Do relaxers cause you physical pain?

MaryJane3000

MaryJane3000

New Member
Do relaxers cause you physical pain?-Going natural

UPDATE

After discussing this situation with my mother who is very anti-natural, I've decided that I'm going to transition. Each relaxer was getting progressively worse and I know that I'm going to have ezcema for the rest of my life so the best that I can do is work with what I have. I thought about switching back to Affirm but I still remember feeling heat emanate from my scalp. When I was a child with natural hair it was mid back length but once I got a relaxer it all went down hill. So I'm thinking that while this transition period may suck and although I've finally reached my goal of APL, I'm going to transition and do what is best for me and my hair. I'm thinking that I'm going to just chop and inch every time I grow an inch and go to my hair dresser once a month to have her straighten it. Otherwise I'll roller set and blowout my roots or bun it and wash and deep condition every weekend. I only got a relaxer because a summer that I was staying with my dad his new wife (who was Korean) didn't know how to do my hair and gave me a relaxer, which caused my momma to make a roadtrip, but I digress. My mom told me that she just used to put baby lotion in my hair and let it curl up, and I do remember being able to brush my hair smooth. In the pictures I saw of myself when I was 8, my hair was kinda big and puffy but had a little curl to it and it was very thick. I'm thinking that it's a 3c with a 4a in the crown area. Or it may be 4a all over with a 4b in the crown. I know that hair texture can change over time so I don't really care, I just can't deal with another relaxer. The thought of it makes me cringe.

Well, wish me luck!
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Hi ladies!

So I got a touchup today and it was the worst yet. It was with a Mizani Mild and seriously my scalp hurts and feels so tight. The relaxer didnt even sit in for very long and heat was radiating from my scalp. They rinsed it off pretty quickly and when I got to the mirror my hair was straight but my scalp around my hairline was red and it was hot. I couldnt see the back but it felt hot to me. I dread getting relaxers but I don't remember them being this brutal for me before my HHJ. However, since I've started stretching my relaxers my scalp feels like it's on fire. Even while rinsing my hair out it really stung, I was wincing. Although I don't have any scabs on my head so I know it's not because I had an open sore or anything. Does anyone else experience this?


I have sensitive skin and eczema so this may be why, but I've had this since HS and i don't remember it being this bad back then.
 
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No and that's worrisome that you react that badly to relaxers. The only thing that happens to me is maybe some senstivity if I don't base properly, otherwise everything has always been smooth sailing.

Is it every relaxer? How do you prep for relaxers? do you use anything on your scalp?

There's a lot of questions to ask but maybe you need to see a dermatologist.
 
Oh no I hope you are not having an allergic reaction to the relaxer. Did they base you? Or did you wash your hair a few days before the relaxer? I know if I wash my hair a few days before my relaxer my head will on FIYAH.
 
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yes, since ive stared my HHJ its been every relaxer. i wonder is it because I'm stretching my relaxers now? B4 relaxers I usually do a protein deep condition a week before and then the day b4 and the day of I apply Hollywood Beauty castor oil complex to my scalp. And yes they based me. Maybe I shouldnt wash my hair a week before because the pores in my scalp havent had time to close yet?

My old beautician used to try and make me wait but the new one I go to she's very quick to rinse me out and she uses a mild relaxer, before I used Affirm Fiberguard regular strength
 
I haven't had a relaxer in a few years, however I do remember getting a few that left my head feeling hot and giving me a headache. I remember when rinsing it would sting and I knew it wasn't going to be good the next morning. I would wake up the next morning and couldn't comb my hair because it was stuck to my scalp with puss and sores. That along with my hair getting thinner and thinner caused me to stop getting relaxers.

I couldn't understand why friends would have such great results with bouncing hair and never had a problem but I would always regret getting a relaxer the very next day.
 
When I used to get relaxers it was painful every time. When did you switch to Mizani? Maybe this particular brand burns you more than others.
 
I have sensitive skin/eczema as well. In the past I noticed the longer I stayed relaxed, the more severe my reaction would be to touch ups. That's why I went natural in 2005.
 
