There is a lot of misinformation surrounding hair perming online, which can lead people to try impractical solutions.
Suppose you’re unfamiliar with the chemistry of hair and how perm works. In that case, you may opt for the wrong method to strip your perm, such as using raw eggs on your hair.
Using raw whole eggs to strip a hair perm is ineffective, and I will explain why. An egg has no reducing agent in it to restructure the disulfide bonds in your hair strands and turn them straight again.
Applying eggs to your permed hair does create a straighter hair appearance, which is momentary. They deposit protein on your hair, laying strands down due to weight.
You can employ other options to relax or strip a perm from your mane. I have discussed a few below! (like using baking soda to remove hair perm)
As a chemist, I will explain why online guides about striping a perm with an egg are misleading. Plus, I have experimented with a few alternatives that can help you remove perm from your hair gradually. So, let’s dive in!
Why Does An Egg Will Not Strip Hair Perm?
A perm solution, which can be acidic or alkaline, breaks the disulfide bonds in your hair. These bonds provide your manes with their texture. After disulfide bonds are broken, they are reformed when you apply a neutralizer solution.
So, if you have straight hair, a combination of chemicals and perm rods can reconfigure hair protein fibers into curly conformation. These reconfigured disulfide bonds are permanent and can only be undone by an acidic or alkaline solution.
It is not enough for a solution to be acidic or alkaline to break disulfide bonds or remove a perm; it must also have a reducing agent.
So, if you are to strip a perm from your hair with eggs, it should have a pH above nine or less than five. Plus, they must include a reducing agent.
While an egg white, a few weeks old, can have a pH between 9 and 9.5, it does not have a potent reducing agent to break the disulfide bonds. Therefore, it won’t strip or relax your hair perm.
However, you might feel your hair a bit relaxed after applying eggs to it. That’s because of proteins coating your manes. And it only lasts for a day or two.
How do you remove hair perm with baking soda and conditioner?
Sodium bicarbonate, also called baking soda, can strip a perm from your hair. It is an ideal option for someone who has curly permed hair already. Baking soda has a pH of 9 and includes a reducing agent required for breaking the disulfide bonds.
Many people use baking soda as a clarifying product for their hair. So, it is not as harsh as those perm solutions and relaxers.
Before using baking soda to remove perm from your hair, you will need a neutralizing shampoo or a conditioner. It is crucial to neutralize the basic pH of baking soda and reform those broken disulfide bonds into a straight conformation.
People also employ baking soda to remove keratin treatment from their hair progressively.
So, how do you use baking soda to strip your hair perm? Just follow these simple steps.
Caution!
Baking soda is no magic solution for stripping a perm from your hair. It will take at least a few applications to straighten the perm to some extent, and it may dry your hair out. Also, it does not work to remove a relaxer.
1. Create a Paste
Mix equal quantities of baking soda and water to create a thin paste. Make sure to mix both in an amount that can cover your hair.
2. Apply Baking Soda Paste To Permed Hair
Start applying the paste from the roots to the tips of your hair. Once your locks are thoroughly covered, wear a shower cap or paper towel to avoid dripping.
Leave the baking soda paste on your hair for 30 minutes.
3. Gently Comb Through Your Hair
After half an hour of letting paste sit on your hair, remove the shower cap and comb your hair with a wide teeth comb.
Gently comb for 3-5 minutes and see if perm appears relaxed or stripped. If your hair is straighter, rinse the baking soda out. Otherwise, brush for three minutes and then take a shower.
4. Use Neutralizing Shampoo or Conditioner
It is crucial to wash your hair with a neutralizing shampoo or a conditioner to strip the perm.
If you use the shampoo, apply it to your hair after rinsing out the baking soda with water. Create a thick shampoo foam on your hair and comb through it for three more minutes.
It will help the disulfide bonds to reform and hair cuticles to close. In the end, rinse out the shampoo with warm water.
If you opt for a neutralizing conditioner, apply it to your mane after thoroughly washing out the baking soda paste. Afterward, use the wide-teeth comb to straighten your permed hair for three minutes.
For people with naturally curly hair, baking soda partially relaxes their locks. However, it can strip a perm when used correctly. You might have to repeat the process if your hair perm isn’t removed in a single procedure.
What Else Can Strip A Hair Perm?
If your permed hair is in good health and you are in a hurry to change your hairstyle, you can use a perm cream to undo a perm. The procedure for it is the same as a chemical hair relaxer.
Instead of using an egg to strip perm from your hair, which will not happen, apply the fresh eggs to your hair to provide your manes with proteins and nourishment.
Wrapping Up
Using eggs to remove a hair perm is entirely a waste of time. Eggs don’t strip a perm. But you can use baking soda instead. One or two times use of it will likely relax your hair perm.
If nothing helps, you might consider using a perm creme as a relaxer to undo your perm. However, it is likely to cause hair damage.
