Chemical Texture

Chapter #20

Chemical Texture Services

• Permanent waving – adding wave or curl to the hair

• Relaxing – removing curl, leaving it smooth and wave free

• Curl Re-formation – loosening overly curly hair

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The structure of hairReview

• cuticle - tough exterior layer of hair

• cortex - middle layer of the hair,

responsible for the strength

• medulla - innermost layer, not everyone

has this, aka pith or core

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Importance of pH in Texture Services

• chemical texturizers raise the pH of the hair to an alkaline state in order to soften and swell the hair shaft

• opens the cuticle and allows the solution to reach the cortex

• coarse, resistant hair w/ a compact cuticle requires a highly alkaline solution

• porous, damaged hair requires a less alkaline solution

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Basic Building Blocks of Hair• Amino acids - compounds made up of

COHNS• Peptide bonds - end bonds, join together

amino acids• Polypeptide chains - long chains of amino

acids joined together by peptide bonds• Keratin Proteins - long, coiled polypeptide

chains• Side bonds - disulfide, salt, and hydrogen

bonds that cross link polypeptide chains

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Side Bonds

• cortex is made up of millions of polypeptide chains cross-linked by 3 types of side bonds: disulfide, salt, & hydrogen

• Altering these 3 types of side bonds is what makes wet setting, thermal styling, permanent waving, curl re-forming, and chemical hair relaxing possible

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Side Bond - Salt

• relatively weak• physical• result of an attraction between + & -

electrical charges (ionic)• easily broken by change in pH• reform when pH returns to normal• account for 1/3 total strength of hair

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Side Bond - Hydrogen

• weak• physical• also result of opposite electrical charge• easily broken by water (wet setting) or heat

(thermal styling)• reform as hair dries and cools• account for 1/3 of hair’s total strength

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Side Bond - Disulfide

• strong• chemical• not broken by water or heat• very few in the hair but b/c of strength they

account for 1/3 the hair strength

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Permanent Waving

• Is a two step process

• Part 1 is the physical change- wrapping the hair on the perm rod

• Part 2 is the chemical change- waving solution and neutralizer

Perm Wrap

• Is essentially a wet set on perm rods

instead of rollers

• You can use plastic rollers and plastic

clippies to perform services

• Wet set only breaks hydrogen bonds

• Perm break disulfide bonds

Perm rods

• Size, Shape, Type of the rod and wrapping method determines the curl

• Selecting correct perm rod and wrapping method is key to successful perm

Perm rods cont’d

• Concave –

• most common • smaller diameter in the center that increases to a

larger diameter on the ends • producing a tighter curl in the center and a looser

curl on the ends

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Perm Rods Cont’d

• Straight – • equal in diameter along their entire length• produces an even or uniform curl

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Perm Rods Cont’d

• Bender – • uniform diameter • made of soft foam with flexible wire that is

bendable

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Perm Rods Cont’d• Loop – • uniform diameter along the entire length of the

rod • hair is wrapped and the rod is secured by

fastening the ends together to form a loop

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specialty rods

• give a 3 dimentional curl

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End Papers

• aka End Wraps

• Absorbent papers used to control the ends of the hair

when wrapping and winding hair on the perm rod

• Should be extended beyond hair ends prevent fishhooks

• Double flat wrap- use two end papers

• Single flat wrap – one paper only over the top strand of

hair

• Bookend wrap – one paper folded in half , eliminates

excess paper, however be careful to evenly distribute the

hair over the entire length of the rod

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End Wraps

Double Flat Wrap Single Flat Wrap Bookend Wrap

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Base Sections

• subsections of panels into which the

hair is divided for perm wrapping

• size of the base section is the length &

width of the rod

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Base Placement

• Refers to the position of the rod in relation to its base

section & is determined by the angle at which the hair is

wrapped

• On-base – 45 degrees beyond perpendicular to its base

section, caution should be used with on-base placement

because the additional stress & tension can mark or break

the hair

• Half-off base – 90 degree angle or perpendicular to its

base section, minimizes stress and tension of the hair

• Off –base – 45 degrees below the center of the base

section

Base Direction

• Refers to the angle at which the rod is positioned on the head – horizontally, vertically, or diagonally

• Hair should be wrapped with the natural direction of growth as it causes the least amount of stress

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Base Direction

Wrapping Techniques

• Croquignole – wrapping from the ends to the scalp in overlapping concentric layers

• Spiral – hair is wrapped at an angle other than perpendicular to the length of the rod

