October 30, 2012My in-laws own two exotic birdsof which I had the opportunity of caring for while they took a well earned vacation overseas. As my mother-in-law broke down her rules, she mentioned that the nonstick coating of their pans should not be heated dry because the fumes could kill the birds. I didn't know this little "fact", so after saying our goodbyes I decided to check some credible internet sites.Non Stick Coatings
Early in the twentieth century canaries were brought into mines to detect toxic gas. When the toxic levels exceeded hazardous amounts, the canary would become sick and miners would evacuate. Hearing about these bird deaths in the kitchen had me worried. I had replaced my nonstick with stainless a long time ago because the coating would become brown and useless after a few years and I grew weary of constantly buying pans. I had never heard of them killing a pet and with all the hype about diethylhexyl adipate released during microwaving plastics, I wondered if the brown tainted nonstick coating could also be harmful to people.
Perusing bird-friendly websitesprovided information on nonstick coatings releasing bird-killing toxins into the air, PTFE Toxicosis, but they weren't specific as to what toxins they released or if it could migrate to your food. Checking an online Teflon Material Safety Data Sheetprovided some answers.
Teflonheated to 500 degrees F will degrade the polytetrafluorethylene(ptfe) and release carbon, fluorine, and oxygen into the air creating flu-like symptoms in humans and apparently killing birds.The brown oxidation that results from the heating and reheating of nonstick coated pots and pans is a symptom of this chemical release, and those chemicals could migrate to your food.According to the MSDS there are no known chronic affects and no medical conditions which are aggravated by this release, even though the bird sites seem to think so, and using a nonstick Teflon coated pan should be nonfatal. The fact that the coating does break down over time still steers me away from this added expense, and why risk the possible lung irritation.Non Stick Coating Spray
With all the additives approved by the FDA that by themselves are relatively harmless, what possible unwarranted complications could the migration of chemicals leached from your own pots and pans cause? Mixing chemicals is never a good idea so I always stride on the side of safety and use stainless steel for my cooking. They may be more difficult to cook with but they last forever and burnt food will never destroy your good stainless steel pans. No matter how burnt it is.
2014年1月15日星期三
The 7 Most Badass Acts of Vandalism Ever Photographed
NOTE: Everything in this article is against the law. If you do it, you will go to jail or something.
Most of us think of graffiti as an urban art relegated to back alleys, rap album coversand all of New York City in the 1980s. But sometimes an artist comes along who Teflon Coatings proves that with enough creativity, vandalism can transcend typical scribbles and dick pictures on the wall. OK, maybe we spoke too soon about the dick pictures, considering ...
#7. The Penis Bridge
Via Doobybrain.com
As any novice vandal can tell you, the key to a good public penis drawing is execution, and nobody has executed a better one than the Russian art group Voina. When Russia hosted an international economic forum, Voina decided it was the perfect time to get their classy protest on. And just so you know who we're talking about, these guys once staged an orgyin protest of their presidential election, so you know they've got their heads in the right place.
In 2010, the group decided to paint a massive dickon a drawbridge in the middle of St. Petersburg, coordinating the operation so that they could sprint out, paint it and get back before security grabbed them. The result:
Via 24flinching.com
We would give anything in the world to find out that they didn't know that was back there during this shot.
So picture this: You've got to cross the Neva River, but you don't make it to the Liteiny Bridge on time. As the drawbridge rises to the sky, so does an erect phallus that's painted on it. Plain as the nose on your face and the junk in your shorts, thanks to the lamps lighting up the street-dong for the whole world to see. We're not usually into graffiti this crude, but a 224-foot-long wiener rising toward the heavens is about as good as it gets. And thanks to river traffic, the penis was stuck there all night, until the bridgePTFE Coating Process was lowered at 5 a.m. And even after that, it took a few days to get the paint off.
So what was all the dick-painting about? Voina was mad at the Federal Security Service, otherwise known as the post-KGB KGB. They even released a statement: "We have painted a giant phallus to show what the FSB and Interior Ministry are doing in terms of security for the forum." Soooo, symbolism isn't their strong point. Fair enough. By the way, here's them actually doing it:
#6. The Barcaccia Fountain Ball Pit
Via NY Times
Have you ever wondered what it would look like if you unleashed 500,000 colorful balls on an unsuspecting city? Of course not, you're neither a Batmanvillain nor a 4-year-old. And you're certainly not professional prankster Graziano Cecchini, who not only makes a living pulling stunts a frat boy would shit his pants over, but raises the money to do them on such a scale that we can't even talk about his work with starving African children. The awkwardness would be sky-high.
So when Cecchini decided to turn one of the most historic fountains in Rome into an enormous Chuck E. Cheese style ball pit, he went big. The video below shows the release of the balls down the steps as unsuspecting Italians narrowly avoid clownish pratfalls. If you watch closely, you'll see a middle-aged man gleefully dancing a jig at the top of the steps. That's either Cecchini or somebody with a medical condition we shouldn't be making fun of.
By the time the balls rolled down the world-famous 138 Spanish Stepsand into the slope that led to the Barcaccia fountain, the historic 385-year-old monument looked like God's toilet bowl after heaven's free strawberry daiquiri night.
It was a perfectly executed $30,000 prankthat, according to Cecchini, somehow symbolized nothing more than "problems we have in Italy." What kinds of problems? Not-enough-balls problems, maybe? The vicious anti-play pit legislation up for debate in the Italian senate? An abundance of red testicles? Call us crazy, but we think this guy was more into whimsical mayhem than political statements. Coming from the same man who once dyed the water in the historic Trevi fountainred to protest money spent on a local film festival (See? the red represents the red carpet! Art!), we're not thinking this king of clowns had much more in mind than just a good time.Water Based Spray Paint That's what you get when you don't invite the artsy kids to your Chuck E. Cheese parties.
"Make sure the clean up crew doesn't get here too quickly, I promised my kids I'd take them by after school."
#5. Junk Griffin
Via Designtaxi.com
Not every art school grad is frittering away his life at Starbucks and waiting tables, contrary to what probably springs to mind when you hear "art school grad." One group of London artists, set designers, sculptors and art directors pooled their collective talents that would otherwise be wasted on the food service industry into one big project: Robots. Specifically, robots made out of reclaimed wood, trash and other junk. When two Roboters traveled to America in 2010, they decided that what Brooklyn really needed was a 9-foot-tall moving griffinperched atop a dilapidated building.
Via NY Times
Please tell us that thing breathes fire on unsuspecting pedestrians.
Unfortunately, the picture above isn't the first version of the griffin, because the first version was destroyed by the guy who happened to own the building the dynamic duo put their griffin on. And asking permission to construct a giant wooden contraption atop a roof on a NYC street wasn't in their agenda that day. So when the manager of the building took a glance up and saw what looks to us like the skeletal remains of a harbinger of the apocalypse poised to attack, he had the creators arrested and the structure dismantled. Some people just don't get it.
It didn't take long for someone else to appreciate the beauty of a leering mythical creature made of wood, so a restaurant owner offered his own rooftop for the sculpture. That kind of ruins the point of vandalism, but whatever.
Via Designtaxi.com
Maybe it's just us, but seeing it in that position, we really want them to make one that vomits.
#4. Street Art, Literally
Via Designboom.com
You know how sometimes filmmakers leave their cameras out for hours to make time lapse videos? And the results look like really cool neon lights over a harbor or street or a baby turtle smoking a cigarette or something? Imagine if you could make that in a few minutes without a camera and without neon lights. Ceramic Powder Coating All you have to do is slop tons of brightly colored paint on strategic points of a busy intersection and let the cars do the rest.
"Now that you're all culpable, no one can call the cops!"
That's what German art group IEPEdid with the help of 2,000 commuters in 2010. The art project, titled "Painting Reality," consisted of members of the group dumping 500 liters of different colored water-based paints at different points in one intersection. When the cars, buses and horses (they still use those in Germany, right?) drove their natural course, they tracked through the paint, drawing out their traffic routes in bright neon colors.
