The Truth about Kiddie Relaxers and Textured Hair Damage
Kiddie relaxers are thought to be a gentler way to achieve straight hair on fragile youth tresses. You may have looked at a box at the beauty supply and wondered if you should purchase it for your child, or even for yourself.
Children’s relaxers usually come in a colorful box with happy and healthy-haired kids on the front. As consumers, we assume that any baby or children’s product is safe and gentle. After all, manufacturers have our kids’ best interests in mind, right?
Maybe, but not in the case of the kiddie relaxer. A product like Just For Me No-Lye Conditioning Creme Relaxer Kit gets a jaw-dropping 9 out of 10 on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Database.
This score means that the children’s product is highly hazardous, even for adults. One application places both you and your child in danger, even if you’re wearing gloves.
Why? It’s because strong hair relaxers aren’t just bad for hair. Inhaling the product is toxic and unhealthy. Some relaxers can lead to endocrine disruption, irritation, and organ toxicity, according to EWG.
In this post, we’ll discuss the dangers of kiddie relaxers and how to create a safer environment for you and your child.
What’s in a Kiddie Relaxer and Why Should I Care?
Relaxers usually contain sodium hydroxide in the lye formula and calcium hydroxide in the no-lye mixture. Other relaxing agents include ammonium thioglycolate, guanidine hydroxide, and formaldehyde.
Not all relaxers are toxic. In fact, mild formulas do exist, so it is important to do your ingredient research and to check out EWG’s helpful database.
Manufacturers typically use clever marketing techniques, like calling the chemicals “softeners” or “silkeners”. Formaldehyde is another common ingredient in these straightening systems, which makes them even more toxic.
Product labels almost never show how much of the toxic chemical is inside the box, so it is hard to know how strong the products are. However, if a label’s first five ingredients are toxic, you can be certain it’s not healthy for you or your child.
Children’s immune systems are not fully developed. Their skin and other organs are highly sensitive to beauty and household products that adults use every day. Children’s underdeveloped bodies simply can’t handle a heavy toxic overload.
It is wise to be cautious about which products you use around your child. Exposure to toxic chemicals at an early age places the child at risk for disease.
Now that we’ve discussed the most detrimental effects of kiddie relaxers, let’s talk about hair.
Kiddie Relaxer’s Effect on Hair and Other Dangers
Relaxing at an early age can cause irreparable hair damage. Here are some common issues with using kiddie and other home relaxer kits.
- Scalp Burning. You probably already know about scalp burning if you’ve ever tried a relaxer. Burning the follicles can lead to balding. Luckily, children replace cells very quickly, but it’s still risky.
You might be wondering how to protect the scalp when relaxing your child’s tresses. It’s very difficult to keep the scalp protected during relaxer application, but applying petroleum jelly to the scalp just beforehand can be helpful for protecting against burns.
You should also avoid shampooing your little one’s hair for three days before the relaxer application. Shampooing tends to wash away the skin’s natural oils, leaving the scalp open to potential damage.
- Over-processing Hair. Relaxers break down proteins in the hair so that the hair is weaker and less curly. Overdoing it can damage the hair shaft, and cause breakage. Don’t try to make the child’s hair straighter by leaving the product on longer than recommended.
If you’ve relaxed your child’s hair before, you’ll need to be extra vigilant about not processing the same hair twice. Be sure to use a timer, and stay within the normal processing time.
- Sight and Hearing Damage. Applying relaxer is almost never a smooth process. Horror stories of the relaxer running into the eyes, or falling into the ear canal will probably cause you to think twice about slathering a caustic chemical onto your child.
A relaxer’s job is to break down and weaken protein. If the substance falls onto an unwanted place, it can be extremely painful and permanent.
Alternatives to Kiddie Relaxers
Here are some alternatives to consider if you decide to avoid kiddie relaxers:
- Develop a Good Relaxed or Natural Hair Care Routine. Every child and parent are different, but you might find it useful to shampoo your little one’s hair only once per week, and to do a refresher with a water-based detangler in between wash sessions. Nutress Stop Break Leave-In Conditioner will make the hair more pliable, soft, and manageable. Your child’s hair won’t need to be combed daily if it is kept detangled within protective hairstyles.
- Use Protective Styling to Reduce Tangles. Hair should be placed into braids and twists throughout the week and unraveled only when it is time to shampoo the hair. Children are active beings. They run, play, and stick their heads into things that adults never would.
Avoid the temptation to allow your child to wear her hair down unless it is a special occasion. A good protective style like twists or braids will help to stretch the hair to make it more manageable, and it will guard the hair so that the strands won’t break.
How to Protect Your Child During a Relaxer Session
Texlaxing or texturizing is an interesting option for those who’d like to minimize chemical usage. There is generally no difference in the formula of a texlax and a relaxer, but opting for a texlax is a way to reduce the amount of time the chemical is on the hair.
Also, consider stretching the time between relaxers to reduce hair damage. Waiting 12 to 20 weeks between relaxers will help to minimize breakage.
Be sure to protectively style your little one’s mane into braids and twists during the week to guard against breakage.
Above all, trust your instinct when it comes to products. Try to take fancy marketing with a grain of salt, and go straight for the ingredients label. Scanning through the list can be a life-saver for your child.
Keep a watchful eye on your child at the salon too. Always be attentive when your little one is with a stylist to ensure damaging techniques are not used.
And remember, kiddie and home relaxer kits can cause irreparable damage when done improperly. Be sure to do extra research before bringing this chemical into your home. And when in doubt, visit a professional.
Your child can have beautiful hair on her own, without the use of toxic kiddie relaxers. Adopting a great relaxed or natural hair care routine that steers clear of toxins will help you control, manage, and grow your little one’s hair so that she has beautiful tresses for years to come.
Now it’s your turn. How do you feel about kiddie relaxers, and do you use any alternatives to care for your child’s hair?