HI OP
yes yes and yes. mid to late 30's I developed sensitivity to relaxers, and i can maybe put them on my head for five maybe 10 mins. I get burns, scabs, it feels like my head is on fire. I still relax but i use QP mild with lots of olive oil in it which calms it down, but if pushed it will still burn my scalp. I dont want to go natural, personally i have done it before and nothing pisses me off more than spending an hour doing my hair to have it turn into frizz in 5 minutes. so I can only texlax now, and i dont mind it at all. I think it may have something to do with a hormonal change as i have gotten older( i'm now 40). I hope you find a relaxer that works for you, maybe it was just you having to base the scalp more????
 
when i was relaxed i would actually wait until i 'felt the burn' because i thought i would make my hair straighter, and then wince as it was being rinsed out too...if your hairline was red that could be indication of a slight burn, or like it wouldve been a burn if it was left on a lil longer...it could be the brand change too if that never happened with affirm....man im glad i dont have to worry about relaxer burns or basing my scalp or not being able to wash or scratch before a touch up anymore lol
 
I use Affirm Mild and it doesn't burn me.In fact, I switched from Affirm Normal to Mild because of this. My time for bearing the burn is over. It only burn one time because I scratched my scalp like heck the whole week before a relaxer.
Stretch this relaxer as much as you can,base very well, have someone competent apply it and change brands IMHO.
 
Giiiiiiiirl, i got eczema too!
And I didn't last long with relaxers, because in my experience, it just kept getting worse (and boring too :)) But all the best to you. I hope that if you decide to stay relaxed, you figure something out, cuz I know its a pain in the arse. (But yeah, go natural :look:)
 
It sounds like the relaxer burned your scalp...all this relaxer talk makes me not want to relax anymore. Just thinking about what I have to go through.
 
Ok, I'mma go ahead and say it. Is all this pain and 'hotness' worth getting a relaxer? How long are you stretching between relaxers?

I used to have the same issues with my scalp after a relaxer. I always used mild or regular types. They wouldn't be left on ridiculously long, but it was still enough to cause pain upon rinsing out. I didn't even use to get the uncomfortable feeling while the relaxer was applied..but upon rinsing..yeah that was never fun for me.

What I'm thinking is (though I haven't had a relaxer in like 7yrs) by spacing out your relaxer for long periods of time (longer than the 6-8 weeks) then your scalp is healing from the chemicals. So..it's kind of like a detox phase, going so long with out the chemical. Adding to the fact that you have eczema, I can't imagine is doing your scalp any good either.

Like a few others have said, I really hope you decide to go natural and give your scalp a break. HHJ
 
I think the cause is a mixture of eczema and Mizani.

Eczema can cause that, even if you've never experienced it before. But also Mizani relaxers are way too strong!!! That mild mizani tore the mess out of my hair! Don't play with that mess...go back to what you was using before.
 
You should probably go natural. Eczema and chemicals don't mix. It will only get worse as long as you put those chemicals on it. Even with your old relaxer, it was just a matter of time before your eczema rebelled.
 
Relaxers have always been quick to burn my scalp. The only time it hasn't was when I changed stylists and she mixed up a mild one. However, my hair was still limp and flat afterwards even though I told her I don't like my hair bone-straight. I plan on just giving up the relaxer.
 
It's been awhile since I relaxed, but I can recall my scalp feeling as though it were on fire a number of times while getting relaxed (even with a mild relaxer and not letting it sit in long).

Honestly, leaving behind the pain of relaxing (figuratively and literally) was a big incentive in my decision to go natural.
 
Thanks for the responses ladies. Maybe I'll check out the long term transitioners thread and see if I can get some advice. My stylist even suggested I go natural, but I really don't know how to take care of my hair when I have all of that new growth. But my affirm relaxers started making me feel the same way. My stylist told me that the moment they put the relaxer on my scalp in the front it started turning red. I've had mizani relaxers before in the past and I don't remember this feeling. I think that maybe my scalp is detoxing since I at least go around 3 1/2 months before I get another touch up. But that thought in itself is pretty scary. So idk, I have a lot to think about because that pain I felt is crazy and i always dread going through it again. I think for the next relaxer I'll try and switch to mild affirm and see if there's a difference.
 
