During a relaxer service on chemically damaged hair, which action best reflects the required care?

• A. Adjust processing time and use protective measures
• B. Use stronger relaxer regardless
• C. Ignore damage and proceed
• D. Increase application time only

Answer: (A)

When hair has chemical damage, the goal is to minimize further stress from the relaxer. The best approach is to adjust how long the chemical processes on the hair and to include protective measures that shield and support the damaged strands. By tailoring the processing time to the hair’s condition, you reduce the risk of over-processing and breakage. Protective measures—such as applying a barrier cream, using appropriate shielding, and following with conditioning and a proper neutralization/conditioning routine—help retain moisture and strength while the chemical service is performed.

Using a stronger relaxer would intensify damage, ignoring the problem and proceeding could cause severe breakage or scalp irritation, and increasing only the application time would overexpose damaged hair to chemicals.