According to "The Science of Hair Care," flat ironing is the most reliable method of straightening hair without chemicals. However, flat ironing can damage and dry out hair if not performed with proper precautions and the correct equipment. According to "Hair and Hair Care," flat ironing can take as little as five minutes for short hair to as long as an hour for very long hair. Typically, your hair will remain straight after flat ironing until it becomes wet.
Blow Dry Hair
Step 1
Hold a round brush under a thin layer of your damp hair. Hold the blow dryer about 2 inches away from the hair. According to "Hair Care: An Illustrated Dermatologic Handbook," it is best to use the blow dryer on a low heat setting to avoid damaging hair, but people with thick, curly or wavy hair textures may need a medium or high heat setting to efficiently dry and straighten hair.
Step 2
Pull the brush through your hair gently. Follow with the blow dryer.
Step 3
Blow dry each section of hair until all of your hair has been straightened with the blow dryer. For some hair types, this may be enough, but for especially curly, thick or wavy hair types, flat ironing may now be necessary to achieve a straight look, according to "Hair and Hair Care."
Flat Iron Hair
Step 1
Apply a dime-sized amount of olive oil to your clean, dry hair. According to "Hair Care: An Illustrated Dermatologic Handbook," the olive oil will protect your hair from the heat of the flat iron. Work the olive oil evenly from your roots to the ends of your hair.
Step 2
Plug in and turn on the ceramic flat iron to medium heat. According to "The Science of Hair Care," it is essential that you use a ceramic flat iron to ensure that the hair is not damaged in the process. While waiting for the flat iron to become hot, divide your hair into four sections with hair clips.
Step 3
Release one section of your hair from the hair clip. "Hair Care: An Illustrated Dermatologic Handbook" suggests you flat iron your hair by placing a thin strip of hair between the ends of the flat iron near its roots, squeezing the flat iron on the hair and moving the flat iron down the hair to its tips at a speed of approximately 1 inch per second.
Step 4
Continue to flat iron the first section of hair one strip at a time. Upon completion of the first section, release the hair clip from another section, and continue to flat iron. Follow the same process until you have completely flat ironed your hair. Curly and wavy hair commonly reverts back to its natural state when it gets wet or is exposed to a humid climate. To prevent this, you may wish to consider applying hair spray, according to "The Science of Hair Care."
Things You'll Need
- Blow dryer
- Hairbrush
- Ceramic flat iron
- Olive oil
- Hair clips
References
- "The Science of Hair Care"; Claude Bouillon and John Wilkinson; 2005
- "Hair and Hair Care"; Dale H. Johnson; 1997
- "Hair Care: An Illustrated Dermatologic Handbook"; Zoe Diana Draelos; 2004
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