Chemistry of Perming

• Alkaline permanent wave solution soften

and swells the hair, thus raising the cuticle,

which permits the solution to penetrate into

the cortex

• Once in the cortex the waving solution

breaks the disulfide bonds through a

chemical reaction called reduction

Reduction reaction

• Reduction is the +hydrogen or -

oxygen

• Permanent waving is the +hydrogen

• Reduction breaks disulfide bonds

• Oxidation reforms them

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Reduction• All permanent waves contain a reducing

agent commonly referred to as thio• Thioglycolic acid - colorless liquid w/

strong unpleasant odor. Common reducing agent in permanent wave solution

• Strength of perm lotion is determined by concentration of thio

• b/c acids do not swell the hair nor penetrate into the cortex manf. add and alkalizing agent Ammonium Thioglycolate (ATG)

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Types of Permanent Waves• Alkaline (Cold)• Acid Waves -Glyceryl Monothioglycolate

(GMTG)• True Acid • Acid-Balanced • Exothermic • Endothermic• Ammonia-Free• Thio-Free• Low pH 28

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Alkaline

• aka Cold Wave• developed in 1941• pH 9.0 - 9.6• uses ammonium thoglycolate (ATG)• processes at room temp

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Acid Waves

• Glyceryl Monothioglycolate (GMTG)• low pH• most also contain ATG• repeated exposure causes allergic

sensitivity (stylist & client)

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True Acid Waves• Have 3 components: waving solution,

activator, & neutralizer• activator contains GMTG & must be added

immediately before use• introduced in 1970’s • pH 4.5 - 7.0• require heat to process• process more slowly than alkaline waves• do not produce as firm a curl as alkaline

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Acid-Balanced Waves

• modern acid waves are actually acid-balanced waves

• 7.0 or neutral pH• process at room temp• produce firmer curls than true acid waves

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Exothermic Wave

• have 3 components• cause a rapid release of

heat and an increase in the temp of the solution

• increases the rate of the chemical reaction

• shortens the processing time

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Endothermic Wave

• absorbs heat from its surroundings

• activated by outside heat source

• will not process properly at room temp

• most true acid waves 34

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Ammonia-Free Wave• uses an ingredient that does not

evaporate as readily as ammonia, very little odor

• Aminomethylpropanol (AMP) or Monethanolamine (MEA) are alkanolamines used as a substitute for ammonia

• can be just as damaging

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Thio-Free Waves

• uses an ingredient other than ATG, such as cysteamine or mercaptamine

• they are still Thio compounds

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Low pH Waves

• use of sulfates, sulfites, & bisulfates

• work at a low pH• very weak / do not produce a

firm curl• usually marketed as body

waves or alternative waves

Caution

• Accidental mixing of activator with neutralizer instead of waving solution will cause a violent chemical reaction that can cause injury, especially to the eyes

Selecting the Right Type of Perm

• Every client’s hair is different• Must perform a consultation• Take into consideration texture, condition,

density, porosity, and elasticity

Permanent Wave Processing

• Strength of any perm is based on concentration of its reducing agent

• If a weak perm is used on coarse hair, there may not be enough hydrogen ions to break the necessary number of disulfide bonds, no matter how long it processes

• A strong solution which releases many hydrogen atoms may be perfect for coarse hair but too damaging for fine hair

• Most of the processing takes place as soon as the solution penetrates the hair within the first 5-10 minutes

• The remaining processing time allows polypeptide chains to shift into their new configuration

Processing Cont.

• Thorough saturation of hair is essential to proper processing

• Properly processed perm should break and rebuild 50% of hair’s disulfide bonds

• If too many bonds are broken, the hair may not have enough strength left to hold the desired curl

• Over processed hair does not necessarily mean overly-curly

• Hair at scalp is usually stronger than ends, therefore over processed hair is curly at scalp and straight at ends

Processing cont.

• If too few disulfide bonds are broken, hair will not be sufficiently softened and will not produce curl

• Under processed hair is usually straighter at the scalp and curlier at the ends

Neutralizing

• Neutralizers used in permanent waving are actually oxidizers

• Most common neutralizer is hydrogen peroxide with concentrations between 5 vol. 10 vol.

