The no lye versus lye hype
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: African American Hair
Forum Name: African American Hair
Forum Description: Devoted to the special needs of African Americans.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=26738
Printed Date: July 23 2025 at 1:30pm
Topic: The no lye versus lye hype
Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Subject: The no lye versus lye hype
Date Posted: August 14 2002 at 10:17am
I have a concern that I want to bring to the board and am hoping to get some insight on. Please keep in mind that these are just my theories and are not factual but I`m really starting to believe them. Here goes:
Everyone has been saying that lye relaxers are better for your hair because they make the hair look better,more silky,straighter and manageable. Also they are not as drying to the hair.
For no lye relaxers,which are getting a bad rap,they are saying these types of relaxers are more drying to the hair and more damaging and dont get your hair as straight.
The overall majority says that no lye is more gentle on the scalp but drying to the hair and lye relaxers are easier on the hair but harsher on the scalp. Here is my theory:
I understand that lye perms are better for the hair,less drying and all of that but they are bad on the scalp. Isnt our scalp what we want to preserve anyway? I mean,it seems to me that my hair follicles on my scalp is what I want to protect because that is where my hair will grow from. True,no lye may be more drying to the hair but moisture can be put back in the hair constantly with frequent washings,oil and regular deep conditioning treatments to combat the dryness.In other words hair from no lye relaxers can be saved with regular moisture treatments but once the scalp is damaged from a relaxer whether its no lye or lye its almost always irreversable and the results are hair loss and/or thinning.Since no lye has a lesser chance of ruining the scalp I have chosen to use no lye relaxers. Most people I know who regularly use lye perms after awhile their hair starts to look thin. I`m not saying that no lye is better or lye is better I really dont know for sure since they are both hydroxides (sodium and calcium) and can both be damaging. I just want some opinions on saving the hair versus saving the scalp theory. Please share with me your thoughts on this.
Thanks,
Carmen
|
Replies:
Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: August 14 2002 at 12:13pm
Hi Carmen. I`m not African-American but I too suffer from dry hair due to processing. Something many people are unaware of: you CANNOT repair hair after it has been damaged by the sun, coloring, processing, etc. Hot oils, conditioners and treatments can only coat the hair shaft, making it *feel* and *look* better but not actually changing the hair`s structure. From the moment a hair shaft leaves your scalp at the root it is dead. Without cellular turnover it cannot repair itself. So please just be careful when processing your hair, as damage is not reversible, no matter what product you use.
-------------
Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft
|
|