Hair rebonding – how safe is it?

Why are everybody’s hair not straight?

Hair shape is an inherent characteristic of every individual. A curve-shaped hair follicle gives rise to curly hair while a straight one gives rise to straight hair. By understanding what process in the body determine the shape of the hair follicles, someday a drug might be developed to change the shape of hair follicles. Till then, heat (flat irons) & chemicals (thioglycolates) remain the only options to straighten curly hair.

Hair bonds

Hair is made up of a protein called keratin. The bundles (polypeptide chains) of keratin molecules in hair are held together by 3 type of side bonds:

• Hydrogen bonds – Hydrogen bonds are physical bonds. These are weak bonds that can be easily broken by water or heat. They can be reformed by drying or cooling the hair.
• Salt bonds – Salt bonds are also weak physical side bonds. These can be easily broken by weak alkaline or acid solutions and changes in pH.
• Disulphide bonds – Disulfide bonds are chemical side bonds. These bonds are stronger (but fewer) than hydrogen and salt bonds. Disulfide bonds cannot be broken by heat or water. The more disulphide bonds there are in a hair, the stronger it is. 

The disulphide bonds keep the keratin molecules fixed, so that the shape of the hair fiber stays the same. When you wish to change the shape of their hair (perming, straightening), these disulphide bonds need to be broken. Heat is an easy method of breaking these chemical bonds. This is the basic concept of hair straightening.

Basic concept of hair rebonding

First, the chemical bonds (disulphide bonds) in your hair are broken apart by strong reducing chemicals, which are alkaline solutions. 

The reducing chemicals can be:

• Alkaline hydroxides (sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide) – These are the most rapid, but the most harsh.
• Ammonium thioglycolate – These are milder & safer than hydroxide chemicals.

The hair is then held straight and acidic solutions are applied to it. The acid neutralizes the base, stopping the ongoing breakage of disulphide bond and allowing the disulphide bonds to reform in new positions.

Step-by-step procedure of hair rebonding

 The entire process takes about 4-6 hours, depending on the length of your hair.

For the next 3 days, you should not shampoo your hair. You should also not tie hair bands, or wear any hair accessories.  Rebonded hair need special care, require washing and conditioning using specialised products. New growth requires touch up after every 4-6 months.

Side-effects of hair rebonding

The results of rebonding are fascinating. Your kinky, curly or wavy hair beautifully transform to silky straight hair. But before opting for this procedure, you should be aware of numerous side effects of chemical treatment on hair. The side effects of hair rebonding therapy are numerous and differ from person to person. Some people have no or minor issue but a few face serious hair fall to the extent of alopecia.

• Chemical treatment of hair changes the quality and texture of hair. One of the most common side effect of rebonding is dryness of hair. The hair may become dull, lifeless and fragile.
• Hair fall is another common side effect after hair rebounding. The chemicals and heating of your hair result in weakening of hair. This side effects are more visible in heavily curled or tightly kinked hair, as these type of hair are inherently fragile. Therefore, rebonding is not recommended in tightly kinked hair or heavily curled hair.
• The chemical solutions used in rebonding can cause allergy or irritation on scalp or face.
• Inexperienced hair stylists, and use of cheap chemicals make rebonding a bad experience.
• Rebonding is an expensive procedure. Prices for the treatment may vary across salons due to the products used, service, your hair type and post-treatment care.
• It is a time consuming procedure. It takes about 4-6 hours to complete this entire procedure depending on length of hair.

Special care required after hair rebonding

You need to take extra care of your hair and follow precautions after the rebonding. Maintenance of rebonded hair is again a costly affair. 

• You have to use special shampoos and conditioners for rebonded hair. 
• Hair serums and leave in-conditioner are needed to improve dryness of your hair. 
• Make sure you take a nutritious diet and vitamin supplements that are good for your hair. 
• You have to extra cautious while using hair dyes or colors on your hair, as these may further damage your chemically treated hair.

While the latest hairstyle may appear great, but repeatedly subjecting your hair to harsh chemicals and heating devices can, in turn, damage your hair. You should remember this fact that, once damaged, hair cannot repair on their own, except through new hair growth. You should avoid over styling or processing your hair. If you want to go for hair styling with minimal chances of damage, always choose the hair style closest to your natural hair style.