Hair straightening query from India

Hi vaibhav,

For hair safety reasons, it is not that easy to give you a tangible answer. So your description of the process is NOT enough information to give you the right advice. You need to know the chemical ingredient of hair straightening products before making a permanent decision.

To the best of my knowledge KEUNE have permanent wave solution products and I doubt if they have a hair straightening product that is specifically made for this purpose. Schwarzkopf have GLATT and L'Oreal have X-TENSO and CERA THERMIC.

I am providing you with 3 inks to my Website which will help you understand each of the hair straightening processes.

http://www.verticalsinhair.com/process.shtml

http://www.verticalsinhair.com/conventional.shtml

http://www.verticalsinhair.com/trline.shtml

Steve

Hey Vaibhav,

Okay, no more dark areas for you in regards to the chemical ingredients and their effects.

The chemical ingredient in L'Oreal X-TENSO and X-TENSO CERA THERMIC is ammonium thioglycolate - sometimes referred to as thioglycolic acid.

The chemistry of the hair straightening process is identical with that of permanent waving, with the breaking of disulfide linkages and re-forming of the hair shape (in a straighter arrangement this time, rather than in curls), followed by re-making of the linkages.

What are the effects of hair straightening?

The reducing agent in TR products is called ammonium thioglycolate in an alkaline solution. The thioglycolate reducing agent acts on the keratin in the hair by breaking the disulfide linkages that join the pairs of cysteine units together. The result is that the keratin softens and swells. The softened hair is then put into its new shape. As it is manipulated the cysteine linkages slip past each other and realign themselves with new cysteine partners.

Neutralizing lotion is then applied. This contains oxidizing agents. One that is often used is hydrogen peroxide, the same substance that is used in hair bleaches. Oxidizing agents work in the opposite way to reducing agents. They make the cysteine units link together into pairs again, hardening the hair and giving it its new, permanent straight shape.

The destruction of disulfide bonds leads to the production of a new molecule called cysteic acid. Unlike disulfide bonds, cysteic acid is not a cross-linked bond between protein chains of the cortex, so it weakens the overall structure of the hair. Although this is an inevitable side effect, the end result is hair that is easy to manage. An appropriate protein/moisture balance can be achieved through the proper hair care treatment.

I don't know what is available in India and I don’t know much about Keune either, so I cannot say which one is better. I know Keune makes a permanent wave lotion, but as I had previously mentioned to you, I doubt if they have a hair straightening product. I can tell you that X-Tenso is a great hair straightening product. It also has a great consistency which gives the stylist the ability to apply the product exactly where he wants it.

Keep in mind that the end result of any hair straightening service depends a lot more on the knowledge, experience and skill of the stylist doing the process and no necessarily the product.

You can learn more by visiting my Website at http://www.verticalsinhair.com

Steve

Hi Vaibhav,

I am well thank you, but I am not happy to hear about your ordeal. Maybe I should have taken the generous that was offered to me a few months ago to go to Bollywood and teach TR and permanent hair straightening. 

When I offer advice, I am in an imaginary world. Your best choice is to find a stylist that specializes in permanent hair straightening and hair reconditioning and literally see your hair.

Steve