May 28 , 2020
Why You Shouldn’t Relax Your Hair
The natural hair has been making waves since 2013. You have seen naturalistas cutting off their relaxed ends and doing the “big chop”. Or, others choosing to transition or grow out their curls until it reaches their desired length then cutting it off. Why? Well, they have learned the harmful effects of using a relaxer in their hair. We have grown up on going to the salons every 6 weeks to get our kinks straightened. Why? Because we were brainwashed to believe that straight hair is “better”. It will get you the job openings, make you more attractive and allow you to fit in with society. However, it causes more harm than good for the health of your hair and more so your body.
Why You Shouldn’t Relax Your Hair:
Relaxers are made with harsh chemicals that can burn the scalp especially if let on for too long. These chemicals fall on the alkaline side of the PH scale ranging between 11 to 14. Our hair strands and scalp fall on the acidic side ranging between 4 to 5. Therefore, it can chemically alter the structure of your hair strands. Hence, taking it from curly to straight in order to successfully get the job done. The protein layer of your hair strand has been broken down to the point of no repair. Hence why you must cut off your relaxed ends in order to “go back to” your natural curl pattern. There is no product that you can use to reverse the damage done by your relaxers. And in order to give the hair time to strengthen you usually go back every 6 weeks. In addition, the consistent use of the chemical will harm the health of your scalp. Your scalp is like the brain of your hair strands. If it is not functioning optimally then the rest of your hair will not. Relaxers tend to leave the scalp dry as it removes the natural oils produced by it. Thus, making your scalp susceptible to scalp issues such as dandruff, psoriasis, alopecia areata and much more.
How to Care for Your Natural Hair:
So, we recommend going or staying natural.
Your natural hair should be embraced as it is the hairs that naturally grow from your scalp.
Contrary to popular opinion, your mane is beautiful.
It is easy to take care of once you understand the needs of it. Therefore, you should know your hair’s porosity and texture. This allows you to be better able to know what tips, techniques, styles and products will work best for your hair. And, your hair will be in the best condition that it has ever been in.
The upkeep may be difficult to adjust to in the beginning if you are not used to taking care of your hair on a weekly basis. However, there are many salons and youtube videos for you to watch in order to incorporate this new into your daily regimen.
Your natural hair may even flourish to new heights that your relaxed hair has never been.