It really didn't matter what relaxer was used - i ALWAYS used a mild version, but I'd feel the same intense heat that others have described. I'd wait at least 10 weeks before relaxing and it was crazy uncomfortable. (But, and this is bananas, I looked forward to getting relaxed because my hair would be sooo pretty...) I wouldn't even let the stylists smooth it in - just put on and take it off, like super quick. They never thought my hair would get straight, because I wouldn't let it sit, but it would be bone straight in 5-7 minutes. Lord, i used to get chemical burns that were off the chain. When my hair began to thin, that was it for me. Transitioning was inevitable.
 
The thing is I don't have any burns on my scalp right now. I have one very small one in the back but that was expected because I did scratch that spot the day before. It just really hurt and my scalp was very tight after she rinsed it out and before they blowdryed it. i really trust this stylist so I think I may talk to her about transitioning and see if there's anything we can go. while she was working on me I saw her working on several girls that were all natural with 4B, 4Z type hair so I'm confident that she can help ease me through the transition. This is going to be stressful though lol
 
I'd feel the tightness and burning as well. I hated it, which is one of the reasons I stopped using them. I'm transitioning and I don't miss that feeling at all.
 
Doesn't a hot scalp indicate the product was placed on the skin or the scalp? If only applied to the hair strand or over based covered area's then no burning would have occurred, correct?
 
I have not experienced any pain, scalp burns, etc since I have been self relaxing. The only time I had experienced pain (only once!) was the last time I allowed a stylist to relax my hair.

I make sure that I prep (base) my scalp and NEVER apply the relaxer to my scalp, only to my hair and I get beautiful results.

IDARETsHAIR does a pre-relaxer prep that is outstanding. You may want to PM her.

HTH!
 
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My stylist told me that the moment they put the relaxer on my scalp in the front it started turning red.
Click to expand...

Are they putting the relaxer directly on your scalp? If so, that's probably the cause of the pain.

Maybe you should try a different base since the one you're using doesn't seem to be working. I use Vaseline, maybe that will work for you.

Do you have any plaques or flare ups on your scalp? If so, then it's probably a good idea to go natural.

I don't have any pain when I relax. I don't put it on my scalp, I don't leave it in longer than the directions state, and I base my scalp. If it isn't your eczema then, it's your stylists application technique.
 
If you have a skin condition on your scalp, there is no way I'd be putting harsh chemicals, esp. relaxers on my scalp.

To answer your question, when I relaxed, it was ALWAYS uncomfortable for me--some brands of relaxers burned more than others, and when I went to a salon, I thought for sure after they got around to rinsing me off, then I was going to be bald :(. Even kiddie perms burned a little.

I don't have any scalp conditions, but I may have had a sensitive scalp.
 
I was severely burned by a professional and since then I have a sensitive spot on my scalp. I never had much pain unless someone else other than my mom and I did my hair. My mom used to relax me from root to tip each retouch and I never burned. Go figure.:rolleyes::nono2:
 
Mizani relaxers are strong.

I never burn, but I'm a no-lye user. Phytorelaxer is a high-quality, gentle relaxer. No burn, no tingle, no drama. You don't have to go natural just because you have eczema. It's not like it's going to go away just because you stop using relaxers (what does your dermatologist suggest?). Make sure your scalp is being based well...but yeah, um, I don't mess with Mizani relaxers.

I would also be leery of taking advise from people who weren't successful with relaxed hair, just my opinion!

All-natural products with tea tree oil burn my skin way worse than any relaxer ever did.
 
My stylists always based my scalp and I still felt 'the burn.' I never, ever, self-relaxed - not in my entire life. I always went to professionals.

*shrugs*
 
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