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Which agent do alkaline waves use as the reducing agent?

  1. Hydrogen peroxide

  2. Sodium hydroxide

  3. Ammonium thioglycolate

  4. Ethanolamine

The correct answer is: Ammonium thioglycolate

Alkaline waves, also known as cold waves, use ammonium thioglycolate as the reducing agent. This chemical is essential for breaking and reforming the disulfide bonds in hair to create a new shape. This chemical is not found in the other options, making them incorrect choices. Hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, and ethanolamine all have different roles in other chemical processes for hair, such as bleaching or relaxing, but are not used as reducing agents in alkaline waves. It is important to use the correct chemical in this process to achieve the desired result without causing damage to the hair.