Hair Horror Stories: The Last Relaxer

Trinity writes...

I have always been very proud of my naturally long thick hair. While other women wore weaves and braids, I had no need for fake hair because I had enough hair to experiment with all sorts of cute styles. At 20, my oldest sister asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. The day before the wedding my mother was in a rush, so I allowed her to use an old perm that had been in the refrigerator for a few months. I warned my mother that the perm may not take well, but the clock was ticking and we still had to help set up the wedding decorations.

I threw the cold perm on my head and loved the fact that it did not burn my scalp at all. To my surprise, it was one of the best perms I ever had. The perm had my hair looking brand new! I was proud of how my hair flowed like a European goddess (how stupid). The wedding was a hit and I received many compliments and nasty looks from women who thought I had on some good weave, but I was proud to announce that it was all my glory attached to my scalp.

Three weeks after the wedding my hair began to shed more than usual while just combing through it. The oddest thing about my hair loss was that the hair did not break off, the roots and the hair came completely off my head. Within a month, I was shedding like a dog. My hair came off like fur balls in the shower, all over the carpet in my room, and the scariest part was the fact that my bed was covered with hair. I would have to pick hair out of my mouth, food and clothing. My scalp was so sensitive that I refused to wash my hair because the pain was unbearable. Every time the water hit my scalp I could feel each thump of the droplets hitting my scalp with great force. It felt like something was burning a hole in my head. Within two months, I had no hairline and bald spots around my head.

Eventually, my mother took me to her dermatologist. She was a short white woman who hated perms with a passion. "Just flat iron your hair if you want it straight", she kindly advised me. She explained that relaxed hair has a greater amount of protein loss — relaxers cause the hair to lose its natural strength. The doctor then proceeded to examine my scalp and told me that the hair loss would continue until I shaved off all my hair and started all over from scratch. The roots of my hair had been damaged by the perm, so they were no longer able to stay attached to my scalp. I nearly fainted when she told me I had to walk around looking like a space alien for the next few months. My father shaved my head that same day and that’s when I decided that I would never perm my hair again. Today I am 6 years natural and growing strong.

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