© 2012 Milady, a part of Cengage Learning
Milady Standard Cosmetology
Chemical Texture Services
The Structure of Hair
• Cuticle: Tough exterior layer of hair.
• Cortex: Middle layer of hair.
• Medulla: Innermost layer of the hair, often called pith or core of the hair.
The Structure of HairImportance of pH in Texture Services
• pH scale: Measures acidity and alkalinity of a substance by measuring the quantity of hydrogen ions it contains.
• Natural pH of hair is between 4.5 and 5.5.
• Chemical texturizers: Raise the pH of the hair to an alkaline state in order to soften and swell the hair shaft.
The Structure of HairBasic Building Blocks of Hair
• Amino acids
• Peptide bonds (end bonds)
• Polypeptide chains
• Keratin proteins
The Structure of HairBasic Building Blocks of Hair
• Side bonds
• Disulfide bonds
• Salt bonds
• Hydrogen bonds
Permanent Waving
• Permanent waving: Two-step process whereby hair undergoes a physical change chemical change.– Always perform an
elasticity test before perming hair.
Permanent WavingPerm Wrap
• Perm wrap: Wet set on perm rods instead of rollers.
• Shape and type of curl are determined by shape and type of rod and wrapping method used.
Permanent WavingTypes of Rods
• Concave rod
• Straight rod
• Soft bender rod
• Loop rod (circle rod)
Permanent WavingEnd Papers
• End papers: Also end wraps; absorbent papers used to control ends of hair when wrapping and winding hair on perm rods.– Double flat wrap– Single flat wrap– Bookend wrap
Permanent WavingSectioning for a Perm
• All perm wraps begin by sectioning the hair into panels.
• Base sections: Subsections of panels into which the hair is divided for perm wrapping.
Permanent WavingBase Placement
• Base placement: Refers to position of rod in relation to its base section.– On-base placement– Half off-base
placement– Off-base placement
Permanent WavingBase Direction
• Base direction: Refers to angle at which rod is positioned on head: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Permanent WavingWrapping Techniques
• Croquignole perm wrap
• Spiral perm wrap
• Double-rod wrap (piggyback wrap)
Permanent WavingThe Chemistry of Permanent Waving
• Alkaline permanent waving solutions soften and swell the hair, opening cuticle and permitting solution to penetrate into cortex.
Permanent WavingReduction Reaction
• In the cortex, waving solution breaks disulfide bonds through reduction.
• Reduction reaction in permanent waving is due to the addition of hydrogen.
• Thioglycolic acid: Most common reducing agent in permanent wave solutions.
• Ammonium thioglycolate (ATG): Active ingredient or reducing agent in alkaline permanents.
Permanent WavingTypes of Permanent Waves
• Alkaline waves or cold waves
• Acid waves• True acid waves• Acid-balanced waves• Exothermic waves• Endothermic waves• Ammonia-free waves• Thio-free waves• Low-pH waves
Permanent WavingSelecting the Right Type of Perm
• Overprocessed hair• Underprocessed hair• Thio neutralization:
Stops action of waving solution and rebuilds hair into its new curly form.
Permanent WavingPermanent Waving Procedures
• Preliminary test curls• Wrapping patterns
– Basic permanent wrap (straight set wrap)
– Curvature permanent wrap
– Bricklay permanent wrap
– Weave technique
• Partial perms
Permanent WavingPerms for Men/Safety Precautions for Permanent Waving
• Male clients are looking for the texture, fullness, style, and low maintenance a perm provides.
• Perm safety– Protect client’s
clothing.– Do not give to clients
who have had allergic reactions.
– Examine scalp before service.
– Do not perm damaged or relaxed hair.
Permanent WavingSafety Precautions/Metallic Salts
• Perm safety (cont.)– Test for metallic salts.– Use a barrier cream.– Follow manufacturer’s
guidelines.– Keep waving lotion
away from client’s eyes.
– Wear gloves.– Do not safe leftover
solutions.
• Some home haircoloring products contain metallic salts that are not compatible with permanent waving.– Test for metallic salts
before perming.
Chemical Hair RelaxersExtremely Curly Hair
• Chemical hair relaxing: Process or service that rearranges the structure of curly hair into a straighter or smoother form.
• Extremely curly hair grows in long twisted spirals, or coils.
Chemical Hair RelaxersThio Relaxers/Japanese Thermal Straighteners
• Thio relaxers: Use same ATG used in permanent waving, but at a higher concentration and higher pH.
• Japanese thermal straighteners: Also thermal reconditioning or TR; combines use of a thio relaxer with flat ironing.
Chemical Hair RelaxersHydroxide Relaxers
• Hydroxide relaxers: Very strong alkalis with a pH over 13.
• Lanthionization: Process by which hydroxide relaxers permanently straighten hair.
• Types:– Metal hydroxide
relaxers– Lye-based relaxers– No-lye relaxers
Chemical Hair RelaxersLow-pH Relaxers/Base and No-Base Relaxers
• Sulfites and bisulfites are sometimes used as low-pH hair relaxers.
• Base cream: Also protective base cream; oily cream used to protect skin and scalp during hair relaxing.
• Base relaxers: Require application of protective base cream to entire scalp prior to application of relaxer.
• No-base relaxers: Do not require application of protective base cream.
Chemical Hair RelaxersRelaxer Strengths
• Chemical hair relaxers are available in three strengths: mild, regular, and super.
• Periodic strand testing during processing will help you tell when the hair is sufficiently relaxed.
Chemical Hair RelaxersHydroxide Relaxer Procedures
• Virgin relaxer application: Used for hair that has not had previous chemical texture services.
• Retouch relaxer application: Used for hair that has had previous chemical texture services.
• Texturizing or retexturizing service: Uses a hydroxide relaxer to reduce curl pattern by degrees.
• Normalizing lotions: Conditioners that restore hair’s natural pH after a hydroxide relaxer.
Chemical Hair RelaxersKeratin Straightening Treatments
• Keratin straightening treatments: Contain silicone polymers and formalin, or similar ingredients, which release formaldehyde gas when heated to high temperatures.
– Eliminate up to 95 percent of frizz and curl and last three to five months.
– Not usually appropriate for extremely curly, tightly coiled hair.
Curl Re-Forming (Soft Curl Permanents)Safety Precautions for Hair Relaxing and Curl Re-Forming
• Soft curl permanent: Combination of thio relaxer and thio permanent wrapped on large rods to make existing curl larger and looser.
• Safety:– Perform a consultation and
hair analysis.– Examine the scalp for
abrasions.– Keep accurate client
records.– Have client sign a release.– Do not apply hydroxide
relaxer on hair previously treated with a thio relaxer.
Curl Re-Forming (Soft Curl Permanents)Safety Precautions
• Safety (cont.)– Do not apply thio relaxer or soft
curl perm on hair that has been treated with hydroxide relaxer.
– Do not chemically relax hair that has been treated with a metallic dye.
– Do not relax damaged hair.
– Do not shampoo prior to application of hydroxide relaxer (scalp must be dry).
– Apply protective base cream.
– Wear gloves.
– Protect client’s eyes.
– Perform strand tests.
– Avoid scratching the scalp.
– Do not attempt to remove more than 80 percent of natural curl.
– Thoroughly rinse chemical relaxer from hair.
– Use normalizing lotion and neutralizing shampoo.
– Use conditioner and wide-tooth comb.
– Do not use hot irons or excessive heat on chemically relaxed hair.