Imagine going to your regular German destinations, the lederhosen store and austerity measure factory and whatnot, only to later find out that you were tricked into participating in a goofy public art project without your consent. What started as a regular drive ended up looking like a giant toddler went nuts with some sidewalk chalk. And we're sure the commuters who now had paint splattered on the bottom of their cars were totally fine with it.
Most of us think of graffiti as an urban art relegated to back alleys, rap album coversand all of New York City in the 1980s. But sometimes an artist comes along who Teflon Coatings proves that with enough creativity, vandalism can transcend typical scribbles and dick pictures on the wall. OK, maybe we spoke too soon about the dick pictures, considering ...
#7. The Penis Bridge
Via Doobybrain.com
As any novice vandal can tell you, the key to a good public penis drawing is execution, and nobody has executed a better one than the Russian art group Voina. When Russia hosted an international economic forum, Voina decided it was the perfect time to get their classy protest on. And just so you know who we're talking about, these guys once staged an orgyin protest of their presidential election, so you know they've got their heads in the right place.
In 2010, the group decided to paint a massive dickon a drawbridge in the middle of St. Petersburg, coordinating the operation so that they could sprint out, paint it and get back before security grabbed them. The result:
Via 24flinching.com
We would give anything in the world to find out that they didn't know that was back there during this shot.
So picture this: You've got to cross the Neva River, but you don't make it to the Liteiny Bridge on time. As the drawbridge rises to the sky, so does an erect phallus that's painted on it. Plain as the nose on your face and the junk in your shorts, thanks to the lamps lighting up the street-dong for the whole world to see. We're not usually into graffiti this crude, but a 224-foot-long wiener rising toward the heavens is about as good as it gets. And thanks to river traffic, the penis was stuck there all night, until the bridgePTFE Coating Process was lowered at 5 a.m. And even after that, it took a few days to get the paint off.
So what was all the dick-painting about? Voina was mad at the Federal Security Service, otherwise known as the post-KGB KGB. They even released a statement: "We have painted a giant phallus to show what the FSB and Interior Ministry are doing in terms of security for the forum." Soooo, symbolism isn't their strong point. Fair enough. By the way, here's them actually doing it:
#6. The Barcaccia Fountain Ball Pit
Via NY Times
Have you ever wondered what it would look like if you unleashed 500,000 colorful balls on an unsuspecting city? Of course not, you're neither a Batmanvillain nor a 4-year-old. And you're certainly not professional prankster Graziano Cecchini, who not only makes a living pulling stunts a frat boy would shit his pants over, but raises the money to do them on such a scale that we can't even talk about his work with starving African children. The awkwardness would be sky-high.
So when Cecchini decided to turn one of the most historic fountains in Rome into an enormous Chuck E. Cheese style ball pit, he went big. The video below shows the release of the balls down the steps as unsuspecting Italians narrowly avoid clownish pratfalls. If you watch closely, you'll see a middle-aged man gleefully dancing a jig at the top of the steps. That's either Cecchini or somebody with a medical condition we shouldn't be making fun of.
By the time the balls rolled down the world-famous 138 Spanish Stepsand into the slope that led to the Barcaccia fountain, the historic 385-year-old monument looked like God's toilet bowl after heaven's free strawberry daiquiri night.
It was a perfectly executed $30,000 prankthat, according to Cecchini, somehow symbolized nothing more than "problems we have in Italy." What kinds of problems? Not-enough-balls problems, maybe? The vicious anti-play pit legislation up for debate in the Italian senate? An abundance of red testicles? Call us crazy, but we think this guy was more into whimsical mayhem than political statements. Coming from the same man who once dyed the water in the historic Trevi fountainred to protest money spent on a local film festival (See? the red represents the red carpet! Art!), we're not thinking this king of clowns had much more in mind than just a good time.Water Based Spray Paint That's what you get when you don't invite the artsy kids to your Chuck E. Cheese parties.
"Make sure the clean up crew doesn't get here too quickly, I promised my kids I'd take them by after school."
#5. Junk Griffin
Via Designtaxi.com
Not every art school grad is frittering away his life at Starbucks and waiting tables, contrary to what probably springs to mind when you hear "art school grad." One group of London artists, set designers, sculptors and art directors pooled their collective talents that would otherwise be wasted on the food service industry into one big project: Robots. Specifically, robots made out of reclaimed wood, trash and other junk. When two Roboters traveled to America in 2010, they decided that what Brooklyn really needed was a 9-foot-tall moving griffinperched atop a dilapidated building.
Via NY Times
Please tell us that thing breathes fire on unsuspecting pedestrians.
Unfortunately, the picture above isn't the first version of the griffin, because the first version was destroyed by the guy who happened to own the building the dynamic duo put their griffin on. And asking permission to construct a giant wooden contraption atop a roof on a NYC street wasn't in their agenda that day. So when the manager of the building took a glance up and saw what looks to us like the skeletal remains of a harbinger of the apocalypse poised to attack, he had the creators arrested and the structure dismantled. Some people just don't get it.
It didn't take long for someone else to appreciate the beauty of a leering mythical creature made of wood, so a restaurant owner offered his own rooftop for the sculpture. That kind of ruins the point of vandalism, but whatever.
Via Designtaxi.com
Maybe it's just us, but seeing it in that position, we really want them to make one that vomits.
#4. Street Art, Literally
Via Designboom.com
You know how sometimes filmmakers leave their cameras out for hours to make time lapse videos? And the results look like really cool neon lights over a harbor or street or a baby turtle smoking a cigarette or something? Imagine if you could make that in a few minutes without a camera and without neon lights. Ceramic Powder Coating All you have to do is slop tons of brightly colored paint on strategic points of a busy intersection and let the cars do the rest.
"Now that you're all culpable, no one can call the cops!"
That's what German art group IEPEdid with the help of 2,000 commuters in 2010. The art project, titled "Painting Reality," consisted of members of the group dumping 500 liters of different colored water-based paints at different points in one intersection. When the cars, buses and horses (they still use those in Germany, right?) drove their natural course, they tracked through the paint, drawing out their traffic routes in bright neon colors.
Imagine going to your regular German destinations, the lederhosen store and austerity measure factory and whatnot, only to later find out that you were tricked into participating in a goofy public art project without your consent. What started as a regular drive ended up looking like a giant toddler went nuts with some sidewalk chalk. And we're sure the commuters who now had paint splattered on the bottom of their cars were totally fine with it.
How to Bake a Cake With Rice Flour
Photo Caption White rice flour is the best choice for cakes.Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty ImagesBrown or white rice flour may be used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. When baking a cake using rice flour, it is best to use white rice flour, according to Lisa Lewis, Ph.D. However, different brands of white rice flour vary in texture, with some being more grainy than others. Water Based Coating You may need to experiment to find a brand of white rice flour that is similar in softness to the typical all-purpose flour.
Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2Spay the two cake pans with a light coating of non-stick baking spray.
Step 3Mix together the margarine, sugar and eggs in a bowl until well blended.
Step 4Combine the rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, guar gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
Step 5Pour the milk into a measuring cup and mix the vanilla extract into it.
Step 6Add the flour and milk mixtures to PTFE Coated the egg mixture gradually, using a low speed on your mixer and alternating between flour and milk. Mix just until well combined.
Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2Spay the two cake pans with a light coating of non-stick baking spray.
Step 3Mix together the margarine, sugar and eggs in a bowl until well blended.
Step 4Combine the rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, guar gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
Step 5Pour the milk into a measuring cup and mix the vanilla extract into it.
Step 6Add the flour and milk mixtures to PTFE Coated the egg mixture gradually, using a low speed on your mixer and alternating between flour and milk. Mix just until well combined.
