flat ironing new growth before relaxing...

[silk]

I have difficulty relaxing my hair as I can hardly comb/smooth the relaxer thru the new growth. Does any one know if there is anything wrong with flat ironing the new growth before relaxing. That way I think I could avoid the breakage I get from trying to part and comb thru the naps

 

[Karonica]

So, how do you apply the relaxer? I think it works best if you use that paint-brush looking brush

to apply the perm to the section of newgrowth. Then, after you apply, smooth the perm down with your fingertips. That should soften it so that after you're done doing that to your entire head, you can comb through. I like this method because if the person is careful enough, they can use the brush on it without meddling with the scalp causing irritation.

 

[Haleni]

I agree with Karonic about using an applicator brush. I have very think hair myself and I can't run a comb through it at relaxer time. I use the rattail to part small sections as I appy the relaxer. I smooth as I go and never comb the relaxer in. Because I use the brush, I don't get much if any on my scalp. I don't know about flat ironing before a relaxer. Your scalp could be a little tender from the heat.

 

[sarina0000]

I do this too, I don't get my new growth real straight but just anoth to keep it from breaking.

 

[Isis]

I've never tried to comb a relaxer through my new growth - I use the back of the comb and my fingers to smooth it. IMO, flat ironing the new growth would make it more difficult to see where it ends and would be to easy to overlap.

 

[NaturalRox]

Flat ironing directly before a relaxer seems like it would be too much stress on the hair shaft to be honest. Karonica's idea about using the applicator brush should help you out. Good luck!

 

[Tracy]

I agree. I read somewhere that the reason heat straightens the hair is because it temporarily melts and softens some the protein/keratin bonds in the hair so that they can be temporarily reshaped. Since relaxers go even further and break those same bonds it would seem that you might be in danger of overprocessing....

But that's a guess, not science exactly....