
Image Source White/Image Source/Getty Images
Using lye hair relaxers is a popular treatment that straightens coarse or kinky hair. But before you head to the salon for your bi-monthly touch-up, consider what that lye is doing to your hair. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is an especially potent chemical that can be deadly if ingested, warns Drugs.com. If it is so detrimental to your body, think of the damage it could be inflicting on your hair.
Burns and Irritation
When applied to the skin, lye can cause burns and irritation, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you decide to use a lye hair relaxer, go to a professional, and make sure that your hairstylist applies the lye away from your scalp. Burning of the scalp could result in redness, burning, itching and rash. No-lye hair relaxers exist, and can reduce the amount of scalp damage, but they may not work as well.
Dryness
Lye effectively strips your hair of amino acids and moisture, found a study by the Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, published in the March 2010 issue of "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology." This is especially detrimental for those who already suffer from dry hair, which kinky and course hair tend to be. The relaxing process usually takes at least 30 minutes, which means the chemical is sitting on your hair for that long. After washing out the relaxing solution, you may need deep conditioning, hot oil treatments, and hair masks to replenish moisture.
Damage and Breakage
Hair is essentially a dead protein, notes the American Hair Loss Association. Damaged hair lacks the active cells to repair itself. Unfortunately, lye hair relaxers strip the hair of moisture, and can burn or break the hair shaft. Once this damage occurs, cut off that hair. KidsHealth.org warns against using lye hair relaxers more often than every six weeks, and points out that heated styling tools can exacerbate the damage.
Related Articles

How to Get a Healthy Spiral Perm

How to Manage Thick, Coarse ...
How to Wash African-American Braids

How to Control Frizzy Hair for ...

How to Condition Hair After Using a ...

How to Get Rid of My Permed Hair

Epsom Salts & Ingrown Hairs
How to Wax With Duct Tape

Dry Hair Treatment With Canola Oil

Products That Relax Curls

How to Get Rid of Built Up Soap & ...

Keratin Hair Treatment Ingredients

How to Cure Rough and Dry Afro Hair

How to Relax Permed Hair

What Are the Dangers of Getting a Perm?

How to Relax a Perm With Home Remedies

Alternatives to Tweezers

How to Moisturize Dry Hair Caused by ...

How Long Does a Hair Texturizer Last?

How to Change from a Relaxer to a Perm
References
Writer Bio
Kay Ireland specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle topics. She is a support worker in the neonatal intensive care and antepartum units of her local hospital and recently became a certified group fitness instructor.
Photo Credits
Image Source White/Image Source/Getty Images