If you have naturally curly, frizzy or wavy hair, you've probably tried a number of different methods for straightening your hair. You may have even tried chemical relaxers or straighteners, only to discover how damaging these chemical processes can be. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, frequent use of chemical straighteners and other chemical processes may even cause hair loss. If you have ethnic or coarse, uncooperative hair, chemical treatments may be your only option. Most people, however, can straighten their hair without the unwanted effects of chemical treatments.
Step 1
Trim your hair to cut off split or dead ends. Damaged hair is much more noticeable when your hair is straight. Straight hair looks best when it's healthy, so try to get a trim every two months to remove damaged or split ends.
Step 2
Wash your hair with a straightening or smoothing shampoo every other day. Washing your hair too often removes the natural oils that prevent frizz and fly-aways. Use an anti-frizz, smoothing shampoo each time you wash.
Step 3
Condition your hair with a smoothing conditioner after each shampoo. Smoothing conditioners contain agents that help to coat, smooth and protect the hair shaft. Leave the conditioner on your hair for 10 minutes or as directed by package instructions. Rinse thoroughly with cool water to help the hair cuticle lie flat.
Step 4
Apply an anti-frizz serum to damp hair. Rub a small amount of the serum between your palms and smooth over your hair, making sure to coat the undersides as well. Separate individual hair strands and tangles using a wide-toothed comb. This will also help to evenly distribute the serum.
Step 5
Pin up your hair with plastic clips, leaving one large section in the back free. Blow-dry this section first, unpinning additional sections as your hair dries. Wrap your hair tautly around the brush and direct the blow dryer slowly downward across each part until it is dry. Continue this process going around your hair, drying sections one at a time until your entire head is dry.
Step 6
Preheat your flat iron. You should use a flat iron that has 135 to 170 watts of heat for best results, according to Dr. Susan Craig Scott in her book "The Hair Bible." Spray your hair with enough heat protection spray to cover but not saturate it. A heat protection spray will help to protect your hair from heat damage and facilitate the straightening process.
Step 7
Flat-iron your hair, one small section of hair at a time. You may wish to pin up sections of your hair that you're not working on to keep it out of your way. Clamp the flat iron on a small, one-inch section of your hair close to your scalp. Keep the section at a 90-degree angle to your head and slowly bring the flat iron down to the ends of your hair. Let the strands fall naturally. Don't tug or pull, as this will cause breakage or damage. Do this only once to each section of hair, otherwise you risk burning or damaging your hair. Repeat this process on your entire head.
Things You'll Need
- Smoothing shampoo
- Smoothing conditioner
- Wide-toothed comb
- Wide, round natural bristle brush
- Anti-frizz serum
- Blow dryer
- Plastic hair clips
- Flat iron
- Heat protection spray
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