Relaxed Hair Care

With majority of celebrities supporting straight, soft and shiny hair, it has become every woman's dream to acquire similar kind of hair. Since cosmetic companies are always ready to fulfill the desires of women to fill their pockets with money, entered the hair relaxers. It is a kind of a lotion or a cream, which contains such chemicals that help in straightening the hair and making it less curly. Hair relaxers are of two types, i.e. alkaline and lye hair relaxers. These are similar to hair dyes, are applied to the hair roots, and are left there for some time so that they can alter the hair structure completely. Since this technique involves, damaging the hair proteins to change its texture, hair relaxers can weaken the hair and can even cause baldness in some, with regular application. So in order to avoid that, proper care becomes very essential. Below are a few tips for taking care of relaxed hair.

Avoid Heat
Relaxed hair have chemical content in them, so if they are exposed to heat, such as by using an ironing machine or a blow dryer over them, they can become very dry and even start to break. Thus, avoid subjecting it to appliances which emit heat.

Healthy Diet
When this hair straightener is used on hair, it diminishes the hair's protein content. When this happens, the texture of the hair changes too. In order to make up for this loss of proteins, it is very essential to take a well-balanced, healthy diet, which is especially rich in proteins. Some of the high protein foods which should be included in the diet are eggs, chicken, fish, beef, dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese, soybeans, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds.

Moisturize
Keep the hair well-moisturized, so that they do not become dry and break. A good way to do that is to wash the hair, which have been treated with relaxers, thrice a week, followed by a moisturizer. Avoid using shampoos and conditioners with strong chemicals on the relaxed hair. It is a better option to just wash the hair with a mild shampoo, twice a week and with plain water once a week. Also, post washing, let the hair dry naturally, do not rub vigorously or blow dry, as hair is more prone to breakage this way. Deep conditioning the hair every fortnight to replenish the moisture lost, is recommended too. In fact, using hair care products, such as follicle building shampoos, to rehydrate the chemically treated hair, is especially beneficial for the hair.

Besides these tips, there are certain things that you have to incorporate in your routine to take care of the relaxed hair. While sleeping, the hair have to be tied in a bun or wrapped with a scarf to avoid breakage. The pillow case which you use, should not be made of any coarse or rough cloth material. And lastly, getting the hair touched up at regular intervals, usually after six weeks, from a salon, is very essential to maintain the look of the hair and to keep the effects of hair relaxers long-lasting.