- According to Karen Marie Shelton, a licensed cosmetologist and founder of HairBoutique.com, a wait time of at least three days after shampooing is necessary before applying or having a licensed cosmetologist apply a chemical relaxer to the hair. Any wetting or manipulation of the scalp should also be avoided.
- One manufacturer, African Pride, only recommends waiting 48 hours after shampooing the hair before applying the relaxer. They also recommend not scratching or irritating the scalp prior to applying the relaxer to the hair.
- Though product manufacturers may differ on the time frame, the consensus among licensed cosmetologists is a minimum of three days needs to elapse between the time of the last shampoo and the relaxer application. In addition, a protective layer of oil or petroleum jelly should be applied to the scalp prior to relaxing to avoid chemical burns. Only home relaxer kits should be applied by an individual. Relaxers containing lye should be applied by licensed professionals only.
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