Meet the "Creamy Crack!!"

Now before I begin this post I just want to say that all of the information provided on this blog is purely informational and the choice is ultimately yours to choose what you want to do with your hair. If you have relaxed hair and choose to stay relaxed, I am definitely not here to condemn your decision. This is solely based on my experiences coupled with factual information that I have researched about this subject.

Cool! now that the disclaimer is out the way, lol!...

What in the world is the "creamy crack?" If you are a fellow natural you know exactly what I mean by this term.

The creamy crack refers to relaxers, aka perm or better known as Sodium Hydroxide which is the scientific name for it. Sodium Hydroxide is a chemical substance that is placed in the hair to alter the texture of the hair and make it straight or "relaxed."

I guess they call it the "creamy crack" because once you get a relaxer, you have to keep getting it again and again (touch- ups). Some women feel as though they can't live without it -so to speak!

So how does this sodium hydroxide alter the texture of your hair?

Well I thought you'd never ask!! The main ingredient in relaxers (sodium hydroxide) is "Lye". Lye is a very strong potent chemical that alters the chemical makeup of the hair. The cortex (inner layer of the hair shaft) of the hair is what gives natural textured hair it's curly shape and elasticity. Sodium hydroxide penetrates the cortex and dramatically loosens the shape making it straight. This process makes the hair very weak and brittle and extremely prone to breakage. Once the damage by sodium hydroxide is done, it's irreversible!

Ok now this same substance (sodium hydroxide) is the substance that is found in liquid drain cleaners aka DRANO!!  Yes Drano... that stuff that eats away at gunk in your drains! That statement right there tells you how strong and powerful this substance is that people put in their hair.

A Roller Coaster Ride Down the pH Scale!!!

So the way that relaxers work is that in order to alter the texture of the hair shaft the pH has to be extremely high. Relaxers are a pH between 10-14. 14 being THE HIGHEST number on the pH scale. This is how it is able to straighten the hair. The higher you go up the pH scale the more the ability of the chemical to straighten the hair. 

This is also a reason why after a relaxer is applied and rinsed out you have to have a neutralizing shampoo. Now the pH of this neutralizing shampoo ranges from 4.4 to 5.5. The pH has to be this low to cancel out the alkaline effects of the relaxer and wash away any residue.

By the time this whole process is over the hair has been from a 14 on the pH scale all the way to a 4.4! Talk about a long scary roller coaster ride that I personally will never re-visit again.

Well there you have it Chicas!!! The cold hard facts about what this stuff really is :\ 

If you haven't seen the movie documentary "Good Hair" by Chris Rock, check it out! It also sheds some light on the "creamy crack."

So if you are reading this and chose to remain a relaxed chick, us curly heads are not here to crucify you by any means...your decision... i'm just saying...

Until next time,

Peace and precious blessings:)

~Licia