What is the difference between a relaxer and a touch up

This new growth is much less noticeable when a texturizer is used, since this product does not completely straighten the hair. A person who uses a relaxer, however, will find that the curly hair at her roots contrasts with her very straight hair where the relaxer was used.

Individuals who use texturizers can usually get away with touching up their hair every few months, while those who use relaxers must usually touch up their hair about every month. Generally, a texturizer is considered less harsh than a relaxer. The ingredients in this product are usually not as harsh as relaxer ingredients, and it is left on the hair for a shorter period of time. Both a texturizer and relaxer can be very damaging to hair and skin, however, and they should be used with caution.

Christina Edwards. Please enter the following code:. Login: Forgot password? Just like knowing which face products are appropriate for your skin type and knowing how to shade-match your foundation, having a firm handle on hair relaxing is important, whether you're a DIY'er or you prefer to leave it to the pros. Beyond application techniques, knowing how to upkeep a hair relaxing routine remains a question for some.

A good rule of thumb: There should be enough new hair growth for the relaxer to adhere to, and you should be able to see a clear line of where the relaxed hair begins and where the new hair growth ends. And, a crucial part of doing a relaxer retouch is refraining from applying the product all over the hair.

Because previously relaxed hair is permanently straightened, it doesn't require additional chemical processing, and doing so could result in hair damage breakage, anyone? Rather, stick to only applying the relaxer to virgin hair. Below, find everything you need to know about how often you should relax your hair with guidance from two haircare gurus. Meet the Expert. Relaxed hair is curly or coily hair that is chemically straightened with a chemical cream.

A relaxer opens the hair cuticles, penetrates the cortex, and breaks down the bonds that make a hair strand curl. If you're wondering if the process is permanent, the answer is yes. The only way to undo a relaxer is to cut it out of the hair. While eight weeks between touch-ups is recommended, some may feel the need to apply relaxers more frequently.

Typically, this is the case among those with a short, cropped cut where the sides or back of the style require a touch-up while the top or crown of the head doesn't. Pixie cuts, for example, may require additional hairstylist visits for more frequent maintenance and trims every four to six weeks.

The stylist may touch-up just the sides and back to make these areas look more uniform with the longer hair on top. It's a slippery slope when it comes to the length of time in between touch-ups: If it's done too often, it could have hair-damaging effects , and if it's not done enough, it becomes difficult to maintain. According to colorist Jeremy Tardo, "Relaxers respond more quickly to the hair that is nearest to the scalp because of body heat.

When the hair is more grown out, the unrelaxed hair closest to the line of demarcation is further away from the scalp. This means there is less heat on that hair which slows down the processing of the treatment. Relaxer overlap is when the relaxer is applied to previously relaxed hair. This tends to happen accidentally when there isn't a lot of new growth or the person applying the relaxer isn't careful. Relaxer runoff happens when the relaxer is rinsed out and it touches previously relaxed hair.

This is also kinda accidental. Both relaxer runoff and overlap can cause overprocessing which weakens relaxed hair even more and can cause some serious damage.

So it's no surprise I got a little worried. I hadn't noticed that this was happening but I didn't want to take any chances and found some tips that could help to lessen the chances of either one happening.