What type of chemical process is hair straightening commonly associated with?

Hair straightening is commonly associated with a chemical process known as reduction. This process involves breaking down the disulfide bonds in the hair's keratin structure, which allows the hair to be reshaped from curly or wavy to straight. In reduction reactions, the hair's natural structure is altered, making it essential to apply specific chemicals that facilitate this transformation.

During hair straightening, particularly when using chemical relaxers or certain types of permanent waves, reducing agents such as ammonium thioglycolate or sodium hydroxide are applied. These agents penetrate the hair shaft and break the disulfide bonds that give hair its curliness or waviness. Once the hair is straightened, the bonds can then be reformed in the straight configuration with the use of other products and methods, often involving the application of heat and protective conditioners.

Understanding that reduction is the correct chemical process highlights its significance in hair restructuring, emphasizing how specific products interact with the hair's keratin structure to achieve the desired straightness.