New here with a question about switching relaxers.

[larissab]

I have 3B/C hair that is about 1" above my bra-strap. I've relaxed sporadically over the years, but took a three year break because I moved from the US to Singapore. I didn't think relaxers were available to me there, but to my surprise, I discovered that they are pretty common in Asia.

I had the best relaxer of my life there. The salon used Affirm and my hair was so soft and silky! I was so happy and eager to continue with touchups.

Then we moved to the Philippines. I have called so many salons and it seems that my only options are thio relaxers and rebonding. I'm worried about having my my roots (now about 5") touched up with a different chemical because my understanding is that they are incompatible. I've thought about going natural again, but I really prefer my hair straight. I've been blowdrying, but the humidity poofs it up fairly quickly. My hair is in pretty good condition. I've had about 8" cut off over the past year and it's finally looking healthy, if frizzy.

So ... my question is: Can I switch without all my hair breaking off? It would be a permanent switch, if that matters at all.

TIA!
Larissa

 

[inthepink]

Hmm, I'd be VERY careful with this. In fact, I wouldn't do it. I don't think it's safe.

If anything, do you feel comfortable relaxing your own hair? Maybe it would be better to go natural and learn to flatiron your hair for a straight look occasionally.

Just be careful!

 

[aregee]

i'm a little surprised that with type 3b/3c hair you even feel the need to relax. i know every head is different, but i also have 3b/3c hair and i can get mines "relaxer" straight with the right amount of heat. have you tried other methods for straightening your hair? just curious...

 

[larissab]

I don't have a problem getting my hair straight. My problem is *keeping* my hair straight in high humidity. My hair becomes very frizzy within fifteen minutes of straightening my hair. I found that when my hair was relaxed, it remained straight (or slightly wavy if I didn't blow it out) without becoming frizzy.

Do you have any good ideas for controlling frizziness and keeping a blow-out humidity-free? I'm open to any and all suggestions.

 

[inthepink]

I used to live in a very humid climate and with my relaxed hair, it did not frizz. I used Aveda Anti-Humectant Pomade when I blowdried my hair.

 

[itismehmmkay]

Here's my suggestion:

-Keep you Affirm relaxer.

-Try and buy the Affirm relaxer (either over the internet or ask if there is a vendor in your area)

-Ask around for stylists who won't mind you bringing in that Affirm relaxer and applying it for you.


I think this would be the best plan!

 

[Angelicus]

My fomer stylist was using a relaxer on me called Variations Lye w/ Aloe Regular, which worked really well. I didn't like her business etiqutte, so I searched for another stylist. The new one applied weak old Affirm which left me underprocessed

for some strange reason i went back to the old stylist and she used Variations Mild relaxer, which burned the heck out of me and left me underprocessed again! (yes I am still cursing). Should i tell the next stylist I go to "please use variations regular relaxer w/ aloe" or what? please help i am very confused.

 

[larissab]

I can't get Affirm in the Philippines and ordering would be difficult as I don't have a US bank account or credit card. If necessary, I can buy some the next time I go to the States, but realistically, that won't be for another year or two. Once brought in, I won't have a problem finding a stylist to use the product, so that's not a worry provided I can get the product in the first place.

As for Aveda, alas, it is not available here, either.

This is proving to be a very annoying problem. I wish I hadn't had the Affirm relaxer in the first place. If I had known that only thio relaxers would be available to me after I moved, I would have started with them in the first place.

 

[A_Christian]

Is the Thio relaxer a completely different chemical? If it is it might cause extreme breakage if it overlaps on previously relaxed hair. According to the book "Hair Rules; The Ultimate Guide for Women with Kinky, Curly, or Wavy Hair" Ammonium thioglycolate (the same chemical used for Jheri curls or curly perms) now also comes in a straightening formula and can be used to straighten curly or wavy hair, but it is a different chemical than sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide - the chemicals relaxers are usually made of. I'm not too familiar with the scientific facts about the chemicals used in relaxers, but according to the book the Ammonium thioglycolate is not strong enough to straighten tightly coiled hair but it should be abble to straighten hair with a looser curl or wave pattern. I'm thinking that if it is not as strong as the chemicals used in Affirm then the point at which your previously relaxed hair and the hair straightened with the thio perm would meet could become stressed if the two textures end up being too different. Is there anyway you could pay someone from the U.S. to send you Affirm's relaxer? How about pressing your hair on occassion or using a flat-iron. There are several websites that give step by step instructions on creating a press that lasts longer before reverting.

 

[larissab]

Thanks! I'll do a web search to see if I can find instructions on pressing.