How do you treat relaxed hair?

Answer 1

If you don't know how, you shouldn't be relaxing your hair.

However, if you insist:

• Relax your hair every 6 to 12 weeks depending on your hair's needs. Do not relax your hair every time new growth appears, since relaxing too often causes damage to the hair.
• Wash and condition your hair every once or twice a week. Try to use mild and gentle shampoo and conditioner designed for chemically-treated hair.
• For those who need to wash more frequently than every once or twice a week, "CO-washing" (Conditioner Only washing) is an excellent alternative to the wash/condition. Cowashing is washing your hair with a lightweight (preferably)moisturizing conditioner, eliminating the shampoo step which can be very drying to chemically treated/damaged hair when done relatively too frequently.
• It is best to avoid using heat to dry your hair, especially if the relaxed hair is somewhat damaged.Hair should be left to air dry at least partially before using a blowdryer on a low to medium temperature setting.
• When using a curling iron to style your hair, do not allow the barrel cover to clamp down on your hair. Hold the barrel cover slightly open and allow the hair to move over the curling iron barrel without the tugging and pulling caused by pressure from the barrel cover. Whenever the barrel cover clamps down on your hair it creates a weak point at which breakage is inevitable.
• An ionic, ceramic curling iron or flat iron works well and is easy to find. You can also invest in heat appliances utilising tourmaline, ionic technology having temperature controls. Relaxed hair can be easily styled at 300-370 degrees depending on hair's thickness. Do not repeatedly run the heat appliance over each section of hair. Instead pass the iron over the hair once at this temperature, no more than twice.
• Never use petrolatum and mineral oil hair oil on relaxed hair as a moisturizer. These ingredients do NOT moisturize the hair but rather functions as a sealant (meaning it protects the cuticle layer from damage and moisture loss). Depending on your hair type, you may need to use daily hair conditioner, but use products that actually oil the scalp. For best results, choose a lightweight oil (such as jojoba, coconut, almond, or olive oil) rub a small amount (1-2 drops) in the palms and spread lightly through the scalp of the hair. Comb your hair evenly to moisturize the tips of the hair. Applying a small amount of oil to wet hair can also act as a leave-in conditioner and provides excellent conditioning in preparation for the next shampooing.
• Use as little heat as possible with your hair as heat can only do more damage to relaxed hair. It's ok to style your hair with a curling iron occasionally, however a rollerset is the best method. If you want to maintain a curly look over a few days, pincurling is a healthy option. Be sure to use hair-friendly pins and a satin bonnet to prevent dryness and breakage over night.
• Water based moisturizers are best for all hair types, although leave-in conditioners can double as moisturizer for the hair. Ultra Black Hair Lotion Creme is an excellent moisturizer as well as S-curl activator. You can also try Dudley's PCA Moisture Retainer or ORS Carrot Oil creme. Avoid moisturizers with petrolatum and mineral oil unless you wash/condition and/or cowash regularly.
• Deep condition the hair bi-weekly to maintain strength and moisture in the hair. Do not overwash your hair by washing relaxed hair more than once a week. To do this take a creamy deep conditioning treatment that contains both moisturizing and mild protein ingredients to clean damp hair. For best results, apply a plastic shower cap and let hair sit for up to 30-45 min. To save time, sitting under a hooded dryer on medium heat for 15-20 min is equally effective.
• Try to avoid brushing your hair with harsh bristles
• Drink plenty of water daily, get enough of rest, eat well, alleviate stress, and exercise regularly (at least 2-3 days per week) to produce the healthiest hair possible. Take a multi-vitamin, Biotin, Omega-3 Oil, and other supplements as needed.