locabouthair
Well-Known Member
I know it's important to neutralize well. And I would never take the chance of not doing it but if you don't do it, does the hair just fall out completely or will it just break off like mid shaft or something?
What exactly happens if you dont neutralize well?
- Thread starter locabouthair
- Start date
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/83046/audrey_sivasothy.html
Great articles by a member, Sistaslick. She covers chemical processing & much more.
Great articles by a member, Sistaslick. She covers chemical processing & much more.
Denise11
New Member
According to LHCF I don't neutralize well. I wash 2-3 times that's it. I use to torture myself and my daughters, washing as much as ten times, sometimes more, trying to get all of the pink color out. I was using the neutralizer that supposed to show pink if the relaxer isn't out.
I've since learned that the relaxer is out in about 2-3 washes.
I've since learned that the relaxer is out in about 2-3 washes.
Aviah
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what would happen , I would think the hair would break continously because it makes teh hair weaker if its not sufficiently out. But just a tip I use when I relax others' hair- use a vinegar-water rinse after initally rinsing out the relaxer to neutralize and you may only need to shampoo once!
HisBestFriend
Well-Known Member
This is what happens with a lye relaxer anyway!!
And a year later, it still looks the same. I am patiently waiting for my hair to grow, or I will have to abandon my long hair dreams.
And a year later, it still looks the same. I am patiently waiting for my hair to grow, or I will have to abandon my long hair dreams.
*Michelle*
Well-Known Member
I'm sure it would break closer to the scalp where the relaxer is...assuming and HOPING you aren't relaxing the full length of the strands. In a nutshell the chemical will keep working. I think the water acts as a very temporary stabilizer.
HoneyDew
Well-Known Member
I think another way to look at it is ”neutralize completely”. If you don’t neutralize completely, you can end up over processing your hair which leads to weak, breakage prone hair. Even worse you can end up with patches of shorter broken hair. Look at what products like Nair do to hair.
HoneyDew
Well-Known Member
This is what happens with a lye relaxer anyway!!
And a year later, it still looks the same. I am patiently waiting for my hair to grow, or I will have to abandon my long hair dreams.
This is what happened to my mother. A huge section lost.
HBF, have you used anything in that section to give it a boost?I had some hair loss, as well. I started using a shampoo that was not color coded and just winging it. Then I lost hair and could not figure out why. Then when I went back to using a color coded poo again, I realized that my previous 2-3 rinses were not enough at all. I still had so much pink. So that is why I had lost several patches of hair SEVERAL times over.
And what's worse it that once it gets growing, it was so damaged that it took several aggressive trims to get rid of the bad chewed off hair so that it could grow in healthy and evened.
locabouthair
Well-Known Member
This is what happens with a lye relaxer anyway!!
And a year later, it still looks the same. I am patiently waiting for my hair to grow, or I will have to abandon my long hair dreams.
My nape looked like that. Don't be discouraged. Mine grew back. I dont think the stylist rinsed the relaxer out properly or didnt neutralize it well. But I've had it happen to me even when I was using a no lye relaxer.
And thats exactly what happened to me. This has happened to me several times with lye and no lye relaxers by several stylists. I always thought it was because they didnt rinse out the perm properly but if that was the case, it would be burning right?
The last time it happened to me was in Sept when I went to the stylist. Its growing back slowly.
locabouthair
Well-Known Member
Here's a thread about my nape. I guess it was from the stylist not neutralizing properly.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=312231&highlight=
When you have bald patches out of nowhere, most likely is due to something with the relaxer.
It's a shame this has happened to be like 5 times. All by stylists. This is the main reason I havent been able to meet my length goals.
How many times do you neutralize?
Now that I self relax, I let the shampoo sit for 5 minutes rinse it out and then doing it again 4 more times.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=312231&highlight=
When you have bald patches out of nowhere, most likely is due to something with the relaxer.
It's a shame this has happened to be like 5 times. All by stylists. This is the main reason I havent been able to meet my length goals.
How many times do you neutralize?
Now that I self relax, I let the shampoo sit for 5 minutes rinse it out and then doing it again 4 more times.
Keen
Well-Known Member
Yes the relaxer would be out in about three washes. If you let the shampoo sit in the hair for a minute or two that's also neutralizing. The purpose for neutralize is to do what the word say, neutralize the PH balance of your hair. a PH of 7 is neutral. Relaxers are Alkalhi and usually have a PH of about 13 (PH ranges from 1 to 14, 1-7 is acid, 7 -14 is alkalhi) So basically you're trying to bring the PH balance of your hair closer to 7 which is normal.
SparklingFlame
New Member
This is what happens:
http://www.myghettotv.com/video/212/two-chicks-fight-over-Game
about 40 seconds in.
http://www.myghettotv.com/video/212/two-chicks-fight-over-Game
about 40 seconds in.
Tyra
Well-Known Member
I have experienced the "patches of shorter broken hair" and it's not prurdy. Now if I have to rinse and wash it 1 million times, I do.
Tyra
Well-Known Member
This is what happens:
http://www.myghettotv.com/video/212/two-chicks-fight-over-Game
about 40 seconds in.
