Some would say that relaxed locks are damaged already. This is not the case, relaxed tresses have been chemically altered so cannot be treated the same way that a natural mane is. It is easy to tell the difference between healthy and damaged relaxed locks. The damaged strands will be dry to the touch and extremely fragile. It will fail an elasticity test miserably, snapping with little force whether wet or dry. Damaged strands will also look dull with a reddish tint rather than natural black colour. The ends also tend to be frizzy with a multitude of split ends.
Heat damaged natural hair, although stronger than the relaxer damaged locks; it will still be weaker than its healthy counterpart. The easiest way to tell that it has been heat damaged is that the curls do not return or look loosened and uneven when wetted and allowed to air dry. This will usually happen on the ends of the strands as this is the oldest and therefore the weakest part. It will also have many split ends.
There is no quick fix solution to damaged hair. If the damage is minor then regular treatment will restore it to health. However, with major damage like split ends or excessive heat damage, only scissors will do the trick! Of course not everyone is willing to chop their mane off and start again so there are a few solutions to manage the damage and keep it on the head long enough for new healthy hair to grow in. With regular trims you can get rid of the damage slowly while keeping your locks at a length you are comfortable with.
Minor damage solutions:
o Dry strands - Most relaxed locks that have been damaged will fall into the dry category. A series of deep conditioning and porosity control treatments twice per week for 4 weeks should restore the moisture levels to normal. The deep conditioner required should contain hydrolyzed proteins which will not only be strong enough to impart strength to the strands; they will also be small enough to penetrate the innermost layers. For the upkeep of a relaxed or natural curly and kinky mane, deep conditioning should be done once per week.
o Hair that is mushy when wet - This signals that the strands have too much moisture and not enough protein. - A strong protein treatment should restore health to mane in as little as 1 application.
o Minor heat damage - The curls at the ends of the strands are not as defined and appear looser. To correct this, all direct heat must be avoided for as much as 2 months. In this time a series of protein deep conditioners (not a strong protein treatment) must be applied once per week to re-strengthen the locks. If the damage is minor the curls should return to normal. Minor heat damage also produces split ends. Cut these off individually as you see them and make sure to keep the ends moisturized twice daily.
Major damage control
As mentioned before, only cutting the strands will solve major damage issues. Major damage involves:
o Strands that become very weak from over processing from bleaching repeatedly to change the hair colour
o Misuse of relaxers - Overlapping relaxers or leaving the chemical in too long
o Failing to neutralize relaxers - Using a regular shampoo to rinse relaxer instead of a neutralizing shampoo may cause major damage as the chemical may continue to weaken the tresses even after it has been rinsed.
o Misuse of heat tools - Natural locks that has been 'burnt' straight from the misuse of heat tools and relaxed tresses that have been pressed with too much heat.
To control the above until you are ready to trim the damage you will need:
1. A strong protein treatment every 6 weeks to impart strength and curb the breakage. Try Aphogee two step protein treatment or Nexxus Emergencee.
2. Weekly deep conditioning treatments to keep the strands moisturized.
3. A protein rich diet to ensure that new growth is healthy.
4. Avoid heat tools and choose heat-free methods to straighten.
5. A reassessment of goals - e.g. colour options or necessity of a relaxer for your hair type.
6. Regular trims to remove the damage.
The use of a gloss product can be used to give the appearance of health while you are waiting for your hair to grow. Please note that the silicones in these products (dimethicone, cyclomethicone) will only give the locks the appearance of health. It will still be damaged and will therefore need to be trimmed.
Tips to avoid further damage:
1. Keep up with deep conditioning and protein treatments to avoid dry, weak tresses.
2. Avoid using heat tools where possible. There are other healthier options of styling!
3. If heat is used, use a temperature controlled tool (never stove heated ones) and use heat protectant on the strands beforehand.
4. Always make sure to freshly deep condition if heat is to be used.
5. Clarify after swimming to remove chlorine residue.
6. Air dry where possible or blow dry on a cool setting.
7. Use no-ammonia colours.
8. Wait until you have enough growth before relaxing to avoid overlapping. 2-3 months should give 1-1.5 inches of hair.
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