Relaxer Still Left in Hair

Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
This is probably a really stupid question, but if there was some relaxer still left in my hair, how would I know it? :confused: Thanks in advance.
 

Aquamarine

Hi there!
Well if you self relax (like I used to do a lot), the neutralizing shampoo suds would have a pink tint...letting you know to keep rinsing. Sometimes I'd have to shampoo, rinse, repeat up to 5 times :ohwell:. That was really tiring, because my water pressure in the sink wasn't very hard all the time.

Another clue would be hair that is brittle and breaking off on your hands.
 

Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
I don't self relax so IDK about a pink tint. But, this is kinda gross let me tell you ladies what's going on. We're all friends here...

There are little patches of hard stuff on my scalp. At first I thought they were burns and I had my friend look b/c the places were kind of tender. She said it looked like crusty stuff, not a burned area. So I've kinda picked at the places and it's like white crusty stuff and it sorta hurts when I pick at it but it's not skin. This is so weird, I'm about to wash my hair cause I have no idea what's going on.
 

Sweet_Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
Cincysweetie said:
This is probably a really stupid question, but if there was some relaxer still left in my hair, how would I know it? :confused: Thanks in advance.


I agree w/Aqua if the neutralizing shampoo is still pink when your shampooing thats how you can tell if the relaxer is still in your hair, also when you hair dries you may have some hard spots where the relaxer is still in.
 

Aquamarine

Hi there!
Hm, and these aren't chemical burns? Because I used to find these patches like what you've described the day after a relaxer (both salon and home).

Also, could it be residue from a setting lotion or leave in that the sytlist used?
 

Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
Aquamarine said:
Hm, and these aren't chemical burns? Because I used to find these patches like what you've described the day after a relaxer (both salon and home).

Also, could it be residue from a setting lotion or leave in that the sytlist used?
It really could be a chemical burn, I just don't really know what they look like. Maybe that's what it is. Whatever it is, it is gross and I'm ready to rinse my hair....I think I will feel much better then.
 

VelvetRain

Well-Known Member
Cincysweetie said:
I don't self relax so IDK about a pink tint. But, this is kinda gross let me tell you ladies what's going on. We're all friends here...

There are little patches of hard stuff on my scalp. At first I thought they were burns and I had my friend look b/c the places were kind of tender. She said it looked like crusty stuff, not a burned area. So I've kinda picked at the places and it's like white crusty stuff and it sorta hurts when I pick at it but it's not skin. This is so weird, I'm about to wash my hair cause I have no idea what's going on.


You know this is giving me a bad flashback. The same thing happened to me when I let my mothers friend put a virgin relaxer in my hair when I was 15. Not only did she let the relaxer touch my scalp but she did not rinse it out properly. It was about 8 hour laters when I kept wondering my my scalp felt like it was on fire. It was well after midnight when I had to wash my hair all over again. Thank goodness I had no breakage. Your doing the right thing by washing again. I would follow up with a deep conditioner.
 

hairmaster

New Member
Sounds like allerigic reaction to chemicals in the relaxer, you would have felt a burning sensation if it was relaxer left in and not rinsed.
 

ThursdayGirl

Well-Known Member
I had something like this ... but it was a chemical burn from a touch up... I felt the burn during the relaxer though... Did you feel any burning in that area during your touch up? you may have to wait a week. If you're getting pain while you're trying to get the patches up... that sounds like a scab to me. You could try to soak it in water...hopefully it would soften up... which could aid in removal.

I'm sorry you're going through this :( .
 

Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
Hey ladies, thanks for all the feedback. I did have a burning sensation during the relaxer and in one spot this stuff is there so maybe it is a chemical burn. The other spot I don't recall burning but it could have been also. It's not hurting now, it's just irritating and I've been picking some of it off (I know that's gross). I just washed and am deep conditioning now so hopefully it will be much better after this. Thanks again!
 

Aquamarine

Hi there!
Brings back memories (bad memories) for me too. You know it's bad when you have a fresh relaxer and it feels like a part of your hair has melted to your scalp! You also know it's bad when you get USED to it at just about every other touchup:ohwell: (that was me)

more advice: My mom would mix some glovers with heavy grease like Royal Crown bergamont or something like that and dab it onto the affected area to soften it up.
 
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Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
See, I don't recall my scalp being based so I think that was party of the problem. It's not hurting now or anything, it's just annoying to know I have these hard crusty patches on my scalp. I think I took care of most of it in the shower just now though.
 

imani97

New Member
Aquamarine said:
You know it's bad when you have a fresh relaxer and it feels like a part of your hair has melted to your scalp! You also know it's bad when you get USED to it at just about every other touchup:ohwell: (that was me) ]

That was me too. I thought that it was normal. Do you know, for awhile, I would even sit there through the burn just to make sure that my hair got straight? Then my mother wondered why I always had stuff going on with my scalp. :nono:
 
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ThursdayGirl

Well-Known Member
Before I started transitioning... I would base my scalp the night before with Dudley's A,D and E. I never had burning problems after that. might be worth trying....
 

NewlyNature12

New Member
I agree with the suggestion for the shampoo and deep condition. Maybe some aloe to help your scalp heal? (if it is a burn, which it sounds like it is to me). HTH...let us know what is going on.
 

Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone. I washed my hair (clarified) and made sure to clean my scalp very well. I then followed up with a moisturizing conditioner and deep conditioned with heat for about 30 minutes with my KeraCare Humecto. IDK if the patches are still there, I didn't really check. I put on a decent amount of coconut oil and then braided my hair up into 2 Pochahontas braids. It feels good, but I will let you all know when I take the braids down tomorrow if the stuff is gone.
 

Enchantmt

Progress...not perfection
Its a burn. You dont actually bleed so the secretion that forms a scab is clear so it looks like a patch in your scalp. Dont pick it, you don't want an infection, you need it to heal and let it fall off on its own. Just keep it moisturized. If you have a pcj relaxer kit they have this stuff in it called nutrient sheen. If you rinse your hair after a relaxer, apply that and rinse, leaving a little in. You wont get the scabs. Dont leave too much throughout your hair as the product dries hard. You can also dab it on your sore spots. You used to be able to buy it seperately but I dont know if you still can.

If you ever think that you have relaxer in your hair wash with a neutralizing shampoo. Depending on the concentration of the relaxer if its a color code shampoo it wont always show pink tho. You sort of have to know your hair. If it feels crispy you may have relaxer left in it. Good luck. :)
 

PatTodd

Well-Known Member
Co-signing with Enchantment. I've had burns before where I didn't recall feeling anything. I always would just rub some "grease" on the spot for a few days until it healed.
 

Cincysweetie

Well-Known Member
Enchantmt said:
Its a burn. You dont actually bleed so the secretion that forms a scab is clear so it looks like a patch in your scalp. Dont pick it, you don't want an infection, you need it to heal and let it fall off on its own. Just keep it moisturized. If you have a pcj relaxer kit they have this stuff in it called nutrient sheen. If you rinse your hair after a relaxer, apply that and rinse, leaving a little in. You wont get the scabs. Dont leave too much throughout your hair as the product dries hard. You can also dab it on your sore spots. You used to be able to buy it seperately but I dont know if you still can.

If you ever think that you have relaxer in your hair wash with a neutralizing shampoo. Depending on the concentration of the relaxer if its a color code shampoo it wont always show pink tho. You sort of have to know your hair. If it feels crispy you may have relaxer left in it. Good luck. :)
Thank you very much, this makes a lot of sense.
 
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