Contributing writer: Dwayne PressleyAskDwayne.com
I have decided to write this in an effort to share vital information with those allowing chemicals, or those placing chemicals in their children's hair. One of the things that disgust me in the beauty industry is the fact that beauty supply stores allow the public to purchase haircare products, please forgive me, I promise I'll stick to the subject which is children and relaxers.
I will not (and most professionals I know personally, agree...although I have seen some go against the grain on this one) put a chemical (color, highlights, relaxers, perms, ect) on any child's head!
Listen to me people, I perform hair services for money! I have been practicing for years, I have a strong clientele base, I do research on hair, haircare products, the chemical make up of hair, the newest hair products on the market, ect. and I REFUSE to put a chemical on any child's hair!!!
Now, what you need to be thinking to yourself is...if this man, that has been doing hair for years, researches hair information on a regular basis, and gets paid very good money to perform these services...if he refuses to take anyone's money to perform a chemical service on a child...then me (one that usually gathers my information from those no license having, never stepped foot in a professional salon, non-haircut giving, kitchen hairstylist) as a nonprofessional should not be performing this service either.
Let's take a closer look at what's going on here, shall we? The majority of people that perform chemicals at home do not know
the correct way to apply chemicals. They do not now how to replace lost moisture in the hair. They usually have dry hair with split ends. Most people that do their hair at home have a "reddish tint" on the hair and to the touch, the hair usually feels brittle. In short, they don't know what they are doing!
Now, if these grown folks don't know how to give each other chemical services, I can imagine what they go through dealing with children. I can not imagine putting any kind of chemical on a child's head that can physically "burn" the child (I am referring to relaxers here!). I know you see children on those box relaxers and assume that these children have relaxers so it must be o.k. to relax children's hair, but I'm here to tell you differently.
Children that have not went through adolescence have not fully developed physically. Relaxers not only effect the hair, but the scalp as well. I can't imagine the long term damage that relaxers do to a child's scalp keep in mind the scalp is still underdeveloped. Some professionals tell me that the majority of these children will not have hair in the most fragile areas on the hair (around the hairline) and in spots throughout the head when they get older. Wither or not that is true remains to be seen, but it's just a chance, I as a professional, am not willing to take, are you?
Placing a relaxer in a child's head commits them to getting touch ups or forces them to deal with hairbreakage. I am a firm believer that a 5,6, 7, 8 year old child does not need to be committed to anything but school work! Some of you out there will disagree with what I am saying, and that's fine with me, but what is the price your child is paying? Dry hair, split ends, hair breakage, scalp problems, a weak hair line (both front and back) that won't produce hair in the future? Aren't you glad your mothers and fathers couldn't go to the beauty supply store and pick up a box relaxer and use it on you when you were a child?
I think that weave should be optional, not mandatory. But with the increased number of children getting chemical services... that doesn't seem likely!
About the Author
Dwayne is an online hair consultant, licensed cosmetologist, publisher of http://www.askdwayne.com and author of the internet's top selling hair ebook "What Your Hairstylist Doens't Want You To Know" found only on askdwayne.com
Save to Del.icio.us
