* Oxidizes disulfide bonds: Chemical treatments like perms and relaxers break the disulfide bonds in the hair's protein structure (keratin) to change its shape. Neutralizer contains an oxidizing agent (usually hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate). It reforms and hardens the broken disulfide bonds in the new shape, effectively "locking in" the desired style.
* Reduces swelling: The alkaline chemicals used in perms and relaxers cause the hair shaft to swell. Neutralizer helps to reduce this swelling, returning the hair to its normal diameter.
* Lowers pH: Perm and relaxer solutions are highly alkaline (high pH). Neutralizer is acidic (low pH) and helps to bring the hair's pH back to a more balanced level, which helps to close the cuticle and smooth the hair.
* Hardens the keratin: By reforming the disulfide bonds and lowering the pH, neutralizer essentially hardens and solidifies the hair's protein structure in its newly shaped form.
In summary, neutralizer is a crucial step to stabilize, harden, and rebalance the hair after chemical treatments, ensuring the new shape is fixed and the hair's overall health is maintained as much as possible.