• Neutralizing performs two important functions: deactivates any remaining wave solution in the hair rebuilds disulfide bonds broken by waving solution

Neutralizing Stage One

• Properly rinse the hair using warm water and a gentle stream for at least five minutes

• Take care when rinsing fragile areas, ex: temple and nape

• Always smell hair after five minutes; if you still smell perm, continue rinsing

• Gently blot hair with dry towel; never firmly or aggressively

• Check for excess moisture at the nape where water accumulates

• Excess water left in hair reduces effectiveness of neutralizer

• Gently adjust any rods that have become loose or drifted out of alignment prior to applying neutralizer

Neutralizer Stage Two

• While neutralizer is on hair, each oxygen atom joins with two hydrogen atoms to rebuild one disulfide bond and make a water molecule

• Water is then removed during final rinse• Side bonds are also reformed into their

new shape as different pairs

Safety Precautions• Protect your client’s clothing• Use a waterproof shampoo cape• Do not give perm to anyone who has had an allergic reaction to a previous perm• Examine scalp: any sign of abrasion or disease, do not proceed• Do not perm hair that is excessively damaged or shows breakage• Do not perm hair previously treated with hydroxide relaxers• Test for metallic salts• Apply protective barrier cream to hairline• Keep waving lotion out of client’s eyes• In case of accidental exposure, flush with cool water• Always follow manufacturer’s directions• Wear gloves• Replace cotton or towels that have become soaked• Do not save any opened, unused solution or neutralizer• Hair that has been permed should be shampooed or conditioned with products

specially formulated for chemically-treated hair

Wrapping Patterns• Basic wrap pattern – uses the basic 9

sections, all base sections are horizontal, with the same length and width as the perm rod

• Curvature wrap – follows the shape of the head, curves within sectioned out panels, uses pie-shaped base sections in the curvature area

• Bricklay – sections are offset from each other row by row to prevent noticeable splits

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Wrapping Patterns Cont’d

• Weave – uses zigzag partings to divide base area, can be used throughout the entire per or only in selected area. Very effective for blending between perm rods with opposite base directions, also good as a transition of rolled area into the unrolled area of a partial perm

• Double rod – “piggyback” two rods are used for one strand of hair. The upper half of the strand is wrapped around one rod and the lower half of the same strand is wrapped around a second rod and stacked on top of the first. Great for extra long hair.

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Wrapping Patterns

Partial Perms

• Allows you to give a perm when some of the hair is too short to roll on rods

• Can be used on the top and crown w/ very short hair tapered on the sides and nape

• Good for clients who only need volume and lift in certain areas

• Rely on the same technique however you must protect the unrolled hair with a barrier cream prior to applying the waving lotion

Test Curls

• Help you determine for your client’s hair will react to a perm

• It is advisable to take test curls if the hair is damaged

• Gently unwrap a rod and let the tension of the hair hang limp you should be able to see an “S” formation appearing

Basic Procedure• Wash your hands

• Consultation

• Analysis of hair and scalp

• Gently shampoo & Gently towel dry hair

• Section hair

• Wrap sections (band should be smooth not twisted or tightened)

• Apply protection – barrier cream

• Apply coil cotton around the entire hairline

• Apply perm solution – slowly and carefully to each rod

• If plastic cap is used pre-punch a few holes in it, do not allow plastic cap to touch client’s skin

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Perm Procedure Cont’d• Check cotton and towels –if saturated replace with new

• Process perm according to manf. Directions w/ or w/o heat

• Check curl – unwind rod and check “S” pattern formation, check a different rod each time you take a test curl

• Rinse Hair – thoroughly for a minimum of 5 minutes

• Towel blot hair gently

• Reapply cotton coil to hairline

• Apply neutralizer slowly and carefully to each rod

• Process neutralizer according to manf. Instructions

• Rinse thoroughly

• DO NOT SHAMPOO for 48 – 72 hours – you may wet and condition

• Complete cleanup and sanitation

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Metallic Salts• Metallic salts are in some haircoloring

products and they leave a coating on the hair that can not be mixed with permanent wave solution

• Test: • in a glass bowl mix 1oz of 20 vol with 20

drops of 28% ammonia• immerse 20 strands of hair for 30 min• if metallic salts are present hair will lighten

rapidly, solution will get hot & smell

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Chemical Hair Relaxers

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Chemical Hair Relaxers

• Rearranges the structure of curly hair into a straighter or smoother form

• Other than their objectives being different this service is very similar to perm waving

• The chemistry of both break disulfied bonds

• The two most common forms of relaxer are Thio (ammonium thioglycolate) & Hydroxide

• Avg cost $75-$100 / lasts until it grows out• Retouch avg. 6 x’s per year

CAUTION

• Relaxers are characterized by an extremely high alkalinity and can literally melt or dissolve hair if used incorrectly, most relaxers contain some of the same ingredients in depilatories

