What is a potential risk when using lye-based hair relaxers?

Lye-based hair relaxers contain strong alkaline chemicals that can effectively straighten curly or wavy hair. However, one of the primary risks associated with their use is the potential for scalp burns. This occurs because the active ingredient, sodium hydroxide, can be extremely caustic. If the relaxer comes into contact with the scalp, particularly if left on for too long or applied incorrectly, it can cause chemical burns, leading to pain, redness, and even potential long-term damage to the skin.

While color changes, excessive shine, and frizzing can occur with the use of hair relaxers, they are not the primary concerns in the same way as scalp burns. Color changes can happen if the relaxer interacts with previously applied hair color and can cause the hair to lighten or change tone. Excessive shine is typically a desired outcome of using relaxers as they can help create more manageable and lustrous hair. Frizzing might occur if the hair is not properly managed post-relaxation or if the relaxer does not provide the expected smoothing effect but remains less significant compared to the risk posed by chemical burns. Therefore, the potential for scalp burns is the most critical risk when using lye-based hair relaxers.