Emmett Henley

Hydroxide Relaxers are a creamy white product with an active ingredient of Sodium Hydroxide, Lithium Hydroxide or Guanidine hydroxide (combining a crème containing calcium hydroxide with an activator of guanidine carbonate). Hydroxide relaxers have a high pH (10.5 to 13). The product works by swelling the hair strand to open, and in some cases remove the cuticle to enter. Once inside it softens and weakens the disulfide bonds. Combing and/or tension is applied to each section to insure the bond is no longer strong enough to support the original curl pattern, Usually only 30% of disulfide bond need to be effected to get optimal relaxation of the hair.  The next steps are to rinse and use a neutralizing shampoo. The neutralizing shampoo stabilizes the hair pH and will harden or “lock” the hair into its new straight shape.

•  A traditional relaxer, this process has been used since early 1900’s.

•  Primarily used on very tight curl or highly textured hair

• Can be performed on very short to very long hair.

Thio relaxers or Ammonium Thioglycolate relaxers is a chemical agent that causes the hair to soften and swell. Hydrogen and disulfide bonds are affected during this process. With Thio relaxer disulfide bonds break between the two sulfur atoms in the cystine amino acids. Tension or combing is applied (in a straightening service hair is flat ironed) to reduce the curl or wave pattern. Once hair has the desired straightness it is rinsed and a neutralizer is applied. The neutralizer causes the split cystine amino acids to rejoin in their new pattern.

Price:$450-$800 (depending on 

length and thickness)

Pros

•  Slightly gentler than hydroxide relaxers

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Cons

•  Extra care must be given to the hair

• May cause hair to become dry

• Limited in color techniques (some very light colors may damage the hair).

• Cannot be performed on hair that has been processed with a Hydroxide product.