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The application of all manner of perming creams and cream relaxers to the hair has scientifically been proven to be dangerous. These products are said to contain dangerous chemicals such as sodium hydroxide that can result in painful sores on the scalp as well as scalp burns. In the case of young adolescent girls, they stand the risk of losing their natural hair or being rendered bald permanently. Dr Roseline Osazuwa, a skin specialist at the Rabito Clinic in Accra, who revealed this to The Spectator, said among the numerous harmful effects of perming, the hair loses its natural elasticity, becomes fragile, prone to breakage and damage to the follicles or root of the hair. Chemicals Commenting on the health risk associated with the use of perming creams and relaxers on the hair, especially adolescent girls, the skin specialist warned mothers to desist from this dangerous practice to safeguard their daughter�s hair. In an exclusive interview with The Spectator, in Accra last Friday, Dr Osazuwa explained that sodium hydroxide is a toxic chemical which forms one of the active ingredients of hair relaxers, adding, this makes it dangerous to use on little children�s hair. Unfortunately, manufacturers of these hair relaxers would not disclose this on their labels to warn the users to make informed purchasing decisions. The safer method, she recommends would be to plait children�s hair. Giving the history of perming cream hair relaxers, the dermatologist explained that black Africans including African-Americans by nature have �curly kinky� hair or rough hair which makes combing difficult hence the wisdom of manufacturers to introduce hair relaxers particularly for women. It is against the backdrop of these potential dangerous chemicals that beauticians wear gloves to protect their hands before they apply these chemicals on their clients� hair to avoid contact with the chemicals Dr Asazuwa said. In the process of applying the cream if care is not taken, and the cream touches the scalp that is where the problem starts from. Dr Osazuwa disclosed that Rabito Clinic had had to deal with such cases on a regular basis. AKYENFOYAREBA She said personally, she had to deal with two cases where the patients nearly went bald and had they not reported early for treatment, the situation would have been dangerous. �Today some victims of hair loss and baldness have resorted to wearing various stylish wigs for the rest of their lives to save them the physical and psychological trauma from the community and society at large,� she stated. Regarding the braiding of hair of children, the skin specialist said a lot of pressure is being exerted on the hair strands whether one uses the big or small attachments. She explained that when small braids are sued, there is a lot of pressure on the hair, resulting in� traction alopecia� (akyenfoyareba), otherwise known as loss of hair at the hairline. One other effect is bacterial infection, otherwise known in medical parlance as folliculitis as a result of pulling the strands of hair to attach the artificial one. In the case where big braids are used, it also mounts pressure on the strands of the hair because of the weight.