Is there anything you should never do right before getting your hair professionally straightened at a salon?

For a relaxer – don’t over stimulate the scalp. No shampooing, scratching, or harsh brushing. For Keratin system there are no specific restrictions. However, color procedures should be done 10 days after the Keratin treatment.

What about during the treatment…is there anything that can lead to pain or injury or just make it uncomfortable?

Relaxers have very strong chemicals such as sodium hydroxide also know as caustic soda or soda lye which can be damaging to the skin and if not used properly can cause severe hair damage and breakage. During a relaxer procedure a client can experience itching and a burning sensation to the scalp.

Keratin treatments soften the hair and are less damaging. The process of some keratin treatments is to blow dry and flat iron the hair with the product still on the hair. That process can create fumes that are not safe for the client or stylist to inhale. Newer keratin treatments are not as strong and may be rinsed (not shampooed) out causing fewer fumes than the earlier Keratin treatments.

Are there any reasons/conditions you should never get your hair straightened or a reason you should reschedule your appointment?

Always schedule a consultation with a professional stylist to get a thorough hair and scalp analysis to confirm you are a good candidate for the treatments.

If you have scalp abrasions, you should wait until they heal before applying any chemicals. Even if you have a minor cut and avoid applying the treatment to that area, the product can come in contact with the affected area during the shampooing or rinsing process. If your hair is over processed (several layers of chemical services), there can be severe breakage or what professionals term as a “chemical haircut”. There are two types of chemicals that should never be mixed: sodium thioglycolate and sodium hydroxide. The hair will literally break off where these two chemicals overlap. If you received one treatment and decide to switch to the other treatment, you must let your hair grow out and cut it where the previous treatment was used.

Keratin treatments, on the other hand, are much safer and will not be affected by previous treatments or color services. It is recommended that you wait 10 days before receiving color services after a keratin treatment.

Any tips you didn’t mention above that can help you make the most of your salon hair straightening treatment … do’s or don’ts…that type of thing so you get up from the chair very happy.

Do a lot of research on the salon that will be performing your service. Get referrals and personal testimonies from previous clients. Schedule a consultation with the professional that is performing the service. Insist that they do a thorough hair and scalp analysis and give you the name (brand) of the product they are using. They should send you home with proper hair products to maintain your new look. If you are not comfortable with any part of your visit, it is better to get up and leave. You may hurt the stylist feelings but at least you will still have your hair.