Chocolate Macadamia Nuts
3 1/2 cups whole macadamia nuts3/4 cup corn syrup21 ounces bittersweet chocolate, tempered1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, optional1 3/4 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, optionalDirectionsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the nuts in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn syrupand stir until evenly coated. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roastin the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using a wooden spoon, Ceramic Coating transfer the nuts onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet pan. Do not touch them, as they are extremely hot. Let them cool at room temperature, or if possible, place them in the freezer because the cold nuts will help the chocolate to temper. When completely cooled, break apart any nut clusters that may have formed. Place the cooled nuts in the coating pan or in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add one third of the bittersweet chocolate, one ladleful at a time. If you are using the mixing bowl, fold the nuts until they are thoroughly coated and the chocolate has set. If you do not fold immediately, the chocolate will set and the nuts will stick together. Add another third of the chocolate and fold thoroughly until set. Add the remaining third and fold thoroughly being sure all the nuts are well coated. Separate any clusters of nuts that may have formed. If you serve the nuts as they are, let the chocolate set completely. If you decide to move on to the next step, do not wait for the chocolate to set completely. Add the powdered sugaror cocoa powder and stir until all of the nuts are well coated. If you'd like to coat half of the nuts in powdered sugar and the other half in cocoa powder, start with the powdered sugar. Before serving, place the nuts in a sieveto remove any excess sugar or cocoa powder. The nuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts Non Stick Coating You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chopit into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolateshould be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milkchocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactosethey contain.) Any remaining lumps will meltin the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blenderor whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of Water Based Coatings the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatulauntil its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
Place the nuts in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn syrupand stir until evenly coated. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roastin the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using a wooden spoon, Ceramic Coating transfer the nuts onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet pan. Do not touch them, as they are extremely hot. Let them cool at room temperature, or if possible, place them in the freezer because the cold nuts will help the chocolate to temper. When completely cooled, break apart any nut clusters that may have formed. Place the cooled nuts in the coating pan or in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add one third of the bittersweet chocolate, one ladleful at a time. If you are using the mixing bowl, fold the nuts until they are thoroughly coated and the chocolate has set. If you do not fold immediately, the chocolate will set and the nuts will stick together. Add another third of the chocolate and fold thoroughly until set. Add the remaining third and fold thoroughly being sure all the nuts are well coated. Separate any clusters of nuts that may have formed. If you serve the nuts as they are, let the chocolate set completely. If you decide to move on to the next step, do not wait for the chocolate to set completely. Add the powdered sugaror cocoa powder and stir until all of the nuts are well coated. If you'd like to coat half of the nuts in powdered sugar and the other half in cocoa powder, start with the powdered sugar. Before serving, place the nuts in a sieveto remove any excess sugar or cocoa powder. The nuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts Non Stick Coating You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chopit into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolateshould be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milkchocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactosethey contain.) Any remaining lumps will meltin the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blenderor whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of Water Based Coatings the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatulauntil its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
2014年1月11日星期六
Non-Stick Teflon Coating Linked to Very High Cholesterol
teflon-coating-panExposure to chemicals used in the manufacture of non-stick cookware and waterproof and stain-resistant products could be raising cholesterol levels in children,Teflon Coating a new study published in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine suggests.
Researchers analyzed blood levels of the chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctanesulfonate (PFOS) in more than 12,000 kids living in West Virginia and Ohio.
Between 2005 and 2006, blood samples from 12,476 children and teens were taken. PFOA concentrations were, on average, around seven times higher than those reported in a nationally representative survey, but PFOS levels were similar.
Those with the highest levels were 20% and 40%, respectively, more likely to have abnormally high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, Frisbee says.
Those with the highest PFOS levels were 60% more likely than those with the lowest levels to have high total and LDL cholesterol.
The study resulted from a class-action lawsuit settlement against DuPont, which operated the manufacturing plant linked to the water contamination.
Those with the highest blood levels of the chemicals were also more likely to have abnormally high total cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol, study researcher Stephanie J. Frisbee, MSc, of the West Virginia University School of Medicine.
“These chemicals are in the environment and they are in us,” she says. “More than anything this study highlights that we had better figure out how we are being exposed and what this exposure is doing to us.”New Non Stick Coating
The chemicals have been used for decades in the production of a wide range of everyday products. PFOA, also known as C8, is mainly used in the manufacture of nonstick cookware, while PFOS is mostly used to make clothing, fabrics, food packaging, and carpeting water-resistant and stain-resistant.
The route of human exposure is not well understood, but recent studies suggest that just about everyone has some PFOA and PFOS in the blood. Identified sources of exposure include drinking water, food packaging, microwave popcorn, and even air. PFOA is now found in humans all over the world, including places where they have never heard of a Teflon pan.
Cookware containing Teflon, made by DuPont, and similar nonstick surfaces are made using PFOA. But the cookware industry has long maintained that cooking in nonstick pots and pans is not a significant source of exposure to the chemical, and the science appears to back up the claim.
Because the health effects of PFOA exposure are still unknown, the Environmental Protection Agency has asked DuPont and other chemical companies to stop using the chemical by 2015.Ceramic Coatings DuPont agreed to the voluntary ban, and the company has pledged to phase out the chemical before the 2015 deadline.
(Additional source: WebMD Health News reviewed by Louise Chang, MD)
Researchers analyzed blood levels of the chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctanesulfonate (PFOS) in more than 12,000 kids living in West Virginia and Ohio.
Between 2005 and 2006, blood samples from 12,476 children and teens were taken. PFOA concentrations were, on average, around seven times higher than those reported in a nationally representative survey, but PFOS levels were similar.
Those with the highest levels were 20% and 40%, respectively, more likely to have abnormally high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, Frisbee says.
Those with the highest PFOS levels were 60% more likely than those with the lowest levels to have high total and LDL cholesterol.
The study resulted from a class-action lawsuit settlement against DuPont, which operated the manufacturing plant linked to the water contamination.
Those with the highest blood levels of the chemicals were also more likely to have abnormally high total cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol, study researcher Stephanie J. Frisbee, MSc, of the West Virginia University School of Medicine.
“These chemicals are in the environment and they are in us,” she says. “More than anything this study highlights that we had better figure out how we are being exposed and what this exposure is doing to us.”New Non Stick Coating
The chemicals have been used for decades in the production of a wide range of everyday products. PFOA, also known as C8, is mainly used in the manufacture of nonstick cookware, while PFOS is mostly used to make clothing, fabrics, food packaging, and carpeting water-resistant and stain-resistant.
The route of human exposure is not well understood, but recent studies suggest that just about everyone has some PFOA and PFOS in the blood. Identified sources of exposure include drinking water, food packaging, microwave popcorn, and even air. PFOA is now found in humans all over the world, including places where they have never heard of a Teflon pan.
Cookware containing Teflon, made by DuPont, and similar nonstick surfaces are made using PFOA. But the cookware industry has long maintained that cooking in nonstick pots and pans is not a significant source of exposure to the chemical, and the science appears to back up the claim.
Because the health effects of PFOA exposure are still unknown, the Environmental Protection Agency has asked DuPont and other chemical companies to stop using the chemical by 2015.Ceramic Coatings DuPont agreed to the voluntary ban, and the company has pledged to phase out the chemical before the 2015 deadline.
(Additional source: WebMD Health News reviewed by Louise Chang, MD)
2014年1月10日星期五
I recently texlaxed my hair for the first time and I am very happy with the results
I recently texlaxed my hair for the first time and I am very happy with the results! I retained much of my natural curl pattern, but my hair is so much easier to manipulate and style now. It is thick, healthy and growing.WHAT IS TEXLAXING?Texlaxing is to pre-treat your hair prior to relaxing with oil or conditioner and then combining additional oil or conditioner with the relaxer itself before application. Texlaxing also requires reducing the amount of time the relaxer is left on the hair and eliminating or minimizing the comb-through process during application. A mild relaxer or kiddie relaxer is usually used for this process. The oil or conditioner, the decreased processing time and the minimal manipulation of the hair during the relaxing process is much milder and gentler on the hair. The oil or conditioner slows down the chemical reaction of the relaxer. It also keeps the hair moisturized and conditioned throughout the relaxing process. The idea is to leave the relaxer mixture on your hair for just a few minutes including application and processing time. You are basically doing a mild, under-processed relaxer. While your hair will retain some of its natural curl pattern and does not become stick straight, Ceramic Coating it will be much easier to manage and you may have more styling options.
