In a quest to achieve straighter hair at the turn of the century, many African Americans began using the hot comb, which uses thermal heat to temporarily straighten the hair. This method was later chemically replicated by a product that altered the hair’s internal structure…a relaxer.
Today, controversy surrounds the use of excessive heat and chemicals to African American hair causing excessive hair breakage and irreversible hair loss and follicular damage.
It is interesting to note that the hair relaxer dates back to 1910 and is attributed to Garrett Augustus Morgan, who also invented the traffic light. He called his hair product “hair refining cream” which he patented.
Advertised in the newspapers in the 1900’s that it was to positively guaranteed to straighten hair in 15 minutes, he guaranteed it. Many people mistakenly
