Straightening Curly Hair
Straightening curly hair is a real challenge! After some nightmares (and a few chemical burns) it is something that I recommend be done by only by a professional who specializes in this type of service. A bad straightening job can take months to grow out – if it doesn’t break off first!
If you are going for the pin straight look, be sure that is what you really want. Often times making such a drastic change opens up a whole new set of problems. Your styling choices may be limited and if you want any bit of curl later on, it will take more work on your part. Weather changes can also come as a surprise (from personal experience) – humid weather that used to make those curly hair styles frizzy, could suddenly make you go flat.
You may want to try just relaxing the curl first. When you have your hair relaxed, there will still be some curl left. You can then achieve straight look when you want using several methods. One way I have done it is to work some heat straightening gel through the hair and blow dry it straight, starting in small sections at the back, and working towards the front, until it is all straight. Another way, if you don’t care for blow drying and you have some time, is to let it air dry and then work a heat styling product recommended for use with ceramic flat irons through your hair and work in sections from the back of your head forward. With relaxing you get the best of both worlds – the straight look when you want it and the curly hair style when you don’t. It also tends to be less expensive than straightening. If you choose not to have the roots touched up, the new growth will blend in easier than with totally straight hair.
Chemical straightening can range between $50 and $100, or more depending on where you live. Even more expensive is the popular Japanese straightening system which starts at around $300 and can go as high as $1000 or more depending on the length of your hair. Japanese hair straightening must be done by a qualified stylist as this is a very specialized service.