Have you ever gotten a relaxer and for weeks afterwards your hair seemed thin and stringy? I've had this happen many times, but after texlaxing hair seems to remain full, thick and healthy. No more thin appearance, no shrinkage, no clumping and no tangling.
During the texlaxing process, your hair is much less stressed than it would be using a harsh relaxer undiluted. If you add a conditioner or oil (as I did) to the relaxer before applying, your hair is better protected and conditioned throughout the process. Hopefully, this will lead to less damage, less breakage and less dryness than you may have had with regular relaxing.
I came up with my own method of texlaxing and the results were great. I had no problems at all and my hair remains in good condition. After texlaxing, I realize that I am no longer "natural", but the texture of my hair, prior to texlaxing, was supernatural. The texlax process retained much of my natural hair pattern but straightened it out just a little bit, making it much easier to work with. It's not like a curl and it's not like a relaxer. It's neither nappy, kinky, curl nor straight, but I can now do what I want with my hair. Best Non Stick Coating If I wanted it straight I could blow-dry it straight and flat iron it after I wash and condition it, but I have no desire to do so. If I want to wash it and let it air-dry, it is still manageable with a little hair oil and humectant. It can also be roller-set or twisted/braided and a twist-out or braid-out can be done.
IS HAIR STILL NATURAL AFTER TEXLAXING?
If you are big on saying that your hair is "natural", please understand that once you texlax your hair it is, in fact, chemically processed and no longer what some may call "natural". As for me, natural did not work as far as maintaining my 4C hair in its natural state. It's beautiful for some, but I just didn't like the way it looked on me and it was out of control.ANOTHER BLACK DEBATE? TWO: FIRST IT WAS THE LIGHT SKIN VS. DARKSKIN ARGUMENT AND NOW IT'S NATURAL VS. RELAXED.
My choice to go back to relaxing or texlaxing had nothing to do with forgetting my roots, trying to look European, attempting to fit into some illusion of beauty or not wanting to look "afro-centric". It has nothing to DO with lack of self-esteem, self-hatred, anti-blackness or lack of cultural pride. It's about personal preference. Being natural or unnatural does not diminish blackness, black loyalty or pride in any way as some people like to contend.
The natural vs. relaxed black pride hair debate is getting just as tired as the light-skinned/dark-skinned debate. Why must we always divide ourselves as a race based on the superficial? Why can't we be happy with the beauty that is us, with all our varying and beautiful skin-tones from creamy vanilla to deep mahogany? Why separate people into classifications by how they choose to wear their hair? People are who they are regardless of the way in which they wear their hair, just as the clothes or make-up does not do not change whom a person is inside. These types of arguments cause us to miss out on the celebration of blackness!
WHY I WENT FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL TO TEXLAXED
I love me in all my ebony gloriousness, but the truth is that I simply could not manage or maintain my hair in its natural 4C state. After I washed it, it would take about an hour to untangle it while it was wet and the minute it got dry, it shrunk, crumpled, matted and tangled and looked dead and dry. No products would alleviate this situation. I make no apologies for my decision to attempt to go natural and then returning to chemical processing. It's my head and my hair and I have to do what works for me. India Arie sung "I Am Not My Hair" and she is right. I am definitely not my hair, but I do like to look nice and feel confident about my appearance without having a constant war with my hair and wearing a style that does not suit my face.
Hair that is 4C is extremely course, kinky and nappy and it is prone to tangling, clumping and shrinkage; at least mine was. About eight months after a hair horror, which resulted in a big chop, my natural hair grew back in and that's when I realized that my hair was 4C in texture. I had no idea what to expect when my hair grew back to some length, but I sure did not expect what sprouted out of my scalp!
HAIR HORROR STORY
As we all know, relaxers can destroy your hair, especially at the hairline and temples. It can cause weakened and damaged hair along with thinning and breakage or hair loss (alopecia). The worst possible scenario is that relaxers can cause scalp or hair follicle damage. I was victim of this about a year ago and it was devastating and traumatic.
I'd been relaxing and dying my hair for several years without a problem. I would do both on the same day. About a year ago, I did the same process I'd always used. I put an no-lye regular strength relaxer in my hair, following all directions. Then I conditioned my hair. Shortly afterwards, on the same day, I dyed my hair black like I always did, followed by a second conditioner. All was well for a few days, but then I noticed that my hair was falling out badly. My edges and temples were getting thinner and thinner. I tried deep conditioning and hot oil treatments but the shedding continued.
One night I washed my hair in the shower and when I went to rinse out the shampoo, I realized that my hair was all over my hands. It was also all over the shower floor. I was horrified. I rinsed out the rest of the shampoo and jumped from the shower in a panic, grabbed a towel and begin to dry my hair. It was coming out in clumps all over the towel! When I finally got up the nerve to run a comb through my hair, I noticed that the Water-Based Paint sudden and massive shedding had stopped. Then I looked in the mirror and screamed. I'd lost about three inches of hair all over my head, leaving me with about three inches of hair remaining but it gets worse. Not only had I lost about half of the total length of my hair, but I was left with a hairline so thin and sparse that my scalp showed through and both temples were almost completely bald. It looked like somebody had shaved off all the hair on both temples. Each side of my head had a bald spot about an inch wide and going back about three inches. The hairline at the nape of my neck was also broken off badly. It looked like someone had tried to give me a mohawk with an axe blindfolded! About three days later, the bald spots on my temples became inflamed. They were sore, red and had bumps all over them! I feared that the temple areas were permanently damaged and I'd destroyed the follicles completely
I can't blame anybody but myself. I can't blame the relaxer and/or the dye that I used, because it was probably a combination of using both on already damaged hair. I'd never used those two particular brands together and there must have been some kind of horrific chemical reaction from the combination of both products. It took about another two weeks for my temple areas to heal and they were raw and painful. I had to apply A+D Ointment mixed with Neosporin to them nightly. When I went out I had to wear a wig. I got one that somewhat resembled black hair. It was neck-length with a tight, natural-looking curl pattern that was similar to a straw-set. This look was more suited to my face and style.
Once my scalp at the temple areas healed, they were still pretty much bald. I began to moisturize and treat my hair daily, especially the temple area, with Wave Nouveau Daily Humectant Moisturizing Lotion mixed with a little Carefree Curl Instant Moisturizer. I also put some Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with a little water in a spray bottle and every night I'd shake it up and mist my hair all over with it. Once a week I'd co-wash and deep condition my hair, using a deep conditioner mixed with a little olive oil, a raw egg and a little baking soda. It sounds crazy but it worked. I was happy to see my edges and hairline fill back in and the temple areas as well. They were short but covered with hair finally. All this time I still wore a wig to cover and hide the damage and a few times I got my hair braided, but I felt that braids further stressed my hairline. I also did not like the cost and the amount of time it took to have braids done and removed.MY BIG CHOP
About eight months later my hair was in much better condition and growing back nicely. I decided that since I'd already gone eight months without the creamy crack (relaxer), I might as well do a big chop. Okay, maybe I did a medium chop. It was time to cut my hair short and go natural, but I found out that I am one of those females that does not look good with short, natural, 4C hair. I also had not dyed my hair in eight months and it was about four different colors. A total hot mess!
I finally did it. Chop! I got a pair of scissors and cut off all my hair all the way down to the new growth, which was about three inches long all over. Natural is wonderful, if you can deal with it. It depends on the grade of your hair and how a short and natural hairstyle suits your face. It did not suit mine and I could not get a comb through it when it was dry. It was like steel wool. I tried all kinds of product for natural hair and watched about a zillionYouTubevideos on natural haircare. I saw some beautiful ladies with the loveliest natural hair. Some of the natural curl patterns were amazing but I had absolutely no curl pattern at all. Teflon Coatings There were tons of videos to watch and most ladies stated that they loved their natural hair and it looked great on them. I only saw a few ladies, like myself, who were willing to admit that they couldn't deal with their natural hair because of the maintenance and because they just did not like the way it looked on them. One girl was literally in tears over the state of her natural hair. I could feel her pain. I felt like a failure with natural hair when so many had great success. No products worked for me and I tried everything! I stayed in the beauty supply stores and was constantly ordering stuff online. I spent crazy cash on these products, but nothing made my natural 4C hair manageable.
