Milady Cosmetology Practice Exam

To prevent over-processing or hair breakage during a retouch relaxer application, one should not:

1. Apply to dry hair

2. Use excessive product

3. Overlapped the relaxer

4. Leave on for too long

The correct answer is: Overlapped the relaxer

The correct choice focuses on avoiding the overlapping of the relaxer during a retouch application. Overlapping occurs when the relaxer is applied to previously processed hair, which can happen if the new growth is not properly isolated from the lengths that have already been relaxed. This can lead to significant damage because the already relaxed hair has undergone chemical processing and is more vulnerable to breakage. When the relaxer is applied to these previously processed strands, it can weaken the hair structure further, resulting in over-processing and potential breakage, not just in the new growth but also along the lengths of the hair. This is particularly critical in a retouch application, where you’re only aiming to relax the new growth rather than reapplying to already relaxed hair. In the context of the other choices: - Applying to dry hair might seem disadvantageous, as hair typically should be slightly damp for even product distribution, but it doesn’t directly cause breakage like overlapping does. - Using excessive product can lead to build-up and uneven processing but is more about application efficiency rather than the fundamental damage caused by overlapping. - Leaving the relaxer on for too long can certainly cause damage but is more related to timing, rather than the specific issue of overlapping,