Black Hair Care and Health
Natural hair care products tend to be healthier for one's hair because they have natural ingredients such as coconut oil and shea butter. These types of products have not been proven to have adverse affects on the consumer's health. The same cannot be said for products that use harsh chemicals, such as relaxers.
One of the main reasons people have begun moving away from using chemical relaxers is because of the health aspects of it. Chemical relaxers are typically comprised of a number of toxic chemicals that can cause longer term health affects on the person relaxing their hair as well as the stylist applying the relaxer because they may be inhaling the fumes given off by the chemicals. The main ingredient in most chemical relaxers is lye (sodium hydroxide) which is a powerful alkaline caustic. "No-lye" relaxers, which are falsely believed to be less dangerous, contain guanidine hydroxide which is a combination of calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate. These chemicals straighten hair by breaking down the natural bonds found in Black hair. Relaxers also deplete hair of its natural oils, making it dry and highly susceptible to breakage. In summary, relaxers make for very unhealthy hair. But, the health of one's hair is not the only concern that should be had when using chemical relaxers. These chemicals can cause other adverse health affects as well: scalp irritation, skin burns, permanent scarring, deep ulcerations, skin drying and cracking, dermatitis, irreversible baldness, and eye damage including blindness.
In addition to this, inhaling the fumes from these relaxers can cause breathing problems and lung damage if exposed for a long enough period. Accidental ingestion of these chemicals can cause burns to the mouth and throat, severe stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. Research about the long-term affects of use of chemical relaxers is on-going.
One of the main reasons people have begun moving away from using chemical relaxers is because of the health aspects of it. Chemical relaxers are typically comprised of a number of toxic chemicals that can cause longer term health affects on the person relaxing their hair as well as the stylist applying the relaxer because they may be inhaling the fumes given off by the chemicals. The main ingredient in most chemical relaxers is lye (sodium hydroxide) which is a powerful alkaline caustic. "No-lye" relaxers, which are falsely believed to be less dangerous, contain guanidine hydroxide which is a combination of calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate. These chemicals straighten hair by breaking down the natural bonds found in Black hair. Relaxers also deplete hair of its natural oils, making it dry and highly susceptible to breakage. In summary, relaxers make for very unhealthy hair. But, the health of one's hair is not the only concern that should be had when using chemical relaxers. These chemicals can cause other adverse health affects as well: scalp irritation, skin burns, permanent scarring, deep ulcerations, skin drying and cracking, dermatitis, irreversible baldness, and eye damage including blindness.
In addition to this, inhaling the fumes from these relaxers can cause breathing problems and lung damage if exposed for a long enough period. Accidental ingestion of these chemicals can cause burns to the mouth and throat, severe stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. Research about the long-term affects of use of chemical relaxers is on-going.