How soon after a relaxer can you re-wash your hair?

[blackberry815]

Just got an inpromptu salon relaxer last night but my hair feels coated and weighed down. Love the relaxer results but I have fine hair so oils and shine sprays dont do me well...that plus it was blow dried since my rollers didnt completely dry and when my hair is blow dried it looks dull to me....any how I like it light bouncy and shiny... How soon can I re-wash?

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[diadall]

I haven't had a relaxer in years but from what I remember when I did get them, you have to wait like a week. At least that is what I remember being told. But there may have been new advances since I last got one that will allow you to wash sooner.

 

[Myjourney2009]

I've co-washed as early as the 2 days later but I dont really know about shampoo.

 

[Solitude]

I really want to say as soon as you feel like it. When my hair feels too flat, I shampoo it 2 days later and rollerset it. If I paid a grip at the salon, I try to make it last a week just to get my money's worth, but the relaxer won't wash out or anything.

If I'm wrong, maybe a licensed stylist or someone else can correct me.


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[blackberry815]

I wonder what the reasoning behind waiting is too... If anyone knows please share.

 

[Myjourney2009]

I read somewhere that the bonds havent settled yet. I dont know how true that it though.

 

[tiffers]

I've cowashed the day after a relaxer and have shampoo'd two days after because I didn't like the effects a product had on my hair.

 

[january noir]

I've cowashed the day after a relaxer and have shampoo'd two days after because I didn't like the effects a product had on my hair.

Me too. I don't do it often, but I've done it more than once...

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I've even washed the next day. You can't wash a relaxer out your hair. When I did my own relaxer, I never had a problem. Only when I went to salons did my hair feel like it was coated and my scalp itched. When I did do that, I just air dried in a ponytail. No heat use. Then 3 days later, it was back to wash day. I washed my relaxed hair every 3 days because I was very active.

 

[shonte]

I washed my hair the same day. I didn't like the style at all! There were no ill effects. The next day my hair looked like it was freshly relaxed, which it was.

 

[BrownieBrie]

I keep up with my regular regimen of co washing daily after I relax. I never have had any ill effects.

 

[belldandy]

as soon as you like.

 

[blackberry815]

Myjourney2009 i read somewhere that the bonds havent settled yet too... I think it was here on the forum.. mightve been by sistaslick

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[MyInvisibleChyrsalis]

The bonds were "settled"? as soon as the neutralizer was applied. I swear, I have never heard that phrase before, lol. Basicially the neutralizing solution is setting the disulfide bonds that were broken during the relaxing process in their new straightened state.
The only reason your hair lays that slick/flat is because heat is used. If you let your relaxed hair airdry, it would dry slightly poofy. If you can flat-iron using the same techniques as the salon, you should be able to re-create the slick fresh relaxer look at home. You could wash your hair immediately, but most women don't want to because they ethier want to preserve the style after spending the money to have it done, or they think water is going to revert the perm.

 

[Dposh167]

U can wash whenever u want to op. Ive washed the same day i went to the salon cuz i hated all the crap she put on my hair. Washing after a perm isnt gonna do anything. Ur hair is not gonna revert. If it does get wavy than thats wave the relaxer did not straighten in the process.

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[~NanCeBoTwin~]

You can wash as soon as you'd like. I've washed the same day, simply b/c I'd been sweating a lot a few hours after the relaxer, I had no problems.

 

[sunnieb]

You can wash anytime. I usually end up cowashing the day after anyway because of my workout schedule.

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[koolkittychick]

You can wash your hair as soon as you like. The neutralizing shampoo "sets" the new molecular configuration of your hair, so subsequent shampoos won't change it.

When I was going to a particular stylist who was fond of spraying down my hair with hairspray (HAAAATE that!), I would go straight home and wash that mess out of my hair, and I had no problems with reversion. As long as your relaxer was applied properly and you know the correct technique to get your hair looking the way you want (blow dry, roller set, what have you), there is no problem with washing your hair right after a relaxer.

 

[Raspberry]

Thanks for the info ladies! I really hate the perm smell so this is good to know..

 

[Nix08]

blackberry815 I'm thinking of giving up my stretch too...just because

 

[Myjourney2009]

The bonds were "settled"? as soon as the neutralizer was applied. I swear, I have never heard that phrase before, lol. Basicially the neutralizing solution is setting the disulfide bonds that were broken during the relaxing process in their new straightened state.
The only reason your hair lays that slick/flat is because heat is used. If you let your relaxed hair airdry, it would dry slightly poofy. If you can flat-iron using the same techniques as the salon, you should be able to re-create the slick fresh relaxer look at home. You could wash your hair immediately, but most women don't want to because they ethier want to preserve the style after spending the money to have it done, or they think water is going to revert the perm.

I dont agree this just happens to be what I've read

 

[hothair]

When you like, try to use a neutralising shampoo incase there's some residue then carry on as usual - a protein based DC would be nice too

 

[Junebug D]

I've never heard that before; that you can't wash right after a relaxer. Don't they shampoo you immediately after rinsing out the relaxer anyway, with the neutralizing poo? My stylist would shampoo me twice after rinsing out the relaxer.

 

[blackberry815]

blackberry815 I'm thinking of giving up my stretch too...just because

Lol rats im caught! I think i needed a corrective before attempting stretching... It was just too much lol hopefully i can go longer this time around... i was cowashing but my head was lookin a hot mess and i couldnt comb it...

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[outspokenwallflower]

bumping...I'm considering relaxing on a Monday or Tuesday and Rewashing on a Thursday due to some events happening that week and a busy schedule that is pretty much forcing me to split up my relaxer day (and the other things I want to do to my hair that day) into two days. Glad to know that relaxed hair cant revert due to it being washed soon after having it done.

 

[Keen]

I read somewhere that the bonds havent settled yet. I dont know how true that it though.

The bond should be settled if you neutralize well. If it's not, then your hair is still processing and you should wash it as soon as possible just to make sure it stop processing.

ETA: I wouldn't put a time limit on it. I wouldn't shampoo immediately but that's because I hardly use shampoo.

 

[lustrous]

this is news to me! for some reason i thought you had to wait a week. I've always self-relaxed so i can't even use keeping a salon style as an excuse for this misconception

 

[Toy]

I condition Wash my hair 3 days after a Relaxer.

 

[neisharenae]

I relax my own hair and i wash it every week. i air dry it then flat iron it.