Unit 3
Tech Exploration
The toxic price of beauty
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1Health impact of beauty norms
Health impact of beauty norms
Did you know that approximately 80% of African-descent women have used chemicals to relax their hair? Additionally, one study showed that around 90% of women who experience hair breakage and damage reported using chemical treatments. [...] Societal expectations, media representation, and workplace standards influence the need to adhere to Western beauty norms. Black women may feel the need to have straight hair in order to be seen as professional or attractive, impacting their self-esteem and overall well-being. Those models on the boxes of chemical straighteners look sleek and gorgeous and certainly what many aspire to.
However, the reality lies elsewhere. Money is being made by keeping this standard of beauty popular; in fact, the industry is booming.
However, the reality lies elsewhere. Money is being made by keeping this standard of beauty popular; in fact, the industry is booming.
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2Raising awareness
Vidéo associée
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3The chemistry of relaxers
The chemistry of relaxers
The chemical key to the traditional relaxing processes is breaking disulfide bonds in hair. “The disulfide bond is the most powerful bond in the human hair, that gives it its tensile strength,” says chemist Patrick Obukowho, who runs Advantage Research Lab, an industry consultancy in ethnic hair product formulation in New Jersey, U.S. [...] Breaking those bonds to permanently straighten hair needs a high pH, achieved using sodium hydroxide, which in the first relaxers was carried in an emulsion of water, petroleum jelly, mineral oil and emulsifiers.
Straightener kits commonly containing up to 2.5% sodium hydroxide. “The sodium hydroxide has a pH of about 13, so it's very aggressive,” explains Obukowho.
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Path A
1-A
Pick out reasons why people use relaxers on their hair. How are the products marketed to them?
2-A
List the possible side effects of hair-relaxing products on people's health.
3-A
Note down possible arguments to warn people about the dangers of relaxers.
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Path B
1-B
List the chemicals used in relaxing products. Draw the straightening process in a simple sketch.
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2-B
What specific chemical causes the most damage?
3-B
Pick out reasons why these products are sold despite the dangers.
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Over to you!
Path A
Be a whistleblower! (Design edition)
Design a poster to alert your classmates about the dangers of chemical ingredients in hair products and to encourage them to break away from the pressure of beauty standards.
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Path B
Be a whistleblower! (Science edition)
Prepare a chemistry lesson about the potential dangers of ingredients found in hair relaxers to raise awareness on the issue on social media.
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