Thio Relaxers

• Same reducing agent as permanent waving• Usually has a pH above 10 and a higher

concentration of ATG than used in permanent waving

• Usually thicker that is more suitable for application as a relaxer

• Break disulfide bonds and soften hair just as in permanents

• After bonds are broken hair is straightened into its new shape and relaxer is rinsed from the hair

• Neutralizing rebuilds the disulfide bonds

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Thio Relaxer• application steps for thio relaxer is same

as hydroxide relaxer except the neutralization procedure

• once thio relaxer is complete: • 1-rinse w/ warm water

• 2- shampoo three times

• 3 - use a pre-neutralizing conditioner for five min

• 4 - rinse

• 5 - blot water from hair

• 6 - apply thio neutralizer in 1/4 to 1/2 inch sections and smooth

• 7 - rinse

• 8- shampoo

• 9 - condition

• 10 - style 59

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Japanese Thermal Straightner

• First marketed in Asia to reduce Frizz

• aka Thermal Reconditioner / Ionic Reconstructor

• Combines a thio relaxer w/ flat ironing• Is considered a specialty & requires

extra training by manufactures• Usually takes about 7-8 hours• Costs between $500 - $1000.• Requires retouch 1 - 2 x’s per year

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Hydroxide Relaxers

• Hydroxide ion is the active ingredient • Sodium, Potassium, Lithium, and Guanidine are

all types of hydroxide relaxers• All metal hydroxide relaxers contain only 1

component & are used as packaged (no mixing)• All have very strong alkalis• Most have a pH over 13 & can swell the hair up

to twice its normal diameter• Sodium Hydroxide = Lye or Caustic Soda• Potassium & Lithium = No Mix / No Lye• Guanidine = No Lye / contain 2 components that

must be mixed just prior to applicaion

Relaxers cont’d• Guanidine relax hair with less scalp

irritation however not with less damage

• They swell the hair more than hydroxide

• Are also more drying, especially after repeated applications

• Generally sold as “at-home kits”

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CAUTION / DANGER

• Hydroxide relaxers are NOT compatible with Thio relaxers, permanent waving, or soft curl perms because they use different chemistry

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Hydroxide relaxers contd.

• Hydroxide relaxers remove a sulfur atom from a disulfide bond, converting it into a lanthionine bond by a process called lanthionization

• Disulfide bonds consist of two bonded sulfur atoms

• Lanthionine bonds contain only one sulfur atom• The disulfied bonds that are broken by hydroxide

relaxers are broken permanently, and can never be re-formed

• That is why hair treated with hydroxide is unfit for permanent waving and will not hold curl

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Low pH Relaxers

• Ammonium Sulfites & Bisulfites• Compatible w/ Thio• NOT compatible w/ Hydroxide• Do not completely straighten hari• Intended for use on damaged hair

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Base and No-Base Relaxers

• Base relaxers require the application of a protective base cream to the entire scalp prior to the application of the relaxer

• No-base relaxers do not require this, they contain a protective base that as the relaxer is applied the body heat causes the protective base cream to melt and settle out onto the scalp in a thin, oily protective coating

• For added protection you can use additional base with no-base relaxers

• TIP: base cream should not touch the hair, as it will slow down the chemical straightening process

Relaxer Strengths

• Most are available in 3 strengths 1-Mild – for fine, color-treat, or damaged

hair 2-Regular – for normal texture hair with a medium or natural curl 3-Super – used for maximum straightening on very coarse, extremely curly / resistant hair• When in doubt use a gentler formula

Strand Test

• Periodic testing during the processing will help to tell you when the hair has sufficiently relaxed

• Stretch the strand to see how fast the natural curl is being removed

• If the strand stays smooth then it has been sufficiently relaxed

Hydroxide Neutralization• Unlike thio, hydroxide does not involve oxidation or

rebuilding disulfide bonds• Neutralization of hydroxide relaxers deactivates the

alkaline residues left in the hair by the relaxer• Hair remains at an extremely high pH even after rinsing

the hair, although rinsing is very important it alone can not neutralize a relaxer, an application of a acid balanced shampoo or a normalizing lotion must be applied to lower the pH

• Some neutralizing shampoos have a built-in pH indicator that changes color to show when the pH of the hair has returned to normal

• Application of a neutralizer that contains an oxidizing agent will not be of any benefit and will only damage the hair since the disulfide bonds do not need to be rebuilt

CAUTION

• Make sure that client has not had haircoloring containing metallic salts, such as gradual or progressive haircolors – extreme damage or breakage can occur

