Chemical relaxers primarily break which type of bonds in hair?

Chemical relaxers primarily break disulfide bonds in hair. Disulfide bonds are strong covalent bonds that form between the sulfur atoms of two cysteine amino acids in the hair's keratin structure. These bonds contribute significantly to the hair's strength and shape.

When applying a chemical relaxer, the active ingredients work specifically to reduce the disulfide bonds, which allows the hair to be straightened and reshaped. This process is essential for achieving a smoother, straighter look in textured or curly hair. The breaking and reforming of these bonds during chemical relaxers enable stylists to manipulate the hair's structure effectively.

While hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds can contribute to the overall structure of the hair, they are much weaker than disulfide bonds and are not the primary targets of chemical relaxers. Peptide bonds, on the other hand, are the bonds that link amino acids together to form the hair's protein structure, and they are not broken during the relaxing process. This specific targeting of disulfide bonds is what distinguishes the efficacy and purpose of chemical relaxers in hairstyling.