Who doesn’t want the super sleek beautiful hair? Of course, all of us want to. But sometimes we get our treatment done and with some of the misconception, we have to face a lot of hair fall as well as hair damage. “Can I oil my chemically treated hair?” “Won’t it damage my straightening effects?” “My hair is looking dry and lifeless after straightening, now what to do?” All of these are misconceptions regarding oiling of chemically treated hair.
No wonder that it leads to severe hair fall. So, if you want to break this misconception, you need to find the answer below!
The answer to your question “can I oil my chemically treated hair?” is “Yes, you definitely can do that!” If so, then why some of the so-called salon don’t recommend to oil your chemically treated hair? You just need to know the time when you can put oil on your chemically treated hair. Scroll down to know about the perfect timing of oiling and why they tell you not to do so.
Hair Basics You Need to Know
Hair is a protein, named keratin. Not only hair, our nails, teeth and even enamel, everything comprises keratin protein. Do you notice a common thing? They all are strong. As the hair is strong, you can’t break the bond of hair strands either exerting any twist or pull apart from hair scissors.
Let’s a bit technical! Hair is composed of keratin that is a long chain molecule of sulphur containing amino acids. A di-sulphied bond is formed between the sulphur atoms of the adjacent keratin chains that makes the hair strands so strong. This keeps the shape of the hair strands same by retaining the keratin in fixed position.
This is somewhat good for hair as no one would want to change their hair shape or breakage of hair with regular wear such as tying up or styling of hair. This also helps people with long hair as they are more likely subjected to stress off and on.
If you want to straighten your hair or add curl on your hair, nothing will work rather than breaking the di-sulphied bonds present in your hair. This is because the more bonds present in your hair, the curlier is your hair. So, you need to relax the bonds present in your hair. Heat is good option for getting actress like straighten hair. But all of us know that it is not permanent.
So, most of us undergo chemical process for hair straightening. This process is harsh but provides us with semi-permanent straight hair that lasts up to 6 to 8 months. In this span of period, your new hair starts to grow. Let’s have a look how this process goes on our hair.
You tightly pass your hair through the flat iron plate and get the straight hair, right? While passing through the heated plate, the di-sulphied bonds of the keratin molecule gets broken. This allows slight movement of keratin chain to grab its new position that results in straighten hair. Once your hair cools down, the di-sulphied bonds get reformed and finally you get your dream straighten hair.
But it doesn’t last for an extended period due to moisture. In this process, chemical technique helps you to get the straight hair. The chemical does the same job. It breaks the di-sulphied bond and restructure the bonds to lead straighten hair. So, which chemical does the job? Let’s get a little bit technical!
No oxidizing agent like acids can help you to break the bonds, but the reducing agents like alkaline or basic solution is the real hero that brakes the bond and makes your hair straight. After that an ironing is carried out that helps to retain the straightening effect. Then an acidic neutralizer is used to neutralize the base so that no di-sulphied bond cleavage reaction can take place rather they can reform in newer position.
Alkaline hydroxides are used to break the di-sulphied bonds. These chemicals are very harsh for hair. If not used properly, they may damage the scalp and hair as well. So, strictly keep them on for not more than 10 minutes. They immediately starts working by breaking the bonds and swelling the hair. Sometimes, creams are used to lessen the caustic effects of hydroxides like sodium or calcium hydroxide. Finally, a perfect rinse allows the termination of the di-sulphide bond breaking reaction.
Now you are thinking of any safer alternative, right? The most popular treatment containing thioglycolate is a bit safer process compared to the alkaline hydroxides. Wait, don’t get confused. It is safer as they do less damage than the hydroxides that doesn’t mean it won’t harm your hair. All of these chemical process is harmful for hair as well as the scalp.
The thioglycolate contains thiol group (-SH) in its structure that dissociates H atom to create thiolate (-S-) ion. This thiolate ions act as a good reducing agent that can easily brake down the di-sulphide bonds. This process completes followed by the application of strong oxidizing agent like hydrogen per-oxide. It helps to reform the structure of the bonds.
Bi-sulphate containing reducing agents are also used for straightening hair. This process is considered less damaging in comparison to the thioglycolate and hydroxide chemicals.
Now you are thinking that why I am telling such a scientific background behind the straightening, right? I just want you to inform the basic of the question, “can I oil my chemically treated hair?”
I think, this is not a rocket science and now you can easily guess what would be the answer or should I tell? Okay, let’s describe it briefly! Check whether your assumption is right or wrong?
Can I Oil My Chemically Treated Hair?
The famous hair expert Jawed Habib says in one of his interview, “You can definitely oil your chemically treated hair. I don’t believe that it would damage your straightening effect. But you can’t put oil right after your straightening. The 3 days after straightening is very crucial. Take proper care of your hair in these days to set the chemicals on your hair. Then you can oil your hair after two or three weeks you are done with the treatments.”
Keep proper care after the following three days once you get the treatment done on your hair. Don’t tie up or even take the hair behind your ears not even you are permitted to oil in these days. Allow the chemicals some time to set perfectly on the hair.
You should allow your hair some more time after the first wash. It is safe to put oil on the hair after a month. If you put oil on the hair, it can interrupt with the chemicals and bring back to your original hair texture.
Now you have already known that how the straightening chemicals work by breaking the bonds. Initially if you put oil on the hair, it would definitely interrupt the chemicals. So, allow them some time is way safer process to go. If you are a girl who loves to oil your hair regularly and don’t want to wait that long, then please wait for at least two weeks.
You can oil your hair before one or two hours of taking shower. Gradually introduce oil in your hair care routine once you crossed a month after the treatment. If you want, you can maximum leave oil overnight but not more than that.
If you do so, dirt particles will deposited on your scalp. A study shows that no matter you keep oil on the scalp for an hour or overnight, it provides the same effect.
Some salon experts warn not to oil chemically treated hair for up to 6 months. But you should not follow this instructions. You need to think technically. Many girls are reported that they don’t oil their hair for such a longer period.
In the long run, they suffer from severe hair fall. This often happens with the girls who get this process for the first time. They blindly follow the instructions of the salon expert and face severe hair fall. Prevention is better than cure, right? So, why would you let yourself to face such a severe situation when nothing can help you with your hair fall?
You should oil your chemically treated hair at a regular basis after the month you get this treatment done. Oiling your hair would not impair your straightening effect. It just stimulates the hair growth. So, your original hair growth will be accelerated with oil massage. This is the reason, the salon experts say no to oiling so that you can enjoy your straighten hair for a bit longer period without new hair appears in your crown area.
Chemicals used during straightening causes hair fall, itchy or dry scalp, dandruff. Oiling at a regular interval will act as a natural moisturizer for hair. You may face your hair falls out when you firstly introduce oil after any chemical treatment done. But don’t worry! It will be okay with time.
Now this is your choice whether you will compromise your hair health by not oiling just to delay the new hair growth!
The Last Words
I think, you got your answer to the question, “can I oil my chemically treated hair?” Please take a proper care of your hair. As your hair is no more natural right now, it needs more care and somewhat should be different from your regular hair care routine.
A hair oiling in a regular basis will help you a lot with your hair fall problems. Again, it will work as natural moisturizer that will rescue your hair from dryness.