Hair relaxers break the bond of your natural hair. They smoothen out your curls without pulling the strands. The result is always perfect. The look changes, and you are happy. But does it end here?
The chemicals in hair relaxers often weaken and create a stark difference in the hair texture when the hair begins to grow. To strip the relaxer becomes the next motive.
Beer is an excellent hair softener. It makes your hair luscious and glowy. But do they have the power to strip off hair relaxers?
No, beer cannot strip off hair relaxers. Hair relaxers do not work that way. Once applied, the hair bond is broken, and the chemicals are washed off, leaving only your naked hair. Relaxers have done their part, and the hair will stay the same. To get past the relaxed phase, hair growth is the only way.
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How does hair relaxers work?
Hair relaxers contain chemicals that penetrate the cuticle of the hair strands. The chemicals travel deeper and touch the cortex layer. The layer consists of de-sulfide bonds, which give the strands the texture.
The relaxer breaks the bond making the hair lose its natural strength. It loosens up. The bond is built again, but the strands are kept straight this time. Hence once the bond is reset, the hair fibers will have taken an altered permanent texture.
The chemicals in relaxers are sodium hydroxide, sodium thioglycolate and ammonium thioglycolate. Although they do a pretty good job of making your hair look flawless, they leave the hair strands brittle, dry and prone to breakage. Moreover, the break-off can happen easily at the spot where the relaxed hair ends and new hair starts.
Then, how can beer be of help to my relaxed hair?
Beer can help you keep your hair trouble-free. It acts close to a conditioner, thereby keeping the side effects of relaxers at bay. A few ways in which beer can help your hair are:
1. Boosts thickness: Relaxing your hair can make the strands look thin. With all the strands straight, the strands will stay together without enough bounciness. Beer can add thickness to your locks with its alcohol content.
2. Adds shine: The conditioning effect of beer can help the hair maintain its texture. This, in turn, keeps the frizziness minimal.
3. Improves strength: Beer is full of proteins such as hops and malt. These nourish the hair. This is good for chemically treated hair, as beer’s protein mask can help the hair regain or maintain its existing strength.
4. Prevents split-ends: Relaxed hair tends to be brittle and damaged, prone to develop split-ends easily. Beer makes the end smooth, thus preventing split ends to an extent.
5. Enhances texture: The deep conditioning of beer enhances the texture of the hair giving it smoothness and a healthy look.
Is there any other way to strip hair relaxers?
No, hair relaxers cannot be stripped. Once the effect is complete, the chemicals are washed off. The relaxer is never staying in your hair to be stripped off. Your hair has changed, and only time can reverse it.
How can I help my hair till it grows out?
1. Nourish it. Yes, that is the primary thing that you can do. Your hair has undergone something unnatural, and now you have to give it the care it needs. Here are a few tips to keep your relaxed hair nourished.
2. Eat healthy: Try eating food that is healthy and good for hair. Iron-rich foods are the best for hair. Add flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, prunes, apricots, and broccoli to your routine diet and see the change. Remember to take iron-rich foods along with a vitamin c-rich food item so that your body absorbs iron easily.
3. Moisturise: Keep your hair moisturized. Moisturized hair means the strands are not dry and has enough water content not to get tangled easily. This means the hair remains manageable, frizz-free, and less likely to develop split ends easily.
Using a thick conditioner cream after shampooing is one of the best ways to ensure that your hair stays moisturized. Conditioners lock the moisture and keep the strands hydrated throughout the day.
As a result, the hair remains soft and does not dry out. Apart from conditioners, there are also leave-in conditioners. These are lighter and are made especially for dry and damaged hair.
4. Regular trims: Trims help maintain the look and, most importantly, get rid of the brittle ends that result from using hair relaxers. Split ends can ruin the treatment and affect the hairdo pretty well. Regular trims remove such issues giving the hair a healthy well-kept look.
A final word
Relaxers are a miracle in the fashion world. Despite their side effects, hair relaxers have remained popular throughout history and will continue to do so.
Stripping them with beer or anything else is never an option. So accept the change, enjoy it while it stays and give time and love for your hair to remain healthy and retain its natural curls.
