Thermal and Chemical Services for Natural Hair
This domain tests thermal and chemical services for natural hair, including heat protection, relaxer chemistry, and scope limits.
Thermal
- Use heat protectant; match iron temperature to texture, porosity, and condition.
- Flat iron only dry hair; wet hair can boil and fracture.
- Avoid repeated passes; watch for smoke, sizzle, or a burnt odor.
- A silk press means cleanse, condition, dry thoroughly, then press in small sections.
Chemical
- Relaxers are alkaline; lye and no-lye products differ but both require careful scalp protection.
- Retouch applications go on new growth only; overlapping previously relaxed hair causes breakage.
- Neutralizing shampoo must be used for the full time; residual alkali continues to process.
- Always patch test and follow manufacturer directions; chemical services may be outside the natural hair stylist scope.
Worked example
A client is 10 weeks post-relaxer and wants a retouch. Protect previously relaxed lengths with conditioner or a barrier, apply to new growth only, smooth without scraping the scalp, rinse fully, then neutralize and check with pH strips if available. The reasoning: overlap and incomplete neutralization are the main causes of breakage and burns.
Traps
- Flat ironing damp hair.
- Calling a product natural and skipping a patch test.
- Neutralizing too briefly.