Can a mid-relaxer protein step....

Nigeriangurl

New Member
cause your hair to revert?

I know many people wait at least a week after their relaxer to use a protein treatment, so that the hair doesn't revert. So wouldn't using protein before neutralizing cause hair to revert? Or does it depend on the kind of protein used? I used Joico K-pak before neutralizing during my botched self-relaxer attempt and I'm wondering if it had anything to do with the underprocessing. Any help would be great! :)
 

PinkAngel

New Member
I've never understood this theory....if a relaxer is a chemical & once hair is relaxed the only way to get rid of the chemical is to cut or grow that portion that was processed out. Then how can anything cause reversion? If this were the case couldn't a protein be used to "un-relax" the hair & you'd become natural? I think when people complain about reversion after a relaxer it's not really reversion, the relaxed portion is just underprocessed

I don't know..... (Just my theory).

Good thread, I'll be watching the responses.
 

karezone

Well-Known Member
depends on the strength of the protein.
Motions relaxer uses silk protein which is more of a moisturizing protein before the neutralizing step of the relaxer but it does cause it to revert.

Strong and some mild proteins sometimes cause recently relaxed newgrowth to revert.
I consider Joico a strong/mild protein treatment.
 

LaNecia

Well-Known Member
msshic said:
I've never understood this theory....if a relaxer is a chemical & once hair is relaxed the only way to get rid of the chemical is to cut or grow that portion that was processed out. Then how can anything cause reversion? If this were the case couldn't a protein be used to "un-relax" the hair & you'd become natural? I think when people complain about reversion after a relaxer it's not really reversion, the relaxed portion is just underprocessed.

Good thread, I'll be watching the responses.

I totally agree, I'm curious of other's take on this as well.
 

Nigeriangurl

New Member
msshic said:
I've never understood this theory....if a relaxer is a chemical & once hair is relaxed the only way to get rid of the chemical is to cut or grow that portion that was processed out. Then how can anything cause reversion? If this were the case couldn't a protein be used to "un-relax" the hair & you'd become natural? I think when people complain about reversion after a relaxer it's not really reversion, the relaxed portion is just underprocessed

I don't know..... (Just my theory).

Good thread, I'll be watching the responses.

That's an interesting point, I'd never thought of it like that before.

What I'm thinking is that the relaxer breaks down the protein bonds in the hair right. So maybe if a strong protein is applied too soon after the relaxer, it can build the protein bonds back up? Like before the breaking down of protein is completely done.....And maybe because I used Joico K-Pak which has human hair keratin, the closest thing to actual hair protein, it undid what the relaxer had just done.........Ya I really have no idea, we need a scientist to come in here and break it down for us :)
 

Mizani_Mrs

Well-Known Member
Yes i would definitely think so. I did a phyto relaxer a while ago and my hair was soooo soft and silky and then i did the final step with is the milky reconstructor and it totally reverted my hair. it felt like it was time for a relaxer again. Also a few ladies on this board believe that when they go to the expensive natural salons and get a 'silkener' they believe that it is just a relaxer mixed with a strong protein which allows the hair to process, but doesn't allow the hair to break the protein bonds...thus just silkening the curls/hair and not straightening.

My educated guess is that when your hair is processing, the process of breaking down the protein bonds is not instant...they are slowly breaking down and then when you used the protein trtmnt, you stopped the processing from further relaxing...which is why your hair is barely relaxed...
 
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MizaniMami

New Member
So,

since protein treats are only temporary, wouldn't the "reversion" be temporary? Once the protein treat wears off, your hair hair should return to it's straight state, right???

Sorry ladies, but I am so not fallling for that one.
 

Nigeriangurl

New Member
MizaniMami said:
So,

since protein treats are only temporary, wouldn't the "reversion" be temporary? Once the protein treat wears off, your hair hair should return to it's straight state, right???

Sorry ladies, but I am so not fallling for that one.

I see what you're saying about the temporary factor. Because I know that protein treatments are temporary, for instance the effects of Aphogee wear off after awhile which is why they recommend doing a treatment every 6 weeks or however many weeks. So in that case, it does seem like the whole protein-reversion theory doesn't hold up.

But then why do so many ppl wait 1-2 weeks after a relaxer before doing a protein treatment?
 

