Arizona Cosmetology Practice Exam

What is the active agent in a chemical relaxation process?

1. Ammonium thioglycolate

2. Keratin

3. Hydrogen peroxide

4. Glycerin

The correct answer is: Ammonium thioglycolate

Ammonium thioglycolate is the active agent in the chemical relaxation process because it effectively breaks the disulfide bonds in the hair's keratin structure. This bond-breaking is essential for changing the hair's texture, allowing it to transition from curly or wavy to straight. Ammonium thioglycolate penetrates the hair shaft and alters its structure, making it possible to reshape and relax the hair. Keratin, while a key protein in the hair structure, does not serve as an active agent in the relaxation process. It is, instead, what the chemical agents work on to alter the hair's form. Hydrogen peroxide is typically used as an oxidizing agent in different chemical processes, like in hair bleaching or lightening, rather than for straightening or relaxing hair textures. Glycerin is a humectant used in various cosmetic formulations, often for moisturizing benefits, but it does not have the properties necessary to actively alter the hair's structure during a chemical relaxation process. The efficacy of ammonium thioglycolate in the context of chemical relaxers makes it the correct answer for identifying the active agent involved in hair relaxation.