Relaxer Touch-Up After Compound Henna and a Scalp Scratch
A 29-year-old client comes for a relaxer touch-up. Her last relaxer was 12 weeks ago, and she says she applied a compound henna product to her hair three weeks ago to 'boost shine.' She has a 1 cm scratch at the nape from a comb and reports mild tenderness there. The hair feels rough and gummy when wet; a shed strand stretches and does not return. She wants a sodium hydroxide relaxer on the new growth and smoothing through the ends. She has no known allergies, but she used a new leave-in conditioner last week. The salon's relaxer kit includes a protective base, neutral shampoo, and pH strips. She has a wedding to attend in 10 days and is adamant about proceeding.
1. Identify the risk factors and decide whether to proceed today. Explain your reasoning.
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Do not proceed today. Three red flags: compound henna three weeks ago, a break in the scalp, and gummy, non-returning hair. Henna products sold as 'compound' may contain metallic salts or other additives that react unpredictably with sodium hydroxide, causing heat, breakage, or color change. The scratch and tenderness mean the scalp barrier is compromised; relaxer on broken skin can cause a severe chemical burn. The wet-stretch result suggests the hair is already overprocessed, so adding relaxer through the ends would likely cause mid-shaft breakage. The wedding in 10 days is not a reason to override these findings. Explain the risks in plain language, document the refusal, and offer a conditioning treatment, trim, and styling plan instead. If she wants to pursue a relaxer later, the scalp must heal and the henna history must be resolved with a strand test.
2. If she still requests a relaxer after the risks are explained, what testing and safeguards would apply?
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Still do not relax today. Wait until the scratch is fully healed, ideally 4–6 weeks after the henna, and perform a strand test on shed hair from the nape. Mix a small amount of the relaxer, apply it to the strand, time it, rinse, neutralize, and observe for 24–48 hours for breakage, heat, or abnormal color. Check scalp integrity before proceeding. If the strand test is normal, base the scalp, apply only to new growth, never overlap previously relaxed hair, and use a timer. Rinse thoroughly, then neutralize with the salon's neutral shampoo and verify with pH strips until the hair is neutral. Do not smooth through the ends. If any burning occurs, rinse immediately and stop.
3. What aftercare and alternatives should be discussed for the wedding timeline?
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Aftercare: no shampoo for 48–72 hours if the manufacturer directs, use a sulfate-free or pH-balanced shampoo, moisturizing conditioner, and a leave-in. Avoid heat, tight braids, and chlorine for a week. Recommend a trim for fragile ends and a reconstructing treatment. Document the henna product, strand-test result, and consent. Do not promise a specific result. If the hair remains gummy, refer the client to a dermatologist or trichologist rather than repeating chemicals. Offer a conditioning service and a clear timeline; the wedding styling can be done with gentle heat and rollers rather than another chemical service.