What is the effect of exothermic processing on the neutralization phase?

• A. It cools the scalp during neutralization
• B. It has no effect on neutralization
• C. Exothermic processing releases heat to accelerate neutralization
• D. It stops the neutralization process

Answer: (D)

Exothermic processing releases heat during the processing step, and that heat can continue to affect the hair as you move toward neutralization. If neutralization is applied while the exothermic reaction is still active, the ongoing heat can disrupt or prematurely halt the neutralization process. To protect the hair and ensure proper rebuilding of disulfide bonds, the heat from exothermic processing is allowed to dissipate before neutralization proceeds, effectively stopping the neutralization until conditions are right. This is why the correct choice reflects that exothermic processing stops the neutralization process.