Fried versus Fro'ed as in Afro!

(Photo credit: pgbeautygroomingscience.com) Judging by the all over texture of this head of hair, I would say that this model has "fried" her hair. There is straight, long hair, and then there is short, frizzy hair all present on the same head.

I do prefer to have an afro in lieu of fried hair. The "fried hair" typically will not smooth out no matter how much treatment, leave-in conditioner or heat that is applied.

Fried hair can be caused by heat (probably in this case) or by chemical. If you over-relax the hair by excessive overlapping then it will erode the cuticle. If you add pure protein treatment to the hair on the same day as a relaxer then the already slightly opened cuticles will absorb too much protein and blow the cuticle wide open where it will not close up. Chemicals involving peroxide which includes lightener and haircolor can potentially overprocess hair as well. Peroxide is designed to elevate the hair cuticle to remove pigment or deposit color.

Chemicals are designed to manipulate hair cuticles to alter the internal hair shaft. You don't want to blow the cuticles wide open such that the hair breaks or one can not close the cuticle back down.

The only way to know if your hair is frizzy because it has texture in it (i.e. underprocessed) versus being overprocessed is by its ability to straighten and smooth out. If hair will not smooth out - then no more chemicals nor heat need to be applied. Try extra curl hairstyles until one can grow out the overprocessed areas. Otherwise, if the frizzy hair smooths down, and is re- activated by humidity or sweat, then it is underprocessed. Underprocessed hair is like a raw vegetable . . . you can continue cooking carefully making sure that you do not lose all of its firmness.

Effects of Chemicals on Hair

I wrote an article about the "effects of heat" on hair last month . . . giving an example of how egg/protein goes from liquid to solid when direct heat is applied.

Now, I want to visit the idea of Lightener, Relaxers, and Permanent Color (i.e. chemicals) and how they effect the hair by softening/loosening the hair permanently.

Lighteners (i.e. hair bleach) removes your natural pigment from your hair. The pigment that you were born with. The remaining hair is lighter in weight and is a permanent change in the hair. The strength of the lightener determines how much pigment is removed.

Permanent color removes your natural pigment from your hair and redeposits artificial pigment. Similar to the lightener, the strength of the permanent color determines how much pigment is removed and how much artificial color is redeposited.

Relaxers are designed to soften hair, smooth out texture, and neutralize into the straighter shape. Underprocessed hair will still wave up slightly which means that it is texturized. Overprocessed hair will be hard to hold a curl.

If you think of crisp vegetables like green beans or carrots or asparagus; and if you soften them by boiling them. The longer the boil; the less crisp the vegetables become. Their level of softness is permanent. If your vegetables become mushy, then you do not expect to see them crisp ever again. One would have to start with fresh raw vegetables and not overcook them. (i.e. called "new growth" in reference to our hair -- do not overprocess!) You do not want to keep starting over!