I needed to do something and fast. My schedule was about to get pretty hectic with work and educational pursuits. I considered a texturizer or relaxer until I came across some videos on texlaxing. I decided to try it for myself. I was scared because of my previous hair disaster. I was afraid I might burn all of my hair off again but things had reached crucial proportions.A WORD OF WARNING
There is always a risk that any chemical process can damage your hair, temporarily or permanently. Once you texlax your natural hair it is no longer natural. Texlaxing is simply a milder version of a relaxer and it is a chemical process that alters the structure of the hair and changes the texture and hair pattern. Water Resistant Coating If it is not done correctly, your hair may end up much straighter than intended. Also, you may lose the natural curl pattern you once had. Everyone's hair is different and the results of any chemical process cannot be guaranteed to be safe. If you have previously dyed hair, this process will strip all or most of the color from your hair. Your hair may even revert it back to it's natural color, so be aware of this and more importantly, if your hair has been recently colored, you should not be putting ANY chemicals in it and should wait at least several weeks. This presents a problem if you've been dying your hair for a long time or have gray hair coming in. If you can't dye your hair, you end up with a multi-colored catastrophe! I did find a way to dye my hair back to black/brown safely and naturally after texlaxing, with no chemicals, no damage, no ammonia or peroxide and no PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine), but that is for another article. You cannot repeatedly mix processes and chemicals close together on black hair with damage that can range from mild to severe. Remember what happened to me when I relaxed and colored my hair on the same day? Trust me, you don't want to go there!
HOW I TEXLAXED MY NATURAL 4C HAIR
Have you ever gotten a relaxer and for weeks afterwards your hair seemed thin and stringy? I've had this happen many times, but after texlaxing hair seems to remain full, thick and healthy. No more thin appearance, no shrinkage, no clumping and no tangling.
During the texlaxing process, your hair is much less stressed than it would be using a harsh relaxer undiluted. If you add a conditioner or oil (as I did) to the relaxer before applying, your hair is better protected and conditioned throughout the process. Hopefully, this will lead to less damage, less breakage and less dryness than you may have had with regular relaxing.
I came up with my own method of texlaxing and the results were great. I had no problems at all and my hair remains in good condition. After texlaxing, I realize that I am no longer "natural", but the texture of my hair, prior to texlaxing, was supernatural. The texlax process retained much of my natural hair pattern but straightened it out just a little bit, making it much easier to work with. It's not like a curl and it's not like a relaxer. It's neither nappy, kinky, curl nor straight, but I can now do what I want with my hair. Best Non Stick Coating If I wanted it straight I could blow-dry it straight and flat iron it after I wash and condition it, but I have no desire to do so. If I want to wash it and let it air-dry, it is still manageable with a little hair oil and humectant. It can also be roller-set or twisted/braided and a twist-out or braid-out can be done.
IS HAIR STILL NATURAL AFTER TEXLAXING?
If you are big on saying that your hair is "natural", please understand that once you texlax your hair it is, in fact, chemically processed and no longer what some may call "natural". As for me, natural did not work as far as maintaining my 4C hair in its natural state. It's beautiful for some, but I just didn't like the way it looked on me and it was out of control.ANOTHER BLACK DEBATE? TWO: FIRST IT WAS THE LIGHT SKIN VS. DARKSKIN ARGUMENT AND NOW IT'S NATURAL VS. RELAXED.
My choice to go back to relaxing or texlaxing had nothing to do with forgetting my roots, trying to look European, attempting to fit into some illusion of beauty or not wanting to look "afro-centric". It has nothing to DO with lack of self-esteem, self-hatred, anti-blackness or lack of cultural pride. It's about personal preference. Being natural or unnatural does not diminish blackness, black loyalty or pride in any way as some people like to contend.
The natural vs. relaxed black pride hair debate is getting just as tired as the light-skinned/dark-skinned debate. Why must we always divide ourselves as a race based on the superficial? Why can't we be happy with the beauty that is us, with all our varying and beautiful skin-tones from creamy vanilla to deep mahogany? Why separate people into classifications by how they choose to wear their hair? People are who they are regardless of the way in which they wear their hair, just as the clothes or make-up does not do not change whom a person is inside. These types of arguments cause us to miss out on the celebration of blackness!
WHY I WENT FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL TO TEXLAXED
I love me in all my ebony gloriousness, but the truth is that I simply could not manage or maintain my hair in its natural 4C state. After I washed it, it would take about an hour to untangle it while it was wet and the minute it got dry, it shrunk, crumpled, matted and tangled and looked dead and dry. No products would alleviate this situation. I make no apologies for my decision to attempt to go natural and then returning to chemical processing. It's my head and my hair and I have to do what works for me. India Arie sung "I Am Not My Hair" and she is right. I am definitely not my hair, but I do like to look nice and feel confident about my appearance without having a constant war with my hair and wearing a style that does not suit my face.
Hair that is 4C is extremely course, kinky and nappy and it is prone to tangling, clumping and shrinkage; at least mine was. About eight months after a hair horror, which resulted in a big chop, my natural hair grew back in and that's when I realized that my hair was 4C in texture. I had no idea what to expect when my hair grew back to some length, but I sure did not expect what sprouted out of my scalp!
HAIR HORROR STORY
As we all know, relaxers can destroy your hair, especially at the hairline and temples. It can cause weakened and damaged hair along with thinning and breakage or hair loss (alopecia). The worst possible scenario is that relaxers can cause scalp or hair follicle damage. I was victim of this about a year ago and it was devastating and traumatic.
I'd been relaxing and dying my hair for several years without a problem. I would do both on the same day. About a year ago, I did the same process I'd always used. I put an no-lye regular strength relaxer in my hair, following all directions. Then I conditioned my hair. Shortly afterwards, on the same day, I dyed my hair black like I always did, followed by a second conditioner. All was well for a few days, but then I noticed that my hair was falling out badly. My edges and temples were getting thinner and thinner. I tried deep conditioning and hot oil treatments but the shedding continued.
One night I washed my hair in the shower and when I went to rinse out the shampoo, I realized that my hair was all over my hands. It was also all over the shower floor. I was horrified. I rinsed out the rest of the shampoo and jumped from the shower in a panic, grabbed a towel and begin to dry my hair. It was coming out in clumps all over the towel! When I finally got up the nerve to run a comb through my hair, I noticed that the Water-Based Paint sudden and massive shedding had stopped. Then I looked in the mirror and screamed. I'd lost about three inches of hair all over my head, leaving me with about three inches of hair remaining but it gets worse. Not only had I lost about half of the total length of my hair, but I was left with a hairline so thin and sparse that my scalp showed through and both temples were almost completely bald. It looked like somebody had shaved off all the hair on both temples. Each side of my head had a bald spot about an inch wide and going back about three inches. The hairline at the nape of my neck was also broken off badly. It looked like someone had tried to give me a mohawk with an axe blindfolded! About three days later, the bald spots on my temples became inflamed. They were sore, red and had bumps all over them! I feared that the temple areas were permanently damaged and I'd destroyed the follicles completely
I can't blame anybody but myself. I can't blame the relaxer and/or the dye that I used, because it was probably a combination of using both on already damaged hair. I'd never used those two particular brands together and there must have been some kind of horrific chemical reaction from the combination of both products. It took about another two weeks for my temple areas to heal and they were raw and painful. I had to apply A+D Ointment mixed with Neosporin to them nightly. When I went out I had to wear a wig. I got one that somewhat resembled black hair. It was neck-length with a tight, natural-looking curl pattern that was similar to a straw-set. This look was more suited to my face and style.
