Are Lye Relaxers Really Better for Hair
- Thread starter vtoodler
- Start date
MissErikaM
New Member
I've read that in lye relaxers the sodium hydroxide doesn't break certain bonds leaving hair that is not as straight and less damaged. the no lye relaxers (potassium hydroxide etc) break more bonds in your hair causing a straighter strand but more damage to the follicle. I remember using no lye relaxers and my hair going bone straight way before the recommended time. I'm not 100% sure if thats correct though, I will have to find the link.
Prudent1
Well-Known Member
^^^ That was my experience. When I joined the forum I was using no lye relaxers. I also had a bit of color in my hair. That combined with poor habits lead to dry crunchy hair. Plus I never liked bone straight hair
. After reading and learning more about haircare I changed to lye relaxers. The difference for me was huge! It would still be several months of trial and error b/f I got the whole moisture balance / protein thing down. That lead to tex-laxing and finally no chemicals at all. IMO, my hair was not straighter w/ the lye relaxer but it def was healthier overall (far less breakage and splits)
.
nakialovesshoes
Well-Known Member
I'm not relaxed right now but headed in that direction. When I left my hometown, my stylist stressed to me to never let anyone use a no-lye relaxer. He told me that they were very drying & would surely break off my crown, which is extremely dry.
There's definitely been a difference for me. I used ORS no-lye for about 2 years before I switched to their lye version. I relax every 8-10 weeks and I always experienced major shedding after 5 weeks with no-lye. Since switching, my hair is not as dry and I have no major shedding. I could probably stretch past 10 weeks now, but I chose not too. My hair is much healthier now!
bebezazueta
Well-Known Member
I may be the only relaxed head that responds to no lye relaxers way better than lye. I switched to lye after years of using no lye and I ruined my hair and scalp! I went back to no lye right before my HHJ last year and use silken child and I have retained all my length and my dandruff issue is extinct! Lesson learned is that I'm part of the small % that do better with no lye. No dryness at all. So be careful thinking that lye relaxers are for everyone cause they are not!
IDareT'sHair
PJ Rehabilitation Center
I Agree. I had to switch back to No-Lye.
I feel with Chelating, Moisture/Protein Balancing, I will have no problem with No-Lye Relaxers.
With Lye, I was always severely underprocessed. NG was hard to manage and was loc'ing & knotting all over the place.
Me Too.
SmileyNY
Well-Known Member
No-Lye Relaxers seal hair strands closed, which makes it close to impossible for conditioners and other hair aids to penetrate the hair shaft. This also allows the hair to become straighter for a longer period of time. Lye relaxers do not seal the hair shaft and are therefore healthier... but it's also harder to get bone straight hair with a lye relaxer. As a texlaxer who is not at all interested in bone straight hair, I use a lye relaxer.
Itllbeokbaby
New Member
lye is (supposedly) harder on the scalp, easier on the hair; no-lye is (supposedly) easier on the scalp, harder on the hair.
my hair was dry with both lye and no-lye; i now know it was/is the hard tap water. i just use a chelateing (sp) shampoo. it may also be my diet. idk.
i switched from lye to no-lye. i was tired of burned scalp, and hair i had to straighten with heat. i just wanted staight hair, and a simple wash-set routine.
i have not noticed any problems with the switch, and i even corrected the lye parts with no-lye. keep up your protein and moisture, of course.
good luck
my hair was dry with both lye and no-lye; i now know it was/is the hard tap water. i just use a chelateing (sp) shampoo. it may also be my diet. idk.
i switched from lye to no-lye. i was tired of burned scalp, and hair i had to straighten with heat. i just wanted staight hair, and a simple wash-set routine.
i have not noticed any problems with the switch, and i even corrected the lye parts with no-lye. keep up your protein and moisture, of course.
good luck
IDareT'sHair
PJ Rehabilitation Center
@Mini mimi
I had to do this too.
Really glad I made the switch too.I think with a solid regimen & proper chelating (as necessary) things should be alright.
Itllbeokbaby
New Member
@Mini mimi
I had to do this too.