Wooooooooow!
metro_qt
Well-Known Member
i used to do my own relaxers back in 2000, and didn't neutralize as well as i thought...
My hair was fine for about a week or so, then, whenever I washed it, my hair would be falling down the drain like I had cancer.... Big clumps of hair coming out of my scalp, slithering down my body and collecting at the drain......
If you've never felt this, it's nasty!!!
I would cry and cry, cuz i knew it was my fault.
I ended up having to do the big chop.
It all took about a week to happen after I relaxed....
My hair was fine for about a week or so, then, whenever I washed it, my hair would be falling down the drain like I had cancer.... Big clumps of hair coming out of my scalp, slithering down my body and collecting at the drain......
If you've never felt this, it's nasty!!!
I would cry and cry, cuz i knew it was my fault.
I ended up having to do the big chop.
It all took about a week to happen after I relaxed....
BrownEyez22
Well-Known Member
I've experienced bald spots (fuzzy nothing but new growth) only behind my ears a few times in my life, from professionals not rinsing/neutralizing well.
vkb247
Well-Known Member
Relaxers are alkaline so the neutralizing shampoo is acidic to reverse that (which is why you can use vinegar to help the situation).If you don't neutralize and there is still relaxer in your hair than it will keep on processing and you will have overprocessed hair that may break off or fall out.
If you don't neutralize and all the relaxer is out of your hair than your cuticle will remain open which will cause your hair to be rough, frizz, dingy looking ( no shine), and damaged as the cuticle is a protective layer on the strand.
The normal pH of hair is 4.5 - 5. I only do 3 washings (protein co, neutralizing poo, cowash) but I always end with a ACV rinse because hair wants to be acidic. It is also important to rinse the relaxer very well before you start to poo. That's what gets it out.
shmmr
New Member
Perhaps rather than washing with the shampoo and immediately rinsing it out, you may want to try rinsing thoroughly with water, then washing with the neutralizing shampoo and leaving it in for a minute or two to give it a chance to work - to change the pH. Then rinse and repeat. HTH
that_1_grrrl
New Member
OMG, I didn't realize relaxers were so complicated. D: If I ever did go back to relaxing, I don't think I could see myself self-relaxing. I am very impressed by all you ladies that do self-relax.
Denise11
New Member
As I And some of the other ladies has said, 2-3 washes IS enough. Your hair is neutralized by then. I use to dry my hair out doing all of that washing.
I've been relaxing my hair for over 25 years, and I've never experienced breakage. Not then, and not now.
You can wash til your heart's content, but it's not necessary
If you experience breakage, maybe you're just overprocessing your hair. Leave the relaxer on for less time next time.
I've been relaxing my hair for over 25 years, and I've never experienced breakage. Not then, and not now.
You can wash til your heart's content, but it's not necessary
If you experience breakage, maybe you're just overprocessing your hair. Leave the relaxer on for less time next time.
Last edited:
HoneyDew
Well-Known Member
That is a very blanket statement.
I think most people connect actually removing the relaxer and neutralizing together.
Sometimes removing all of the relaxer is not going to be complete for some in 2-3 washes. That can depend on the thickness of the relaxer, the water pressure in her sink/shower, if she is nor careful and misses behind her ears on the nape.
I say wash how ever many times you need to get that relaxer out and neutralize your hair. That is why I am all for the color coded shampoo.
What works for one does not work for others.
I agree with the poster that said it is better to rinse rinse rinse as much as possible to remove as much relaxer as you can and then add in the shampoo.
But I feel that one must shampoo as much as she needs to to take care of business.
HoneyDew
Well-Known Member
This is what happens:
http://www.myghettotv.com/video/212/two-chicks-fight-over-Game
about 40 seconds in.
Forget the hair. I am mad that these two grown a$$ chicks in there fighten. Actually they look to old to be clubbin anyway. Need to go home a massage some Boundless Tresses on those scalps.
newflowers
New Member
In addition to breaking hair, you can also cause scalp damage which can result in alopecia. Probably not what you've planned. As already suggested, rinse the relaxer out of your hair really well, and when you think it's well rinsed, rinse again making sure you've rinsed really well behind the ears, at the crown, the edges, and the nape, then use the neutralizing shampoo - the color coded is an excellent way to ensure the relaxer is out of your hair. Using an acv rinse is also extremely helpful. Mix the acv in a container of water, pour it over your head, wait a moment, and rinse. Another shampoo or two and you're golden. At this point, I also use a chelating shampoo too, but that's just me.
When you self-relax, not overprocessing (leaving the relaxer on too long or using a relaxer that is too strong), not sufficiently neutralizing (not lowering the pH and closing the cuticle), and not properly and frequently deep conditioning the hair are three major causes of breakage and damage.
When you self-relax, not overprocessing (leaving the relaxer on too long or using a relaxer that is too strong), not sufficiently neutralizing (not lowering the pH and closing the cuticle), and not properly and frequently deep conditioning the hair are three major causes of breakage and damage.
Similar threads
- Poll