Once my scalp at the temple areas healed, they were still pretty much bald. I began to moisturize and treat my hair daily, especially the temple area, with Wave Nouveau Daily Humectant Moisturizing Lotion mixed with a little Carefree Curl Instant Moisturizer. I also put some Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with a little water in a spray bottle and every night I'd shake it up and mist my hair all over with it. Once a week I'd co-wash and deep condition my hair, using a deep conditioner mixed with a little olive oil, a raw egg and a little baking soda. It sounds crazy but it worked. I was happy to see my edges and hairline fill back in and the temple areas as well. They were short but covered with hair finally. All this time I still wore a wig to cover and hide the damage and a few times I got my hair braided, but I felt that braids further stressed my hairline. I also did not like the cost and the amount of time it took to have braids done and removed.MY BIG CHOP
About eight months later my hair was in much better condition and growing back nicely. I decided that since I'd already gone eight months without the creamy crack (relaxer), I might as well do a big chop. Okay, maybe I did a medium chop. It was time to cut my hair short and go natural, but I found out that I am one of those females that does not look good with short, natural, 4C hair. I also had not dyed my hair in eight months and it was about four different colors. A total hot mess!
I finally did it. Chop! I got a pair of scissors and cut off all my hair all the way down to the new growth, which was about three inches long all over. Natural is wonderful, if you can deal with it. It depends on the grade of your hair and how a short and natural hairstyle suits your face. It did not suit mine and I could not get a comb through it when it was dry. It was like steel wool. I tried all kinds of product for natural hair and watched about a zillionYouTubevideos on natural haircare. I saw some beautiful ladies with the loveliest natural hair. Some of the natural curl patterns were amazing but I had absolutely no curl pattern at all. Teflon Coatings There were tons of videos to watch and most ladies stated that they loved their natural hair and it looked great on them. I only saw a few ladies, like myself, who were willing to admit that they couldn't deal with their natural hair because of the maintenance and because they just did not like the way it looked on them. One girl was literally in tears over the state of her natural hair. I could feel her pain. I felt like a failure with natural hair when so many had great success. No products worked for me and I tried everything! I stayed in the beauty supply stores and was constantly ordering stuff online. I spent crazy cash on these products, but nothing made my natural 4C hair manageable.
I needed to do something and fast. My schedule was about to get pretty hectic with work and educational pursuits. I considered a texturizer or relaxer until I came across some videos on texlaxing. I decided to try it for myself. I was scared because of my previous hair disaster. I was afraid I might burn all of my hair off again but things had reached crucial proportions.A WORD OF WARNING
There is always a risk that any chemical process can damage your hair, temporarily or permanently. Once you texlax your natural hair it is no longer natural. Texlaxing is simply a milder version of a relaxer and it is a chemical process that alters the structure of the hair and changes the texture and hair pattern. Water Resistant Coating If it is not done correctly, your hair may end up much straighter than intended. Also, you may lose the natural curl pattern you once had. Everyone's hair is different and the results of any chemical process cannot be guaranteed to be safe. If you have previously dyed hair, this process will strip all or most of the color from your hair. Your hair may even revert it back to it's natural color, so be aware of this and more importantly, if your hair has been recently colored, you should not be putting ANY chemicals in it and should wait at least several weeks. This presents a problem if you've been dying your hair for a long time or have gray hair coming in. If you can't dye your hair, you end up with a multi-colored catastrophe! I did find a way to dye my hair back to black/brown safely and naturally after texlaxing, with no chemicals, no damage, no ammonia or peroxide and no PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine), but that is for another article. You cannot repeatedly mix processes and chemicals close together on black hair with damage that can range from mild to severe. Remember what happened to me when I relaxed and colored my hair on the same day? Trust me, you don't want to go there!
HOW I TEXLAXED MY NATURAL 4C HAIR
Texlax How and Why I Texlaxed My Natural 4C Hair After a Hair Horror Story
I recently texlaxed my hair for the first time and I am very happy with the results! I retained much of my natural curl pattern, but my hair is so much easier to manipulate and style now. It is thick, healthy and growing.WHAT IS TEXLAXING?Texlaxing is to pre-treat your hair prior to relaxing with oil or conditioner and then combining additional oil or conditioner with the relaxer itself before application. Texlaxing also requires reducing the amount of time the relaxer is left on the hair and eliminating or minimizing the comb-through process during application. A mild relaxer or kiddie relaxer is usually used for this process. The oil or conditioner, Silicon Coatingthe decreased processing time and the minimal manipulation of the hair during the relaxing process is much milder and gentler on the hair. The oil or conditioner slows down the chemical reaction of the relaxer. It also keeps the hair moisturized and conditioned throughout the relaxing process. The idea is to leave the relaxer mixture on your hair for just a few minutes including application and processing time. You are basically doing a mild, under-processed relaxer. While your hair will retain some of its natural curl pattern and does not become stick straight, it will be much easier to manage and you may have more styling options.
Have you ever gotten a relaxer and for weeks afterwards your hair seemed thin and stringy? I've had this happen many times, but after texlaxing hair seems to remain full, thick and healthy. No more thin appearance, no shrinkage, no clumping and no tangling.
During the texlaxing process, your hair is much less stressed than it would be using a harsh relaxer undiluted. If you add a conditioner or oil (as I did) to the relaxer before applying, your hair is better protected and conditioned throughout the process. Hopefully, this will lead to less damage, less breakage and less dryness than you may have had with regular relaxing.
I came up with my own method of texlaxing and the results were great. I had no problems at all and my hair remains in good condition. After texlaxing, I realize that I am no longer "natural", but the texture of my hair, prior to texlaxing, was supernatural. The texlax process retained much of my natural hair pattern but straightened it out just a little bit, making it much easier to work with. It's not like a curl and it's not like a relaxer. It's neither nappy, kinky, curl nor straight, but I can now do what I want with my hair. Coatings Industry If I wanted it straight I could blow-dry it straight and flat iron it after I wash and condition it, but I have no desire to do so. If I want to wash it and let it air-dry, it is still manageable with a little hair oil and humectant. It can also be roller-set or twisted/braided and a twist-out or braid-out can be done.
IS HAIR STILL NATURAL AFTER TEXLAXING?
If you are big on saying that your hair is "natural", please understand that once you texlax your hair it is, in fact, chemically processed and no longer what some may call "natural". As for me, natural did not work as far as maintaining my 4C hair in its natural state. It's beautiful for some, but I just didn't like the way it looked on me and it was out of control.ANOTHER BLACK DEBATE? TWO: FIRST IT WAS THE LIGHT SKIN VS. DARKSKIN ARGUMENT AND NOW IT'S NATURAL VS. RELAXED.
My choice to go back to relaxing or texlaxing had nothing to do with forgetting my roots, trying to look European, attempting to fit into some illusion of beauty or not wanting to look "afro-centric". It has nothing to DO with lack of self-esteem, self-hatred, anti-blackness or lack of cultural pride. It's about personal preference. Being natural or unnatural does not diminish blackness, black loyalty or pride in any way as some people like to contend.
The natural vs. relaxed black pride hair debate is getting just as tired as the light-skinned/dark-skinned debate. Why must we always divide ourselves as a race based on the superficial? Why can't we be happy with the beauty that is us, with all our varying and beautiful skin-tones from creamy vanilla to deep mahogany? Why separate people into classifications by how they choose to wear their hair? People are who they are regardless of the way in which they wear their hair, just as the clothes or make-up does not do not change whom a person is inside. These types of arguments cause us to miss out on the celebration of blackness!
WHY I WENT FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL TO TEXLAXED
I love me in all my ebony gloriousness, but the truth is that I simply could not manage or maintain my hair in its natural 4C state. After I washed it, it would take about an hour to untangle it while it was wet and the minute it got dry, it shrunk, crumpled, matted and tangled and looked dead and dry. No products would alleviate this situation. I make no apologies for my decision to attempt to go natural and then returning to chemical processing. It's my head and my hair and I have to do what works for me. India Arie sung "I Am Not My Hair" and she is right. I am definitely not my hair, but I do like to look nice and feel confident about my appearance without having a constant war with my hair and wearing a style that does not suit my face.
Hair that is 4C is extremely course, kinky and nappy and it is prone to tangling, clumping and shrinkage; at least mine was. About eight months after a hair horror, which resulted in a big chop, my natural hair grew back in and that's when I realized that my hair was 4C in texture. I had no idea what to expect when my hair grew back to some length, but I sure did not expect what sprouted out of my scalp!
