332A Chemical Texture Services 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a chemical hair relaxer?
- A product that adds curl to straight hair
- A product that permanently straightens curly or wavy hair by breaking and reforming disulfide bonds (Correct answer)
- A temporary styling product for smoothing hair
- A deep conditioning treatment for frizzy hair
Correct answer: A product that permanently straightens curly or wavy hair by breaking and reforming disulfide bonds
A chemical hair relaxer permanently straightens curly, coily, or wavy hair by breaking the disulfide bonds in the cortex and reforming them in a straighter configuration. The hair is smoothed straight rather than wrapped on rods.
Question 2: What is the active ingredient in lye-based relaxers?
- Ammonium thioglycolate
- Calcium hydroxide
- Sodium hydroxide (Correct answer)
- Guanidine hydroxide
Correct answer: Sodium hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), commonly known as lye, is the active ingredient in lye-based relaxers. It has a very high pH (12-14) and is the strongest type of relaxer, breaking disulfide bonds through a process called lanthionization.
Question 3: Why should a relaxer never be applied to hair that has been previously permed?
- It would have no effect on permed hair
- The combination of two different chemical bond-breaking processes can cause severe damage and breakage (Correct answer)
- Relaxers only work on virgin hair
- The perm solution neutralizes the relaxer
Correct answer: The combination of two different chemical bond-breaking processes can cause severe damage and breakage
Applying a relaxer to previously permed hair subjects the already chemically altered bonds to a second aggressive chemical process. This double processing severely weakens the hair structure and is very likely to cause breakage, damage, or hair loss.
Question 4: What is a base application versus a no-base application in relaxer services?
- Base uses a stronger formula; no-base is a weaker formula
- Base applies protective cream to the scalp before the relaxer; no-base has a built-in scalp protectant (Correct answer)
- Base is applied at the roots; no-base is applied at the ends
- There is no difference between them
Correct answer: Base applies protective cream to the scalp before the relaxer; no-base has a built-in scalp protectant
A base relaxer requires applying a protective petroleum-based cream to the entire scalp before the relaxer to prevent chemical burns. A no-base relaxer contains a built-in protective ingredient but a light base is still recommended around the hairline and ears.
Question 5: What is a spiral perm wrap?
- Wrapping hair from ends to scalp in a standard roll
- Wrapping hair vertically from root to end around a long rod or tool, creating uniform spirals (Correct answer)
- A flat wrap technique for loose waves
- A wrap that uses alternating rod sizes
Correct answer: Wrapping hair vertically from root to end around a long rod or tool, creating uniform spirals
A spiral perm wrap involves winding the hair in a corkscrew fashion vertically along the length of a long rod or spiral tool. Unlike croquignole wrapping, it produces a uniform curl from root to end.
Question 6: What is a smoothing test in relaxer application?
- Testing the relaxer on a small skin patch
- Pressing the hair with fingers during processing to check if the curl pattern has sufficiently relaxed (Correct answer)
- Testing the product consistency before mixing
- Checking the hair for breakage after rinsing
Correct answer: Pressing the hair with fingers during processing to check if the curl pattern has sufficiently relaxed
A smoothing test involves periodically pressing the hair flat against the scalp with the back of a comb or fingers during relaxer processing to check if the natural curl pattern has been sufficiently straightened to the desired degree.
332A Chemical Texture Services 3
What is a chemical hair relaxer?