• Leaving hydroxide relaxer on too long can cause severe chemical burns & damage can be irreversible

Hydroxide Relaxer Procedures

• Although many steps for thio and hydroxide are the same, there are a few important differences

• Scalp and porous ends will process more quickly due to body heat and damage

Virgin Relaxer

• Used for hair that has not had previous chemical texture services

• Application starts ¼ to ½ inch away from the scalp and stops before the porous ends

• Apply to scalp and ends during the last few minutes of processing

• Apply to underside of 1/4 to 1/2 inch sections

Retouch Application• Used for hair that has had previous chemical

services• Starts ¼ to ½ inch away from the scalp but is

only applied to the new growth area no overlapping

• Apply to scalp during the last few minutes• Rarely on occasion the shaft may need additional

straightening and should be protected with a strengthening solution (conditioner) and then the relaxer may be applied for a few minutes at the end of the service

• Do not relax previously relaxed hair it will cause severe breakage

Neutralizing

• At the end of the processing time the hair must be rinsed well with warm water

• Must be shampooed with neutralizing shampoo a minimum of 3 times however it is normal for up to 5 times

Procedure Virgin Relaxer• Wash hands• Consultation• Section and clip hair• Protect client• Begin application – wear gloves • Base if necessary• Apply relaxer to ¼ or ½ inch horizontal partings, to the underneath of the

strand• Smooth with the back of a comb or sprush – NEVER COMB RELAXER

THROUGH THE HAIR• Test strand• Apply or work the relaxer down to the scalp during the last few minutes• Rinse thoroughly• Shampoo with neutralizer• Condition & style

Procedure for Retouch

• Is the same as virgin but you ONLY apply to new growth

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Soft Curl Reformation

• Makes existing curl larger & looser• Combination of Thio relaxer & Thio

Permanent• First hair received Thio relaxer service,

then it is wrapped on large rods and receives a permanent wave

• NOT compatible w/ hair treated w/ Hydroxide

• Lasts until it grows out / retouch usually 6x’s per year 77

Safety Precautions:• Analyze hair and have a through

consultation prior to service• Examine scalp for abrasions or

scratches• Keep accurate recorders• Have client sign a release statement• Do not apply hydroxide on hair that

has been treated with thio• Do not apply thio on hair treated with

hydroxide• Do not treat hair that has been colored

with metallic dye

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• Do not relaxed damaged hair offer reconditioning services until hair is ok

• Do not shampoo prior to hydroxide relaxer

• Apply a protective base cream to avoid scalp irritation

• Wear gloves• Do not allow chemicals to come in

contact with client’s eyes and skin - if it comes in contact immediately flush w/ water & refer to Dr.

• Perform periodic strand test79

• Do not allow relaxer to overlap onto previously relaxed hair

• Never use a strong relaxer on find or damaged hair

• Do not attempt to remove more than 80% of the natural curl

• Thoroughly rinse chemicals from hair (failure to rinse completely can cause severe chemical burns)

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• Completely neutralize• Use a reconstructor conditioner• Use wide tooth comb to avoid

stretching & pulling• Do not use excessive heat to style -

NO hot comb• Avoid scratching scalp

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Keratin Straightening Treatment• really a smoothing treatment not as much of

a straightening treatment• aka “Brazilian Straightening”• contain silicon polymers, formalin, & keratin

proteins• Keratin alone can not straighten hair• They do NOT break bonds• Coating breaks down over time (semi-

permanent)• ok w/ Thio or Hydroxide 80

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• Eliminates up to 95% of frizz & curl• Not appropriate for extremely curly hair• Can not shower for 72 hours after

treatment• Hair is shampooed, blown dry, keratin is

applied, hair is blown dry again, & each section is flat ironed a minimum of 3 x’s

• Process usually takes 2-3 hours• Lasts 3 - 5 months• Cost $150 - $500 on average• Great to seal in a semipermanent haircolor

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• Keratin treatments are very controversial b/c:• contain formaldehyde which releases as a dangerous

gas when heated

• some are marketed as formaldehyde free however they have been found to contain formalin or other aldehydes where are just another form of formaldehyde

• the amount of gas released during the process has the potential to exceed the maximum concentration allowed by OSHA of .75 parts per million (ppm)

• Dangerous b/c the flat ironing takes place so close to the face & b/c the stylist is exposed to repeated services and for long periods of time and the # of stylists performing the services at the same time

• Several products have been sited for causing deaths & have been outlawed by various state boards