Introduction
African American hair often has a course and curly texture that can be difficult to manage. Many women, especially, want their hair to look silky and shiny without the work of blow drying and straightening, which can damage your hair. It is important that you use products that are made for African American hair and that you take care of your hair to prevent damage. The best way to do this is to check each product out thoroughly before you use it. Read the ingredients to be sure that product won't cause damage or irritation. It is also a great idea to test the product on an inconspicuous section of your hair before you begin a full head application.
Step 1
The first step to relaxing African American hair is to choose the right product for your hair. If your hair has been relaxed or chemically treated before, you will want to avoid harsh relaxers that contain Lye. These can cause your African American hair to break and become even more frizzy. Choose a relaxer that will be gentle on your hair, while providing the results that you are looking for. If you choose too harsh of a chemical relaxer, you can end up losing hair, getting burned, and damaging your hair beyond repair.
Step 2
Protecting your skin is important when you are relaxing African American hair. Your skin can become burned by the strong chemicals that can be in relaxers. It is important that you protect your skin and avoid rubbing the relaxer into your scalp as this can cause scalp burns and reactions. It is also important that you use a product to protect your skin. Rubbing petroleum jelly around your hair line can truly help. You can also wrap a cotton wrap around your hairline to prevent drips and protect from skin irritation. This is the most important step to protect your skin and your scalp through the process to avoid skin injury.
Step 3
It is important that your African American hair is brushed and free of tangles before you begin this process. Make sure that you thoroughly comb through your hair to remove thick tangles so that your hair is manageable and can be parted into sections. Your hair will not take properly to the relaxer if it is tangled and unkempt and this will lead to your relaxing experience being ruined. Make sure that you work through your hair without pulling it too hard to avoid hair breakage as you are detangling. This will keep your hair healthy as you work to relax it.
Step 4
It is important that you follow the African American relaxer instructions carefully. Read up on the African American hair relaxer before you begin the process to be sure that you understand what you need to do throughout the process. If you have a good understanding, you are less likely to make mistakes that could harm your hair or make it look less than great. Reading the instructions should not be overlooked with something as important as the health of your hair. Don't neglect this important part of the hair relaxing process.
Step 5
It is important that you work to apply your African American hair relaxer to each section evenly and carefully. The relaxer begins to work quickly so make sure that you work quickly and then let the relaxer sit on your hair for the specified time. This will relax each strand of your hair to make it look its best. Make sure that you rinse the relaxer thoroughly from your hair. If you leave any in, your hair can become over-processed and look frizzy and unhealthy. Make sure that you condition your hair as directed to prevent damage and frizz.
Tips
Start with tangle-free hair.
Protect your skin and scalp.
Work quickly to avoid the product being on too long.
Remove the product thoroughly once it is done.
Sources and Citations
www.sallybeauty.com
