questions to ask stylist..

TR is NOT about just asking the right questions and TR systems, such as iStraight! It goes far beyond that.

I am perplexed! When I write about TR and the importance of consultation and choosing a technologist/ an expert TR stylist � not many people want to read my postings or they complain that my postings are putting them to sleep. Yet, when someone posts a posting about how beautiful their hair turned out after the TR, I find that the majority of Americans read the post and scurry to book a TR appointment with the stylist and then a few days or a week latter they go to beauty forums and asking for help 'TR Gone Wrong!

In �Almost America� which is Toronto, Canada, Canadians turn me upside down, inside out, interview me, re-interview me, sleep on it, digest it, but that�s not all! I find that the majority of Canadian husband/boyfriend does thorough research on TR and TR stylists and salons. They literally read every page of my website, and only then will they humble themselves, and call me. They ask technical questions, interview me and then they telephone and ask me to treat their wives/girlfriends as though she is my daughter and/or my wife. You would think I am done, right?. Not so. Then they telephone again and kindly ask me to take real good care of their wife/girlfriend�s hair. Now, finally they�ll submit and book a TR appointment.

Many people misunderstand Thermal Reconditioning/TR. Normally, if you have very curly hair; it means that you are not a good TR candidate to begin with! I have a website with detailed information and it is known and read internationally. My website www.verticalsinhair.com is your sourcebook, a tool you can use to gain confidence and learn how to avoid TR horror accidents. It is designed to take you through the TR process step by step, to supplement � NOT replace the importance of choosing the TR stylist doing the TR process. After all, when your TR expert/stylist knows the science behind his/her art, your hair will come looking relatively great. Otherwise, it is not worth it.

While the TR process provides great results, not every head of hair is a good candidate for the treatment. All prospective clients are strongly encouraged to schedule a pre TR in-salon consultation to determine the probable results. This should take approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

When properly applied to hair that is in good condition, these scientifically formulated straighteners can safely and successfully remove as much or as little curl as desired.

TR is not so simple. TR is a chemical process. In TR, pictures are NOT worth a thousand words! EXPERIENCE plays a big role in the choice of hair stylist. A person who is now performing Thermal Reconditioning should already have had an experience with regular hair straightening methods. The person has to have formal training in Thermal Reconditioning system.

The stylist should know how to work with every hair type and every type of hair problem. We are talking about putting your hair in the hands of someone who will be breaking down the bonds that give your hair that present curly look and restructuring the bonds so the hair that is treated will be permanently straight. Japanese Hair Straightening/Thermal Reconditioning system will make your hair straight, leaving the hair feeling soft and silky. In other words, your hair will look better than ever before. Thermal Reconditioning/TR is NOT for anyone to "experiment" on you.

SKILL: A lot depends on the hair ironing process. It is the heat and method of pressing the hair with a special thermal iron that helps restructure the hair bonds and give the hair the desired look. This process also irons the 'style' into the hair. The ironing process is not as easy as ironing clothes. This takes considerable skill, patience and practice.

Also, if excessive force is used during the ironing process, the scalp may not be able to bear the force and the new growth is pulled out of the pores and cause reduction (permanent hair reduction is defined as the long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing). In addition, there could be heat damage, for example, if the heat is too high or is applied for too long at the root, you will permanently alter the hair�that means hair that�s frizzy and confused. In all my years in this business I have come across only a 'handful' of stylists who are able to master this skill.

The touch-up service requires a lot of more skill than the initial TR service. The more we re-touch the more we must be careful, otherwise we are apt to make mistakes. I can not emphasize enough the importance of knowledge about hair and chemicals when it comes to permanent hair straightening/TR.

The biggest problem with TR is breakage from manipulation of the hair by stylists who think, �It looks easy�. Unlike other chemical hair services such as color, and highlights; chemical hair straightening/TR can cause you to get a chemical hair cut in the hands of an untrained stylist.

Perhaps a little explanation would help: To alter the shape memory of the hair (to chemically straighten the hair/TR) from curly to straight - permanently, we must first apply a chemical hair straightener. For example, if the diameter of your hair is presumably 70 microns, the hair will swell up to approximately 80 to 85 microns. Hence, the cuticles are raised (lift open); this is to allow the chemicals to penetrate into the cortex and break the cystine/disulfide bond.

