Itchy scalp after relaxer . . . what to do?

[Glib Gurl]

So, as I mentioned in another post, I got a relaxer today. Now my scalp was a bit damp when I got to the salon because I had been walking out and it was muggy out today with the rain. So, when the stylist was putting in the relaxer I started to itch/burn in the center of my head. I'm a pretty experienced relaxed head, so I didn't get too worked up about it. While washing out the chemical, I asked her to give extra attention to the center of the back of my head. When I complained that it was "still itching" she said it was "probably because it's dirty." Anyways, she rinses out the chemical, puts me under the dryer for 20 minutes for a DC, and then rinses twice with, I think, shampoo and then conditioner.

The stylist gave me wonderful curls that promptly fell after about 10 minutes in the rain. The one good thing is that my hair is now well moisturized from the weather

Fastforward seven hours. I'm back home and when I ran a wide-tooth comb through my hair, the area that I said was itching feels tender . . . I'm thinking that if I put some EVOO directly on my scalp that should soothe things. I don't want to wash my hair again because, well, I hate to admit it, but I like it when there's a little "residue" of chemical left in my hair . . . helps the straightness last longer. Then again, I do not want to wake up tomorrow bald-headed.

Any thoughts?

 

[JessCNU]

Hello I was just thinking that the "residue" still being there might not be a good thing. I was guilty of this in the past and all it caused was damage and breakage. Now i know that I'm supposed to let the neutralizing shampoo sit in my hair for a while before I rinse it out(yeah even doing it twice). I make sure I have no trace of relaxer in my hair. A good stylist should make sure of that too. Hope that helps some

 

[Glib Gurl]

*sigh* So, what do you think? A light protein treatment?

 

[JessCNU]

I think that would be a good idea. I say about a week after your relaxer do a protein treatment. light(hair mayo) or something heavier(2 min. reconstructor) depending on you hair and how it takes to protein. then just follow with a good deep conditioner. I plan on relaxing tomorrow so I've been reading up on old posts and this is what I have read for the most part. HTH

 

[frizzy]

*sigh* So, what do you think? A light protein treatment?

Yea, AFTER a round of neutralizing 'poo and perhaps a light vinegar rinse, then DC after the light protein, that's what I would do.


Glib, you gotta start reading the hair threads.

 

[Glib Gurl]

Glib, you gotta start reading the hair threads.

Girl, you know I only come in here when nothing is going on in OT or ENT *lol*

 

[Glib Gurl]

Oh yeah, what is a good neutralizing shampoo to use?

Thanks!

 

[KAT25]

I think it might be because you hair might have gotten damp prior to the relaxer from the rain, so I would think that it is just like a burn/soreness, if you had some aloe to put on your scalp that would probably help it. But for my itches I use tea tree oil and it works

 

[frizzy]

ORS Aloe is good, but at this point (for you), I would use anything I could get my hands on...TONITE. If you have relaxer residue left in your hair, it will surely break off.

I relaxed last Saturday and my scalp itched afterwards. I know for sure there was no residue left on my head, so maybe we're just experiencing "Winter itch". I washed and DC'd on Thursday, and did a CW tonite and my scalp still doesn't feel "clear". I know it's clean but it just doesn't feel refreshed.

So, in other words, I don't know why you're itching. I'm gonna try a baking soda rinse next.