Straight hair; everyone loves it, and why shouldn’t they? It’s sleek, manageable, and easy to style. But not everyone is born with the straight hair gene and a lot of people have to opt for external cosmetic procedures to make their unruly locks straight and silky. This is where chemical hair straightening comes in that you can get done from hair straightening salons. Here is everything you need to know about it.
What Is Chemical Hair Straightening?
Chemical hair straightening is a very popular process of permanently straightening your hair with the use of chemicals and heat. The treatment used in this process is really the game changer here and this is what’s responsible for making your hair look dead straight and smooth.
The treatment is applied to your hair and it breaks down the hair protein and structure and alters the ability of your mane to hold any style in place. This is essentially what makes your hair look sleek and straight. Chemical hair straightening is also known as a hair relaxing treatment, where a relaxer is applied to get your hair loose. This is different from other hair straightening treatments because the relaxer is applied in increments to the hair and the status of the hair is checked after each application and wash.
If your hair is getting limp and the relaxer is effectively breaking down the protein then the process will be stopped, otherwise, the stylist will keep on going until all of the hair is straight.
Afterwards, the treatment is fused with a flat iron on high heat and then your hair is washed and styled for the last time. The end result will be frizz-free, bouncy, and manageable hair that you’ll want to run your fingers through all the time. It is considered to be an expensive treatment, but the results are amazing and it’s worth a shot.
Things To Know About Chemical Hair Straightening
Here are some things you should know about chemically straightening your hair.
You Can’t Wash Your Hair
This is a very common post-treatment tip a lot of stylists will tell you, especially after getting your hair straightened. It’s best that you don’t wash your hair immediately after getting your hair straightened, because that’s essentially going to ruin everything. You should wash your hair after a week so that you give enough time for the treatment and the hairstyle to set in your hair.
It’s also not recommended that you wash your hair more than once a week, because the tresses can get frizzy with constant washing and you definitely don’t want that. You want to preserve your straight hair as much as possible because getting it re-straightened can be a pain in the neck.
The Process Can Be Damaging
This is no hidden fact. Permanently straightening your hair, that too with harsh chemical-infused treatments, is not going to lead to the healthiest of manes. It’s going to damage your hair a lot and you’re in for a huge debacle, if you don’t take care of your hair post-treatment. This means that you’re going to have to invest in damage-restoring and protein-infused shampoos and conditioners that are going to help you maintain the health of your hair.
On top of that, heat use on the hair during the treatment is also quite damaging to the hair and if not done carefully, this step can burn your hair.
It’s Not For Everyone
While permanent hair straightening treatments promise sleek and straight hair, it’s not going to be the same for everyone. The success of the process depends solely on the hair type and texture.
If someone with extremely thin hair goes for a chemical hair straightening, then they will get pin-straight hair that’s easy to manage and very silky. But the same won’t happen if someone with extremely thick and coily hair gets the same treatment done. So, the claims about permanent hair straightening are pretty much up in the air.
It Permanently Changes The Hair
Chemical hair straightening is a somewhat permanent process and it completely changes the texture of your hair for good. These treatments contain certain ingredients that are protein bond breakers and since your hair is made up of protein and keratin, this treatment breaks down the structure of the hair follicles and makes it super limp and straight.
Basically, your hair can’t hold themselves up after this treatment. This might sound intriguing, but it’s also very damaging to your hair and it’s going to lead to less hair growth and thinner hair strands, in general.
When To Avoid This Process
There will be certain times when you just can’t go for this treatment, because the exposure to the stringent and harmful chemicals in the treatment isn’t good. Firstly, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, then you certainly don’t want to go for this treatment. A lot of salons might claim that nothing will happen, but in reality, there are toxins and chemicals getting discharged from the hair, even after the treatment is washed off and removed.
Formaldehyde is the most harmful ingredient in these chemical treatments because it can irritate the scalp and has a very pungent and strong odor.
Moreover, if you just got your hair colored from a balayage salon Potomac, avoid getting a chemical hair straightening treatment because it can damage your hair.
Post-Treatment Care
Chemical hair straightening isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. It takes a lot of effort to preserve the sleek look of the hair and the maintenance is hefty. Firstly, you don’t want to keep your hair wet for too long, otherwise, the hair might start to clump up and get frizzy. So, avoid swimming in a pool because the chlorainted water can damage your hair.
You also don’t want to put a lot of tension on the hair strands, because too much tugging of the hair can lead to breakage and overall brittleness, so, you need to avoid extremely tight hairstyles. Lastly, you can’t use a lot of heat on your hair either because heat means more damage.
It Can Lead To Hair Loss
Yes, chemically straightening your hair leads to damage, but more than that, it can actually affect your overall hair health and growth. Your hair might grow back extremely thin and they won’t be as healthy either.
Chemical hair straightening can also cause the hair to grow in different directions and the strands will be extremely brittle, from the get-go. This procedure intensely damages your hair.
It’s A One-Time Thing
Chemical hair straightening isn’t something you can get done regularly. If you do, then you’re basically kissing your hair goodbye. Constant breaking down of the hair with nasty chemicals can put a great toll on your hair.
This is why it’s considered to be a one-time thing only and from there, you’ll need to take care of the sleek and pin-straight hair as much as possible because there’s no way your hair can survive another round of getting treated and broken down by chemicals and heat.
Conclusion
Chemical hair straightening has evolved over the years, and now there are many temporary and permanent hair straightening techniques all over the world, that are being used by plenty of people who are tired of their frizzy, tangled, and damaged tresses. If you want to try a semi-permanent straightening treatment first, go to a Brazilian blowout salon Potomac.