Once this is accomplished, the broken cystine bonds will be re-connected to up about 90% by the neutralizer (oxidation). The remaining 10% is reconnected by the air. But just like a cut on the skin; there is no instant way of healing a cut; it takes 2 to 3 days to heal! Same with the hair; it takes two to three days for the hair: 1) to constrict 2) the cuticle to close, thus, allowing the hair to go back to its original diameter.

Many judgments are made based on emotion, misinformation, or hearsay rather than sound fact. Most people are told not to shampoo or wet the hair for 24 to 72 hours after the TR service. Nonetheless, giving the hair time to heal is as important and should be a priority too! Actually, unless the TR stylist had attended a science symposium class and has a little knowledge in Trichoanalysis; the TR stylists doing the TR process is clueless! Unfortunately, 95% of stylists do not have this training and that�s the main reason: 1) You will NOT receive a correct answer most of the time. 2) We have so many TR problems!

I attended three science symposium seminars, each seminar costing me $5000 in 1979/1980 dollar value, and I learned the essentials in Trichology/Trichoanalysis and permanent hair straightening. Today, the stylists who is clueless about the science of permanent hair straightening/TR, he/she pays $100 for a TR seminar and get it back as a credit if they purchase the TR package. Or, they purchase the package with a video training instructions. The next day they advertise "WE do Thermal Reconditioning".

TR doesn't work that way! Also, most of the answers that you read by stylists who give advice on beauty forums are NOT what they really know and understand, but what they read from other postings, hence, they duplicate, adlib and wing it, such as perhaps this posting that I had posted. Let's be frank - I am giving a lot of good valuable information. Do not misunderstand me, I am not trying to bash anyone. We all work hard - money does't come easy and I just want to open the eye of the public so that people have better understanding about TR and permanent hair straightening. I also know that most people require this service not because they want to, but because they need to. Be it TR or conventional permanent hair straightening. People with curly hair understand this neccessity.

Frankly TR is not easy. It requires a lot of details. When it comes to TR we can't emphasize enough the importance of knowledge about hair. Otherwise TR technicians are apt to make mistakes and ruin the hair.

If you meet Hitoshi and if you had the opportunity to watch me during the TR process, the detailed attention, the due diligence - you will then appreciate how intricate TR is. A person from NYC who had a bad TR experience had written and said to me: �I don't understand why this hair process is not regulated if it is this dangerous. It sounds like doctors should be doing it in a hospital.�

Before meeting Hitoshi - the distributor of STRAIGHT TIO and MODE TOUCH Japanese TR systems in Toronto, Canada http://www.jbnb.ca I thought of me (Steve) as KNOW-IT- ALL about hair. But I found it was not true. There was Hitoshi. He knows from A to Z about Japanese Hair Straightening System.

Unlike other TR distributors, such as Phiten Yuko and Shinbi International (distributor of Liscio), Hitoshi is very unique; he knows about cystine bond, ionic bond, hydrogen bond, polypeptide bond, fibril, macro-fibril, micro-fibril, proto-fibril, alpha-helix and ammonium thioglycolate, sodium hydroxide, sodium bromate, and much more. Imagine! Hitoshi is a distributor of hair care and TR products and NOT a stylist.

No one works as hard as Hitoshi and to bring out the best in hair care and TR products. I work very hard too. We are constantly advancing ourselves and to give better TR results. Am I apt to make mistakes? Sure. But so far I am honorable and very proud to say that I have NOT done a botched TR or botched TR touch-up job. However, just like in America �TR Gone Wrong� is prevalent in most upscale Downtown and the Uptown of Downtown Toronto salons. The sad part is � Hitoshi and I had trained most of these stylists/salons, but not anymore! I don�t do this anymore.

TR is NOT about reputable salon or very nice people or a stylist who is very nice. Allowing a bunch of well-intentioned hairdressers to learn how to do TR will eventually cause damage beyond the hair! Before getting your hair TRd, gather info about the system that you want to get and about your potential stylist - the more the better. Then ask lots of questions. If the stylist does not answer your questions properly, do NOT allow him/her to do your hair.

http://www.letsgetitstraight.com/board/board_topic/315724/53356.htm
I like what David from Chicago had said, but not because of the praise; it is informative and to the point. Here is Dave�s posting:

TR professional worth his weight in gold

"quote". For anyone considering Thermal Reconditioning, you absolutely OWE IT TO YOURSELF to visit www.verticalsinhair.com You need to arm yourself with the knowledge to ask the right questions as you seek a competent and expert TR professional. If you don't, the results could be disastrous. Further down I will give you my honest opinion on the TR specialist who I decided to go with.

