Abstract:
This invention relates to an improvement in the method of treating hair in which water wet hair is wrapped around rollers, a mercaptan-containing solution is applied to the hair on the rollers, and the mercaptan-wetted hair is thereafter neutralized with an oxidizing agent. This improvement comprises wetting the hair prior to wrapping it with an aqueous solution of a prewrap agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and ammonium sulfites and alkali metal and ammonium bisulfites. These prewrap agents are present at about 0. 1 to about 1. 0 Molar, at a pH of about 6. 5 to about 7. 5 and cleave no more than about 5 percent of the hair disulfide bonds before the mercaptan-containing solution is applied.