Chemical Hair Straightening

People who are endowed with a silky straight mane need not ponder too much on hair straightening. However, both men and women having curly and frizzy hair are resorting to permanent hair straightening to manage their hair. Chemical hair straightening is one such way to tame the unmanageable locks and curls. This technology was invented in Japan and today it has become popular worldwide. You can get rid of the flat irons once you have straightened your hair chemically. The chemicals applied on hair bring about permanent changes to the structure of the hair, transforming it to linear strands. The chemical bonds present within each individual strand of hair fiber are exposed to wear and tear that leads to change in the texture of the hair. The entire process is controlled by the chemicals bringing out the desired results.

Chemical Hair Straightening Products

This procedure should always be done by a professional who is technically experienced in this field. Before performing this process on hair, the texture and quality of hair is examined so that right products can be applied on it. The most common is the strand test that is performed on the hair to analyze the capacity of hair to withstand the strength of the chemicals. This form of relaxing treatment utilizes the following hair straightening products:

• Chemical hair relaxers are applied on the hair shaft that change the conformation of hair follicles. The waves and the curls are relaxed making the strand completely straight. Some salons use petroleum creams over scalp prior to application of the relaxers in order to protect the scalp.
• The hair is allowed to soak in these chemicals for a certain duration after which it is rinsed with water. Hair neutralizers are then spread over hair to restore the pH balance. This is important for maintaining the vitality and the life of hair.
• The application of a conditioner is optional. It is an additional ingredient that contributes to the texture of the straightened hair.

Chemically straightened hair is a result of the following techniques ionic treatment, thermal straightening, and the protein treatment. A protein based chemical product is applied on the hair, that changes the texture of the mistreated hair. It is followed by ironing the hair resulting in super straight hair. Thermal reconditioning is the process wherein thermal irons are run over hair to make it straight after application of the desired chemicals. Ionic Hair Restructuring (IHR) is a Japanese technique of hair straightening. Prior to application of hair relaxers, it is exposed to pre-treatment and ionic spray. This keeps hair hydrated and restores its protein content. The hair is then ironed and finally dried with a special kind of hair dryer. Hair straightening is an expensive affair. To avoid the costs of salons, straightening kits are available in the market. If you follow the hair straightening tips carefully then you can easily do chemical hair straightening at home. The technique is clearly explained in the instruction leaflet and is similar to that performed in salons. The ironing step can be done with any type of electrical hair straightener.

The cost depends upon the quality of the straightening creams, solutions, gels and other products used in the process. The basic price is US $150 and can range till US $1000 or more. Apart from the process, you have to spend some more dollars to maintain the newly gained texture of your hair. This implies purchasing products like shampoos and conditioners formulated exclusively for straightened hair. The cost incurred in this will be around US $100 to US $200. However, getting chemical hair straightening done from a reputed beauty house ensures long-lasting results and the investment is just one time. If your hair has lost the natural goodness then opt for it.