<P> A relaxer is a type of lotion or cream generally used by people with tight curls or very curly hair which makes hair easier to straighten by chemically "relaxing" the natural curls . The active agent is usually a strong alkali, although some formulations are based on ammonium thioglycolate instead . </P> <P> The first documented history of the relaxer began with Garrett Augustus Morgan in 1909 . His hair straighten cream was found accidentally when trying to find a solution to ease friction of sewing machine in his tailor shop . Morgan tested his cream on a neighboring dog's fur . With the success of the cream, he established G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company and began selling his product to Black people . </P> <P> Hair relaxing, or lanthionization, colloquially known as a perm, can be performed by a professional cosmetologist in a salon, a professional barber in a barbershop or at home with relaxer kits . As with hair dye, the treated portion of the hair moves away from the scalp as the new growth of untreated hair sprouts up from the roots, requiring periodic retreatment (about every 8--10 weeks) to maintain a consistent appearance . </P>

Who invented the first perm for black hair