime you put relaxer onto already processed hair you are over processing. Relaxer should only go on hair that has not been previously relaxed. When you overlap onto previously relaxed hair, that is when you run the risk of having damaged hair.
Not using enough neutralizing shampoo- Most box relaxers give you a small bottle of neutralizing shampoo which will probably not be enough for your head, especially if you have a head full of hair. Proper neutralization happens after two to three thorough shampoos. Most of us do not think about the shampoo and conditioner that comes in the box though, the only thing we are concerned with is the relaxer! Not thoroughly neutralizing the hair can result in damage if the hair is not properly brought back down to its normal ph level, which results in damaged hair.
Not maintaining it properly- After the relaxer has been applied, proper maintenance is very important. There are certain hairstyles that are not recommended right after a relaxer service. Do you know what they are? Do you know how to care for it at night to maintain it properly? Do you know how much heat is too much right after a relaxer? Do you know why by L. Jones products are great for maintaining relaxed hair? If you answered no to at least one of those questions then you most definitely need to see a professional for your relaxer services.
I hope you now have a better understanding of why you should not do your own relaxer services. This also includes letting someone other than a professional hairstylist do it. My goal is for you to have healthy hair. Everyone says they want it but many do not want to do what is necessary to get it. However, when you know better, you do better! So make your next relaxer appointment with a professional hairstylist and take the a step towards healthier hair!