I think with a solid regimen & proper chelating (as necessary) things should be alright.
IDareT'sHair
yup my hair is easier on wash day, and much easier to pincurl. it even looks neater. i am happy.
IDareT'sHair
PJ Rehabilitation Center
@Brownie518
@Cream Tee
These 2 Ladies were really instrumental in helping me back the switch to No-Lye.
I feel I lost alot of 'progress' tryna' make "Lye" work for me when clearly it was not.
@Mini mimi
Itllbeokbaby
New Member
IDareT'sHair
i lost alot of hair too. trying to use every detangler in the store. sigh... live and learn.
i hated lye. just the thought of the burn, makes my eyes water!
i lost alot of hair too. trying to use every detangler in the store. sigh... live and learn.
i hated lye. just the thought of the burn, makes my eyes water!
IDareT'sHair
PJ Rehabilitation Center
@IDareT'sHair
i lost alot of hair too. trying to use every detangler in the store. sigh... live and learn.
i hated lye. just the thought of the burn, makes my eyes water!
Mini mimi
Girl.
So. Did I. @both bolded..............
chrstndiva
New Member
The lye relaxer was too harsh for my scalp (I burned almost every time and my scalp was sore) and it left me underprocessed. I'm very happy with my no-lye. Once I learned how to properly care for my hair (chelating, moisture/protein balance), I no longer experienced the dryness. My hair is healthy and I have no problem retaining length.
I will not be switching back to lye.
I will not be switching back to lye.
IDareT'sHair
PJ Rehabilitation Center
Thank God, I never 'burned' using Lye, the Results were always sub-par.
The Underprocessing and the loc'ing & knotting was just too much to deal with.
The Underprocessing and the loc'ing & knotting was just too much to deal with.
Guitarhero
New Member
I'm wondering where you got this information. I couldn't find it on Dr. Ali Sayed's website but might have missed it:
http://www.dralisyed.com/
What he says about relaxers in general is that the cuticle swells with the application of the relaxer at 13.0 ph to roughly 60-80% larger, opening up the cuticle and with rinse and neutralizing shampoo, it's open about 30%...so these two stages are the best for getting a polymer protein deep into the cortex of the hair. When the hair is neutralized and conditioned...the cuticle closes. No-lye relaxers do not seal the cuticles closed, according to the information I viewed. Where did you get that info, if I might ask?
SmileyNY
Well-Known Member
Long story short, I was natural for many, many years. Before deciding to texlax, I did a ton of research. I did not take relaxing again lightly. In my research I found that lithium and potassium hydroxide (no-lye relaxers) leave behind mineral & calcium deposits, which block (basically seal) the hair shaft. This makes it very hard for nutrients and hair aids to be absorbed. Please forgive me for being too lazy too look this information up again for you. I've already done my research for my own purposes & this basic information has become common knowledge for me. If the dr that you are quoting has published everything there is to know about no-lye relaxers, then that information should definitely be a part of his publication. If not then, if you are open to other sources, feel free to look it up.
Aside from the science, I've experienced personally that my hair is softer and less brittle with a lye relaxer. Before I was natural, I used no-lye relaxers. My no-lye relaxed hair was very dry, dull, & had no body. It was lifeless.
afjhnsn
Active Member
Did you chelate/clarify?
I'm a fan of lye, but I've heard so many ppl say that the problems w no lye were easily fixed by doing that. Just wondering..
SmileyNY
Well-Known Member
Back when I was using a no-lye relaxer I wasn't even aware of what it was doing to my hair. Now, as a texlaxer, I have absolutely no interest in using a no lye relaxer, so I don't know. This question would be better posed to someone who is currently using no-lye relaxers.
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LushLox
Well-Known Member
Yes by chelating regularly you quickly solve the 'dryness' issue. In actual fact even before I started chelating my dryness was fixed I was getting regular moisture through my DC, but I will always chelate.
baglady215
Well-Known Member
No-lye ladies, how often do you use chelating poo? Have you had to change your regimens in any other ways since making the switch?
Myjourney2009
Ready to be APL
What chelaters are you using?
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