Nigeriangurl

New Member
Mizani_Mrs said:
Yes i would definitely think so. I did a phyto relaxer a while ago and my hair was soooo soft and silky and then i did the final step with is the milky reconstructor and it totally reverted my hair. it felt like it was time for a relaxer again. Also a few ladies on this board believe that when they go to the expensive natural salons and get a 'silkener' they believe that it is just a relaxer mixed with a strong protein which allows the hair to process, but doesn't allow the hair to break the protein bonds...thus just silkening the curls/hair and not straightening.

My educated guess is that when your hair is processing, the process of breaking down the protein bonds is not instant...they are slowly breaking down and then when you used the protein trtmnt, you stopped the processing from further relaxing...which is why your hair is barely relaxed...

This is interesting. Maybe a strong protein treatment stopped the relaxer from processing completely. And although protein treatments do provide temporary effects, it doesn't really make sense that once the protein treatment wore off the relaxer would turn back on and start processing again. It seems like the protein would irreversibly stop the processing.

But actually, if you're at the point that you've already rinsed out the relaxer, shouldn't the relaxer be completely processed? Like, if the protein is stopping the relaxer from processing, shouldn't that leave the hair straight since it should have already been in for 20 minutes or whatever? I give up! :lol:
 

brooklyngal73

SteelyDan/DonaldFagenFan!
ITA.

I've used a protein treatment (before the neutralizer) and my hair didn't revert. Sistaslick also does protein treatments during the relaxer.

msshic said:
I've never understood this theory....if a relaxer is a chemical & once hair is relaxed the only way to get rid of the chemical is to cut or grow that portion that was processed out. Then how can anything cause reversion? If this were the case couldn't a protein be used to "un-relax" the hair & you'd become natural? I think when people complain about reversion after a relaxer it's not really reversion, the relaxed portion is just underprocessed

I don't know..... (Just my theory).

Good thread, I'll be watching the responses.
 

nomoweavesfome

Well-Known Member
BUMP FOR MORE REPLIES

I FIND THIS INTERESTING BECAUSE I HAVE DONE THIS MANY TIMES AND MY RELAXER IS ALWAYS UNDERPROCESSED.
 

PinkAngel

New Member
yeap, me too & I never have problems w/ "reversion".

ETA: Agreeing w/ bklynwldheart.....

ITA.

I've used a protein treatment (before the neutralizer) and my hair didn't revert. Sistaslick also does protein treatments during the relaxer.
 
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PinkAngel

New Member
not for me, i had a stylist who used Aphogee Treatment directly after relaxing (I didn't know any better, it burned like fire) and my hair never reverted.

I just don't get the whole reversion thing b/c a relaxer is permanent, if the process could be reversed why do people transition & cut off relaxed ends instead of just using a heavy protein to become natural? :look:
Because, it's impossible to reverse this chemical? :confused:

I don't know, just doesn't make any sense to me:lol:
 

Arcadian

New Member
IMO, I don't think you can revert a relaxer with protien. For some people using a hard protien too soon after relaxing can make your hair feel as if its not been relaxed, but again, not everyone will have that kind of thing happen to their hair.

Case in point, my hair happens to love protien. I could use it twice a day every day and never have issues with it, I've also never suffered from reversion. This last time I did a protien treatment (mixed with a bunch of other stuff including the milky reconstructor) was directly after I relaxed.

If anything it made my hair even more silky and happy.

Hard protiens, while they CAN make your hair stronger, are temporary. Its the reason why they should be reapplied every so often.

But I do believe that some people can get protien damage if they use a hard protien too soon after relaxing.

In conclusion, I think that reversion after protien use, in particular where relaxing is concerned primarily referres to how the hair acts, not its post chemical makeup. :brainy:

*btw I'm not a scientist*:lol:


-A
 

Cayenne0622

New Member
This is very interesting. I've never had anything make my relaxer revert. I like this topic because I will be relaxing in a couple of weeks and I'm trying to decide if I want to apply any type of protein/reconstructor before I neutralize or for that matter even after I neutralize. I don't need any additional hair problems, mon! lol
 

peacelove

Active Member
I used affirm for years and as many know the second step is a reconstructor, which I think is a fairly decent protein. Not like emergencee, but not a light protein. It never caused my hair to "revert" but made it quite conditioned. I too think it may be that harsh protein just makes the hair feel brittle and therefore it feels like it reverted.
 

DahomeyAhosi

New Member
I think Supergirl did a post on this some time back and I recall her saying some types of proteins can cause reversion. However I used keraphix before neutralizing on my last relaxer with no reversion. I've also used emergencee the very day after a relaxer to stop some really bad breakage....again no reversion.
 
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