Relaxed or ex-Relaxed ladies - Did you hair turn lighter?

[*KP*]

In the past I've heard people complaining about certain relaxers making their hair turn brown but I've never had this problem....or so I thought!

I haven't relaxed in a little over 5 months and in the light today I saw that my roots were jet black and my relaxed strands looked kind of brownish. Not noticeable if you just look at my hair normally, it was only at a certain angle in the light. I've been relaxing my hair years and years, stretching for 8-12 weeks most of the time and this is the first time that I have noticed this.

Have you ever experienced this? What is the reason that some people experience this with relaxers? Does it happen with all relaxers?

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

Yep, when I had a relaxer my hair was lighter...kinda brown undertones in the light. Now that I am natural, my hair is so jet black people ask if I dye it

 

[gymfreak336]

Relaxers have a slight lightening effect since they break down protein bonds which is also where your pigment chills out.

 

[SheenaVee]

yep mine was like that too so i dye it.
erm i think all relaxers cause this i read somewhere its coz of the chemicals running over the hair when rinsing it out.
oh an what gymfreak sed too lol

 

[yodie]

My hair always gets lighter with a relaxer.

 

[poookie]

my hair was full-on brown (and lighter towards the ends) when my mom relaxed me as a kid. she used the just for me brand, and ran the relaxer from root to tip, so i think that aided in the color change. erplexed

doesn't make sense that my hair was as long as it was back then (APL)

 

[tinkat]

When my hair was relaxed, it was a very brown.

 

[sunnydaze]

Yes!! I have always called it the "relaxer red" syndrome..and I use to color my hair specifically to hide it.

 

[Traycee]

Wow....I thought I was the only one...I had asked about this in a thread a couple of weeks ago and no one really knew....My hair has a red tint and highlights in it....You can see it in my below pic

People that know me ask what color rinse I have in my hair.....You can only see it in the sun or when light hits it..I hate it ....because I don't know if its going to keep getting lighter

 

[*KP*]

Wow, so many. I've never had this before erplexed, in the past I've even had people comment about how dark my hair was.

I've seen a lot of people that relax and still have really dark hair (Macherieamour for example)...but I doubt they all colour...or?

I might have to black rinse. I've been trying to decide on whether to go natural or not but I love the creamy crack tooooo much

 

[Miss*Tress]

My hair was like that when I relaxed too.

 

[cheeks87]

I always heard growing up that that meant your hair was overprocessed/very damaged.

I'm relaxed and my hair is the same color as before.

 

[Traycee]

I always heard growing up that that meant your hair was overprocessed/very damaged.

I'm relaxed and my hair is the same color as before.

Hey Cheeks87....I've heard that too....but my hair is no way over processed or damaged.......My hair is extremely healthy!!! So I always wondered....I'm thinking about doing a cellaphane or rinse....Even though I get compliments on the color..

 

[mscocoface]

When I was relaxed and all of my sisters and female family members who were relaxed had brown or reddish brown hair.

Now that we are all natural or going natural we have black hair or darker hair.

It was the relaxer that did the color change.

 

[bravenewgirl87]

Your hair is overprocessed, from what you are telling me. Not good.

 

[bravenewgirl87]

Relaxers have a slight lightening effect since they break down protein bonds which is also where your pigment chills out.

ITA. If your hair is really light tho, it could be a sign of overproccessing.

 

[Cheleigh]

My hair was weave color 2 when it was relaxed, and it's 1b now.

 

[sareca]

Your hair is overprocessed, from what you are telling me. Not good.

ITA. My natural hair color is an ugly gray-brown (no offense Lord) but it was very red when I used to relax it straight. Now that I texlax I only ever see the weird grayish brown color.

 

[*KP*]

ITA. If your hair is really light tho, it could be a sign of overproccessing.

I don't know...I never relax bone straight, always use fine/reguluar and never go over the recommended time. I've heard people say certain relaxers do this to their hair more than others but I haven't changed my relaxer in years so I know it can't be that.

 

[Sui Topi]

Me too...I would do dark purple rinses over it just to hide it. Now that my new growth is growing in I can see such a difference. Mostly just in the sun though or a bright light.

 

[*Happily Me*]

sure does!

 

[locabouthair]

yes and I hate it.

I'm the only one who seems to notice it though.

I think for most people this is inevitable but it can be a sign of overprocessing.

I know when my hair was at it's worst, everyone was asking me if I colored it

 

[Evazhair]

My hair color hasn't changed since I relaxed, but I have seen the relaxer red on others.

 

[*KP*]

The strange thing is my hair always looks really dark after a fresh relaxer

 

[starfish79]

Yep, and I hated it because it made my hair look washed out. Natural now so it doesn't apply at present!

 

[pearcey]

Mine, esp. in the summer, I worried the mizani I used for my virgin relaxer killed my hair. I hate it 'cause darker hair for me automatically 'looks' healthier.

 

[lala]

I used to...some years ago, but I don't think DE does that because my hair is black w/o any brown or red undertones.

 

[locabouthair]

The strange thing is my hair always looks really dark after a fresh relaxer

You too? That happened to me my last touch up, my mom was like your hair looks really dark. And I was loving it too

But 3 weeks later

pearcey, darker hair makes my hairm look healthier too. Thats why i want to give myself a rinse this weekend.

 

[starfish79]

Mine, esp. in the summer, I worried the mizani I used for my virgin relaxer killed my hair. I hate it 'cause darker hair for me automatically 'looks' healthier.

Yep I agree!