Chemical Texture Services Flashcards

What type of perm is recommended for clients with color-treated or previously chemically processed hair?

Answer: Acid-balanced perm (low pH perm)

Acid-balanced perms have a lower pH (between 4.5 and 7.0) and are gentler, making them more appropriate for sensitized or chemically treated hair.

What is 'over-processing' in a chemical relaxer service?

Answer: Leaving the relaxer on beyond the recommended time, causing damage

Over-processing occurs when the relaxer is left on too long, breaking down too many bonds and causing breakage, elasticity loss, or hair dissolution.

Which wrapping technique uses two rods on one section of hair, one wrapped on top of the other?

Answer: Piggyback wrap

The piggyback wrap uses two rods per section stacked vertically to accommodate very long hair and create a uniform wave.

Why must a cosmetologist avoid overlapping relaxer onto previously relaxed hair?

Answer: It can cause severe breakage of already-processed hair

Relaxer overlapping onto already-processed strands double-processes that hair, weakening it severely and causing breakage.

What does the term 'elasticity test' evaluate before a chemical texture service?

Answer: The hair's ability to stretch and return to its original length

The elasticity test checks whether the cortex bonds are intact by stretching a strand to see if it returns to its original length without breaking.

An exothermic perm generates heat through a chemical reaction. This heat primarily serves to:

Answer: Open the cuticle and speed up processing

The heat generated in exothermic perms helps swell and open the cuticle, accelerating penetration of the waving solution into the cortex.

Which of the following is a sign of under-processed hair after a permanent wave?

Answer: Wave pattern drops out quickly after rinsing

Under-processed hair did not break and reform enough bonds, so the wave pattern is weak and relaxes almost immediately after rinsing.