HAIR HORROR STORY
As we all know, relaxers can destroy your hair, especially at the hairline and temples. It can cause weakened and damaged hair along with thinning and breakage or hair loss (alopecia). The worst possible scenario is that relaxers can cause scalp or hair follicle damage. I was victim of this about a year ago and it was devastating and traumatic.
I'd been relaxing and dying my hair for several years without a problem. Teflon Spray Coating I would do both on the same day. About a year ago, I did the same process I'd always used. I put an no-lye regular strength relaxer in my hair, following all directions. Then I conditioned my hair. Shortly afterwards, on the same day, I dyed my hair black like I always did, followed by a second conditioner. All was well for a few days, but then I noticed that my hair was falling out badly. My edges and temples were getting thinner and thinner. I tried deep conditioning and hot oil treatments but the shedding continued.
One night I washed my hair in the shower and when I went to rinse out the shampoo, I realized that my hair was all over my hands. It was also all over the shower floor. I was horrified. I rinsed out the rest of the shampoo and jumped from the shower in a panic, grabbed a towel and begin to dry my hair. It was coming out in clumps all over the towel! When I finally got up the nerve to run a comb through my hair, I noticed that the sudden and massive shedding had stopped. Then I looked in the mirror and screamed. I'd lost about three inches of hair all over my head, leaving me with about three inches of hair remaining but it gets worse. Not only had I lost about half of the total length of my hair, but I was left with a hairline so thin and sparse that my scalp showed through and both temples were almost completely bald. It looked like somebody had shaved off all the hair on both temples. Each side of my head had a bald spot about an inch wide and going back about three inches. The hairline at the nape of my neck was also broken off badly. It looked like someone had tried to give me a mohawk with an axe blindfolded! About three days later, the bald spots on my temples became inflamed. They were sore, red and had bumps all over them! I feared that the temple areas were permanently damaged and I'd destroyed the follicles completely
I can't blame anybody but myself. I can't blame the relaxer and/or the dye that I used, because it was probably a combination of using both on already damaged hair. I'd never used those two particular brands together and there must have been some kind of horrific chemical reaction from the combination of both products. It took about another two weeks for my temple areas to heal and they were raw and painful. I had to apply A+D Ointment mixed with Neosporin to them nightly. When I went out I had to wear a wig. I got one that somewhat resembled black hair. It was neck-length with a tight, natural-looking curl pattern that was similar to a straw-set. This look was more suited to my face and style.
Once my scalp at the temple areas healed, they were still pretty much bald. I began to moisturize and treat my hair daily, especially the temple area, with Wave Nouveau Daily Humectant Moisturizing Lotion mixed with a little Carefree Curl Instant Moisturizer. I also put some Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with a little water in a spray bottle and every night I'd shake it up and mist my hair all over with it. Once a week I'd co-wash and deep condition my hair, using a deep conditioner mixed with a little olive oil, a raw egg and a little baking soda. It sounds crazy but it worked. I was happy to see my edges and hairline fill back in and the temple areas as well. They were short but covered with hair finally. All this time I still wore a wig to cover and hide the damage and a few times I got my hair braided, but I felt that braids further stressed my hairline. I also did not like the cost and the amount of time it took to have braids done and removed.MY BIG CHOP
About eight months later my hair was in much better condition and growing back nicely. I decided that since I'd already gone eight months without the creamy crack (relaxer), I might as well do a big chop. Okay, maybe I did a medium chop. It was time to cut my hair short and go natural, but I found out that I am one of those females that does not look good with short, natural, 4C hair. I also had not dyed my hair in eight months and it was about four different colors. A total hot mess!
I finally did it. Chop! I got a pair of scissors and cut off all my hair all the way down to the new growth, which was about three inches long all over. Natural is wonderful, if you can deal with it. It depends on the grade of your hair and how a short and natural hairstyle suits your face. It did not suit mine and I could not get a comb through it when it was dry. It was like steel wool. I tried all kinds of product for natural hair and watched about a zillionYouTubevideos on natural haircare. I saw some beautiful ladies with the loveliest natural hair. Some of the natural curl patterns were amazing but I had absolutely no curl pattern at all. Corilon Coating There were tons of videos to watch and most ladies stated that they loved their natural hair and it looked great on them. I only saw a few ladies, like myself, who were willing to admit that they couldn't deal with their natural hair because of the maintenance and because they just did not like the way it looked on them. One girl was literally in tears over the state of her natural hair. I could feel her pain. I felt like a failure with natural hair when so many had great success. No products worked for me and I tried everything! I stayed in the beauty supply stores and was constantly ordering stuff online. I spent crazy cash on these products, but nothing made my natural 4C hair manageable.
I needed to do something and fast. My schedule was about to get pretty hectic with work and educational pursuits. I considered a texturizer or relaxer until I came across some videos on texlaxing. I decided to try it for myself. I was scared because of my previous hair disaster. I was afraid I might burn all of my hair off again but things had reached crucial proportions.A WORD OF WARNING
There is always a risk that any chemical process can damage your hair, temporarily or permanently. Once you texlax your natural hair it is no longer natural. Texlaxing is simply a milder version of a relaxer and it is a chemical process that alters the structure of the hair and changes the texture and hair pattern. If it is not done correctly, your hair may end up much straighter than intended. Also, you may lose the natural curl pattern you once had. Everyone's hair is different and the results of any chemical process cannot be guaranteed to be safe. If you have previously dyed hair, this process will strip all or most of the color from your hair. Your hair may even revert it back to it's natural color, so be aware of this and more importantly, if your hair has been recently colored, you should not be putting ANY chemicals in it and should wait at least several weeks. This presents a problem if you've been dying your hair for a long time or have gray hair coming in. If you can't dye your hair, Non Stick Coating you end up with a multi-colored catastrophe! I did find a way to dye my hair back to black/brown safely and naturally after texlaxing, with no chemicals, no damage, no ammonia or peroxide and no PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine), but that is for another article. You cannot repeatedly mix processes and chemicals close together on black hair with damage that can range from mild to severe. Remember what happened to me when I relaxed and colored my hair on the same day? Trust me, you don't want to go there!
HOW I TEXLAXED MY NATURAL 4C HAIR
Have you ever gotten a relaxer and for weeks afterwards your hair seemed thin and stringy? I've had this happen many times, but after texlaxing hair seems to remain full, thick and healthy. No more thin appearance, no shrinkage, no clumping and no tangling.
During the texlaxing process, your hair is much less stressed than it would be using a harsh relaxer undiluted. If you add a conditioner or oil (as I did) to the relaxer before applying, your hair is better protected and conditioned throughout the process. Hopefully, this will lead to less damage, less breakage and less dryness than you may have had with regular relaxing.
I came up with my own method of texlaxing and the results were great. I had no problems at all and my hair remains in good condition. After texlaxing, I realize that I am no longer "natural", but the texture of my hair, prior to texlaxing, was supernatural. The texlax process retained much of my natural hair pattern but straightened it out just a little bit, making it much easier to work with. It's not like a curl and it's not like a relaxer. It's neither nappy, kinky, curl nor straight, but I can now do what I want with my hair. Coatings Industry If I wanted it straight I could blow-dry it straight and flat iron it after I wash and condition it, but I have no desire to do so. If I want to wash it and let it air-dry, it is still manageable with a little hair oil and humectant. It can also be roller-set or twisted/braided and a twist-out or braid-out can be done.
IS HAIR STILL NATURAL AFTER TEXLAXING?
If you are big on saying that your hair is "natural", please understand that once you texlax your hair it is, in fact, chemically processed and no longer what some may call "natural". As for me, natural did not work as far as maintaining my 4C hair in its natural state. It's beautiful for some, but I just didn't like the way it looked on me and it was out of control.ANOTHER BLACK DEBATE? TWO: FIRST IT WAS THE LIGHT SKIN VS. DARKSKIN ARGUMENT AND NOW IT'S NATURAL VS. RELAXED.
