FashionistaNY
New Member
Okay, I'm a chemistry student in school, however, I'm still learning, but this is my hypothesis on the No Lye (CaOH-Calcium Hydroxide) vs. Lye (NaOH-Sodium Hydroxide) debate.
Chemically speaking, NaOH (Lye) is a stronger salt than CaOH (No-Lye) because it dissociates much more readily and completely in aqueous solutions. Lye relaxers have a pH of 10-14 and no-lye relaxers have a pH of 9.0-9.5, therefore deeming Lye Relaxers the stronger alkali agents.
Note* the pH scale is 1-14, 1 being most acidic and 14 being most basic. pH 7 is neutral.
Hair is slightly acidic, having a pH between 4.5-5.5. With this said, chemically speaking, NaOH relaxers have more "potential" of damaging.
The purpose of the relaxer is to apply an alkali substance which breaks down the disulfide bonds which hold hair together (disulfide bonds are the bonds linking the amino acids together into a protein---hair). Once the disulfide bonds are broken, the hair can be reshaped. When rinsing, we feel relief because the chemical has broken down into it's cation and anion components (Ca+ and OH- or NA+ and OH-) which dissolves in aqueous solutions).
Here is the reaction:
NaOH + H20 -----> Na+ + OH-
CaOH + H20 -----> Ca+ + OH-
This is why I take rinsing is an important process in relaxing.
The purpose of neutralizing is to bring the pH of the hair back to it's acidic state --reforming the disulfide bonds into it's new structure. This is why you have to make sure your hair is properly neutralized or the bonds will not reform completely or correctly --hence damaged hair.
With this said, as far as I know Ca+ ions can leave deposits. Maybe this is why people who relax with No-Lye experience dullness/dryness because the hair still contains some of the Ca+ ions that was not completely rinsed away (or can it attach to the hair??!?!?). However, I would think, chemically speaking, intense rinsing should correct this or a clarifying shampoo.
It does not make sense that hair absorbs Ca+ into the cortex because of the presence of water. If this was true we all would have no hair on our head because hair fibers would be absorbing the chemical and the chemical would continuously relax the hair.
With this said, do I believe the hype of Lye is better than No-Lye and vice versa. I really don't know.
What are your opinions? Feel free to critique and add.
Chemically speaking, NaOH (Lye) is a stronger salt than CaOH (No-Lye) because it dissociates much more readily and completely in aqueous solutions. Lye relaxers have a pH of 10-14 and no-lye relaxers have a pH of 9.0-9.5, therefore deeming Lye Relaxers the stronger alkali agents.
Note* the pH scale is 1-14, 1 being most acidic and 14 being most basic. pH 7 is neutral.
Hair is slightly acidic, having a pH between 4.5-5.5. With this said, chemically speaking, NaOH relaxers have more "potential" of damaging.
The purpose of the relaxer is to apply an alkali substance which breaks down the disulfide bonds which hold hair together (disulfide bonds are the bonds linking the amino acids together into a protein---hair). Once the disulfide bonds are broken, the hair can be reshaped. When rinsing, we feel relief because the chemical has broken down into it's cation and anion components (Ca+ and OH- or NA+ and OH-) which dissolves in aqueous solutions).
Here is the reaction:
NaOH + H20 -----> Na+ + OH-
CaOH + H20 -----> Ca+ + OH-
This is why I take rinsing is an important process in relaxing.
The purpose of neutralizing is to bring the pH of the hair back to it's acidic state --reforming the disulfide bonds into it's new structure. This is why you have to make sure your hair is properly neutralized or the bonds will not reform completely or correctly --hence damaged hair.
With this said, as far as I know Ca+ ions can leave deposits. Maybe this is why people who relax with No-Lye experience dullness/dryness because the hair still contains some of the Ca+ ions that was not completely rinsed away (or can it attach to the hair??!?!?). However, I would think, chemically speaking, intense rinsing should correct this or a clarifying shampoo.
It does not make sense that hair absorbs Ca+ into the cortex because of the presence of water. If this was true we all would have no hair on our head because hair fibers would be absorbing the chemical and the chemical would continuously relax the hair.
With this said, do I believe the hype of Lye is better than No-Lye and vice versa. I really don't know.
What are your opinions? Feel free to critique and add.
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