There are several systems, the most popular being Straight Tio, Yuko, Liscio, Bio Ionic and Rusk, and in my opinion and experience (having had both American and Japanese systems done), the Japanese systems are superior. Not surprisingly, TR was created in Japan. The system I have had the best result with personally is STRAIGHT TIO.

However, more important than perhaps the actual system is the skill of the TR technician. Lets face it�Picasso could do more with 3 broken crayons than the average man could with a palate of the finest paint. I have personally interviewed over 15 TR techs/salons in my area and found that while many may be adept at coloring, perming or styling hair, they scored relatively low when it came to TR knowledge. Some of the consultations were a huge waste of time with the tech giving just a cursory touch to my hair, asking a few basic questions and then trying to nail down a time when I would want to come in.

TR is much more than just applying chemicals and solutions to your hair and hoping that it comes out well. TR is a very detailed oriented procedure and requires a very thorough knowledge of how the chemical and the hair interact. Believe me, just read some of the horror story posts on any TR forum. Many of the techs out there take a 1 day training and think that they can just follow the step by step and perform a beautiful TR every time. Sometimes they may get lucky and it works out well. However, do you want to be the chemistry experiment that didn't turn out well? It is not a cookie cutter operation.

My frustration after interviewing these salons in my area (Chicago) almost caused me to give up on the whole process. Throughout this time I had been emailing Steve T, the owner of www.verticalsinhair.com He generously and freely gave me great advice and feedback. I realized that this guy really knew what he was talking about�hair straightening is ALL he does. He never solicited me as a client, knowing that I lived in Chicago and he was in Toronto. It was so refreshing to speak to someone who actually gave advice because he truly wanted to help. Most of the TR techs I visited with only had dollar signs in their eyes as I eased into their chairs. As it turned out, I decided that Steve was the best choice for me and I flew to Toronto to get my TR done.

Prior to going, Steve sent me a very detailed questionnaire and had me send him some hair samples to test the strength and condition of my hair to make sure I was a good candidate for hair. He uses both his fingers to test and a very sophisticated machine to test the hair strand. NOTE: None of the salons/Techs that I had interviewed even remotely approached the kind of questioning or detail that Steve did.

Anyone who meets Steve will learn very quickly that he is a very good natured, genuine and talkative person. This guy likes to have fun. However, as soon as we started the TR, he became extremely focused and quiet as he expertly took me through the process, also explaining what he was doing and why. What became apparent is TR is as much a technical process as it is an art where the results are just as dependent on the chemicals as the artistry of the professional.

The result? This guy is Picasso! My hair came out exceptional. Steve used STRAIGHT TIO and my hair is straight and soft, it is not fried or damaged. It's been over a week now and I have not seen any breakage or hair loss. Steve sent me home with a very comprehensive hair care regimen that will help ensure the results.

As a sales professional, I understand the importance of doing a good job for the client. It is the lifeblood of all business. If my experience was a negative one, I would be posting a much different message. Steve did not ask me to post this message. I'm posting for several reasons. First, he is damn good and deserves every compliment that I or any other one of his satisfied clients writes. Second, I think that more of us should be educating ourselves to better interview TR techs. After all, we are the ones who will either leave the salons as a satisfied client or as a TR victim. Third, I know I'm not the only one to have searched and searched for an excellent TR professional. If you are geographically able to, Steve is worth the trip. In my opinion, the cost of a bad TR outweighs the expense of getting to Toronto.

I'm sure there are other good TR techs out there, but for my money, I have found the professional who will get my business. Look at it this way: If you needed heart surgery, who would you go to? The guy who just got out of med school or the best surgeon at the Mayo Clinic? Steve definitely falls under the latter. In my opinion, he is in the top of his profession.

NOTE: I know that Steve has been under fire at lamasbeauty. I have been following the drama and know the facts: it is all political and can be summarized as follows: Steve disagreed with what some of their "TR experts" had to say, they didn't like it and so they banned him. It is a very involved and really, sad state of affairs. The ones who really ultimately suffer are us, the TR clients looking to get HONEST answers.

Having met Steve and having had my TR done so expertly, I am absolutely enraged when I read some of the posts that try to slam Steve. I have no financial gain by promoting him. I just really believe in what he stands for and the result that is on my head should convince anyone."unquote"

PS. you can also read my two part series on Consultation.

http://www.letsgetitstraight.com/board/board_topic/315724/54528.htm

http://www.letsgetitstraight.com/board/board_topic/315724/54710.htm

Steve Tcherkezian
www.verticalsinhair.com