My choice to go back to relaxing or texlaxing had nothing to do with forgetting my roots, trying to look European, attempting to fit into some illusion of beauty or not wanting to look "afro-centric". It has nothing to DO with lack of self-esteem, self-hatred, anti-blackness or lack of cultural pride. It's about personal preference. Being natural or unnatural does not diminish blackness, black loyalty or pride in any way as some people like to contend.
The natural vs. relaxed black pride hair debate is getting just as tired as the light-skinned/dark-skinned debate. Why must we always divide ourselves as a race based on the superficial? Why can't we be happy with the beauty that is us, with all our varying and beautiful skin-tones from creamy vanilla to deep mahogany? Why separate people into classifications by how they choose to wear their hair? People are who they are regardless of the way in which they wear their hair, just as the clothes or make-up does not do not change whom a person is inside. These types of arguments cause us to miss out on the celebration of blackness!
WHY I WENT FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL TO TEXLAXED
I love me in all my ebony gloriousness, but the truth is that I simply could not manage or maintain my hair in its natural 4C state. After I washed it, it would take about an hour to untangle it while it was wet and the minute it got dry, it shrunk, crumpled, matted and tangled and looked dead and dry. No products would alleviate this situation. I make no apologies for my decision to attempt to go natural and then returning to chemical processing. It's my head and my hair and I have to do what works for me. India Arie sung "I Am Not My Hair" and she is right. I am definitely not my hair, but I do like to look nice and feel confident about my appearance without having a constant war with my hair and wearing a style that does not suit my face.
Hair that is 4C is extremely course, kinky and nappy and it is prone to tangling, clumping and shrinkage; at least mine was. About eight months after a hair horror, which resulted in a big chop, my natural hair grew back in and that's when I realized that my hair was 4C in texture. I had no idea what to expect when my hair grew back to some length, but I sure did not expect what sprouted out of my scalp!
HAIR HORROR STORY
As we all know, relaxers can destroy your hair, especially at the hairline and temples. It can cause weakened and damaged hair along with thinning and breakage or hair loss (alopecia). The worst possible scenario is that relaxers can cause scalp or hair follicle damage. I was victim of this about a year ago and it was devastating and traumatic.
I'd been relaxing and dying my hair for several years without a problem. Teflon Spray Coating I would do both on the same day. About a year ago, I did the same process I'd always used. I put an no-lye regular strength relaxer in my hair, following all directions. Then I conditioned my hair. Shortly afterwards, on the same day, I dyed my hair black like I always did, followed by a second conditioner. All was well for a few days, but then I noticed that my hair was falling out badly. My edges and temples were getting thinner and thinner. I tried deep conditioning and hot oil treatments but the shedding continued.
One night I washed my hair in the shower and when I went to rinse out the shampoo, I realized that my hair was all over my hands. It was also all over the shower floor. I was horrified. I rinsed out the rest of the shampoo and jumped from the shower in a panic, grabbed a towel and begin to dry my hair. It was coming out in clumps all over the towel! When I finally got up the nerve to run a comb through my hair, I noticed that the sudden and massive shedding had stopped. Then I looked in the mirror and screamed. I'd lost about three inches of hair all over my head, leaving me with about three inches of hair remaining but it gets worse. Not only had I lost about half of the total length of my hair, but I was left with a hairline so thin and sparse that my scalp showed through and both temples were almost completely bald. It looked like somebody had shaved off all the hair on both temples. Each side of my head had a bald spot about an inch wide and going back about three inches. The hairline at the nape of my neck was also broken off badly. It looked like someone had tried to give me a mohawk with an axe blindfolded! About three days later, the bald spots on my temples became inflamed. They were sore, red and had bumps all over them! I feared that the temple areas were permanently damaged and I'd destroyed the follicles completely
I can't blame anybody but myself. I can't blame the relaxer and/or the dye that I used, because it was probably a combination of using both on already damaged hair. I'd never used those two particular brands together and there must have been some kind of horrific chemical reaction from the combination of both products. It took about another two weeks for my temple areas to heal and they were raw and painful. I had to apply A+D Ointment mixed with Neosporin to them nightly. When I went out I had to wear a wig. I got one that somewhat resembled black hair. It was neck-length with a tight, natural-looking curl pattern that was similar to a straw-set. This look was more suited to my face and style.
Once my scalp at the temple areas healed, they were still pretty much bald. I began to moisturize and treat my hair daily, especially the temple area, with Wave Nouveau Daily Humectant Moisturizing Lotion mixed with a little Carefree Curl Instant Moisturizer. I also put some Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with a little water in a spray bottle and every night I'd shake it up and mist my hair all over with it. Once a week I'd co-wash and deep condition my hair, using a deep conditioner mixed with a little olive oil, a raw egg and a little baking soda. It sounds crazy but it worked. I was happy to see my edges and hairline fill back in and the temple areas as well. They were short but covered with hair finally. All this time I still wore a wig to cover and hide the damage and a few times I got my hair braided, but I felt that braids further stressed my hairline. I also did not like the cost and the amount of time it took to have braids done and removed.MY BIG CHOP
About eight months later my hair was in much better condition and growing back nicely. I decided that since I'd already gone eight months without the creamy crack (relaxer), I might as well do a big chop. Okay, maybe I did a medium chop. It was time to cut my hair short and go natural, but I found out that I am one of those females that does not look good with short, natural, 4C hair. I also had not dyed my hair in eight months and it was about four different colors. A total hot mess!
I finally did it. Chop! I got a pair of scissors and cut off all my hair all the way down to the new growth, which was about three inches long all over. Natural is wonderful, if you can deal with it. It depends on the grade of your hair and how a short and natural hairstyle suits your face. It did not suit mine and I could not get a comb through it when it was dry. It was like steel wool. I tried all kinds of product for natural hair and watched about a zillionYouTubevideos on natural haircare. I saw some beautiful ladies with the loveliest natural hair. Some of the natural curl patterns were amazing but I had absolutely no curl pattern at all. Corilon Coating There were tons of videos to watch and most ladies stated that they loved their natural hair and it looked great on them. I only saw a few ladies, like myself, who were willing to admit that they couldn't deal with their natural hair because of the maintenance and because they just did not like the way it looked on them. One girl was literally in tears over the state of her natural hair. I could feel her pain. I felt like a failure with natural hair when so many had great success. No products worked for me and I tried everything! I stayed in the beauty supply stores and was constantly ordering stuff online. I spent crazy cash on these products, but nothing made my natural 4C hair manageable.
I needed to do something and fast. My schedule was about to get pretty hectic with work and educational pursuits. I considered a texturizer or relaxer until I came across some videos on texlaxing. I decided to try it for myself. I was scared because of my previous hair disaster. I was afraid I might burn all of my hair off again but things had reached crucial proportions.A WORD OF WARNING
There is always a risk that any chemical process can damage your hair, temporarily or permanently. Once you texlax your natural hair it is no longer natural. Texlaxing is simply a milder version of a relaxer and it is a chemical process that alters the structure of the hair and changes the texture and hair pattern. If it is not done correctly, your hair may end up much straighter than intended. Also, you may lose the natural curl pattern you once had. Everyone's hair is different and the results of any chemical process cannot be guaranteed to be safe. If you have previously dyed hair, this process will strip all or most of the color from your hair. Your hair may even revert it back to it's natural color, so be aware of this and more importantly, if your hair has been recently colored, you should not be putting ANY chemicals in it and should wait at least several weeks. This presents a problem if you've been dying your hair for a long time or have gray hair coming in. If you can't dye your hair, Non Stick Coating you end up with a multi-colored catastrophe! I did find a way to dye my hair back to black/brown safely and naturally after texlaxing, with no chemicals, no damage, no ammonia or peroxide and no PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine), but that is for another article. You cannot repeatedly mix processes and chemicals close together on black hair with damage that can range from mild to severe. Remember what happened to me when I relaxed and colored my hair on the same day? Trust me, you don't want to go there!
HOW I TEXLAXED MY NATURAL 4C HAIR
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