questions and answers about japanese thermal relaxers

say good-bye to frizzy hair and unwanted curls

Recreate your hair's texture the way you want it with an expert thermal relaxing/reconditioning treatment from Gary Manuel Salon. Thermal relaxers permanently straighten your hair and can cut blow-drying and styling time in half. The process is safe for most hair; improves its feel, softness, and shine; and leaves it completely manageable.

Q: Why does thermal relaxing cost so much?

A: Thermal relaxing/reconditioning is very time consuming. The process takes from three to five hours. During that time your thermal specialist's day will be totally consumed with processing your hair. But, the results last for months and ultimately save you many hours of blow-dry styling. Everyone that gets one thinks they are a great investment.

Q: How do thermal relaxers work?

A: First, the designers at Gary Manuel use deep conditioners along with a chemical that safely relaxes the structural bonds within the hair shaft to allow the hair's curl or frizz patterns to be restructured. Once these structural bonds are relaxed, the stylists use heat to "fix" the hair shaft's structural bonds in this new, straightened structure.

Q: Will a thermal relaxer damage my hair?

A: When performed by the highly-trained designers at Gary Manuel Salon, the thermal relaxing process will not harm healthy hair. The process is designed to leave hair soft and manageable. Some color-treated and slightly lightened hair can be relaxed using this process; some cannot. Ask your stylist for details and an expert opinion about whether your hair can be treated using this technique.

Q: Will I be able to get my curl back?

A: After a thermal relaxer treatment, your hair will need to grow back out to restore its original texture. You can, of course, style your newly straightened hair any way you like (for example, you can curl your hair with a curling iron), but the process cannot be reversed to restore the original texture to treated hair.

Q: How should I prepare my hair for a thermal relaxing treatment?

A:: Before you come in for a thermal relaxing treatment, you should use a deep treatment conditioner several times to put moisture and protein into the hair. We only recommend products that we sell in our Salon. Ask your designer for more information on preparation during your initial consultation.

Q: What do I need to do to care for my hair after a thermal relaxing?

A: You'll need to keep your hair dry for seventy-two hours in order to let the restructured bonds thoroughly "harden." Also, it is best to keep your hair as straight as possible during this time to avoid any kinks, so you should avoid tying your hair back with rubber bands or clips or tucking it behind your ears. After seventy-two hours, you can shampoo, dry, and style your hair as you would normally. Be sure to use the shampoo and conditioner your Gary Manuel designer recommends.

Q: How long will the treatment last?

A: Thermal relaxing permanently straightens hair. Four to six months afterward, once the relaxed hair grows out, you'll probably want to come in for a retouch. People with a looser curl pattern at their hair's root may not need a retouch for six to eight months.

Q: What is the cost of follow-up treatments?

A: Retouching takes the same amount of time as the original process (three to five hours) and requires the same amount of product. It also takes even more skill to protect the previously relaxed hair. The cost of retouching is therefore the same as the initial treatment.

Q: Can my hair be colored after a thermal relaxing treatment?

A: It is best to have your hair color done prior to thermal relaxing, so that the entire hair shaft has an even porosity. Then, a week later, you can return to the Salon if your color intensity needs adjusting.