Hair Straightening Techniques

For those who have curly or wavy hair, but are yearning for a pencil-straight style, you can now achieve the smooth, silky and straight look you desire. From inexpensive do-it-yourself home treatments to pricEy upscale salon straightening systems, you can turn your curls straight in no time.

Hair Styling Techniques That Straighten Hair

Simple, inexpensive and quick, straightening your hair by brushing and blowing it dry can be effective for individuals with wavy or moderately curly hair. When curly hair dries on its own, it naturally wants to curl up, but if you blow dry your hair as you’re brushing it, it will hold the straight style. For this method to be effective, be sure that each segment held straight by the brush is fully dried before removing the heat source. If you have super curly hair and using a brush and hair dryer to straighten it doesn’t work, a flatiron may be effective. A flat iron will straighten your hair as it dries it, by applying direct heat to the hair. It is quick, easy and your cost is limited to the initial purchase of the flatiron.

Hair Styling Products That Straighten Hair

Hair oils, creams and styling products can be used to straighten curly or wavy hair. Hair oils will coat your hair, preventing it from curling up as it dries. Hair creams work the same way but are made from synthetic materials. With both oils and creams, they are applied to slightly damp hair and combed through to achieve the straightening effect. Hairsprays, gels, mousses and other styling products can also be applied to the hair before drying to straighten the hair. These styling products contain chemicals that coat the hair and hold it in place.

Salon Systems That Straighten Hair

Most salons offer some type of hair straightening system. The most common type of salon straightening technique is using a relaxer to straighten wavy or curly hair. Relaxers have a chemical in them that when placed on the hair, causes a chemical reaction to occur. After the relaxer is put on the hair, the hair is dried and straight. Once the hair is dried, a neutralizer is placed on the hair to solidify the new chemical bonds in the straight style.

Relaxers can also be purchased for home use, but the results are likely to be more favorable if you use a professional product applied by an experienced stylist. Brazilian and Japanese hair systems are also used to straighten hair in salons. Both involve placing a special formula (usually protein based) on the hair and then using a flatiron to achieve straightening. Unlike the Brazilian system, the Japanese system also requires the use of a neutralizer. Both of these systems are very expensive and can cost hundreds of dollars per treatment. The straight results can last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months, depending on how often you wash your hair.