The most common type of hair damage seen in the salon is almost always attributed to thermal styling. White, split and singed ends are the trademark signature of excessive thermal styling. Here, excessive has many meanings pertaining to frequency, duration, technique and heat. Daily straightening, while possible, causes problems for some people with fine, easily damaged hair. For others, the problem involves the amount of time that the iron is pressed on the hair. Some use excessive heat settings; while others bump, crimp and drag their way along the hair shaft. All of these excessive measures burn the hair and cause irreversible damage.
Step 1
Dry hair completely using the "cool" setting on your blow dryer. Check hair for moisture by running your fingers through the hair. Continue drying if damp spots remain. Do not try to straighten until the hair is completely dry.
Step 2
Turn on the flat iron and adjust temperature to the lowest-possible setting. Comb through the hair to remove tangles and spray with a protective thermal styling spray.
Step 3
Carve out a 1/2-by-2-inch section of hair. Comb through the section and hold it out from the scalp. Clamp the section of hair at the base, close to the scalp, with the flat iron using minimal pressure. Slide the flat iron smoothly and quickly along the hair to the ends of the section in a fluid motion.
Step 4
Inspect the section of hair for straightness. Increase the temperature setting on the flat iron by 20 degrees if necessary. Continue to increase flat iron temperature in increments until you find the lowest possible temperature that will straighten the hair.
Step 5
Continue straightening the hair section by section until all of the hair has been straightened. Run your fingers through the hair to place, and spray with finishing spray. Unplug the iron, but keep the temperature dial at the proper setting for next time.
Tips and Warnings
- Flat iron selection is crucial. Select an iron with ceramic or tourmaline heating plates. Avoid metal plates as they cause more damage. Select an iron with a temperature dial. Simple low, medium and high settings will not work. Instead, look for an iron with precision heat settings that allow you to adjust temperature by the degree. It is not uncommon to see billowing steam when using naturally moist heating plates made out of ceramic and tourmaline.
- If, at any time, the hair begins to appear crisp, crimped or over heated, turn down the temperature on the flat iron. Your hair should never sizzle. Any sounds or smells of cooking hair indicate that the temperature is too high.
Things You'll Need
- Hair dryer
- Comb
- Thermal styling spray
- Flat iron
- Finishing spray
References
- "Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology"; Diane Carol Bailey and Margrit Attenburg; 2008
- Hairfinder: Burned Smell
- Hairfinder: Flat Iron Styling
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