Different ways to straighten your hair

OLD FASHION PRESSING COMB

You can purchase a pressing comb from almost any beauty supply 

store. You place the pressing comb on the stove, to heat it. How straight the hair gets depends on how hot you allow the comb to get. Pressing one's hair is fairly easy to do at home. However, you get better results, allowing a professional to do it. Pressing combs aka hot combs can be dangerous because there is no way to know the temperature of the comb. It takes lots of practice and skill to get a good press and not burn your hair out. This is temporary straightening.  

The chances of heat damage are moderate to high. 

FLAT IRON

This is the most popular way women straighten their hair. Flat ironing is easy to do at home.  You want a flat iron with ceramic plates, and a number temperature setting. Reduce your chances of heat damage by staying under 410 degrees. Always use the flat iron on clean hair, followed by the comb chase method. Those two rules will give you straighter hair. This method is temporary, depending on the amount of moisture your hair is exposed to. 

The chances of heat damage are mild to moderate

Unless your goal is to be  a straight haired natural stay away from titanium flat irons. Those irons get much hotter and puts you at a high risk of heat damage. Titanium flat irons do deliver a smoother, silkier flat iron, but at a cost to your hair. 

Brazilian Keratin Treatment 

This is not to be confused with a regular keratin protein treatment. BKT should always be done by a professional. There are several different types of these treatments. The products used are very strong. This is a permanent straightening method. Large amounts of proteins are used followed by very intense heat. Many times you will be told you can go back and forth between straight and curly hair. Touch ups are done on your new growth only. This straightening method is expensive, but generally does not require as touch ups frequent. 

Expect a permanent change in your curl pattern. This is permanent and equivalent to a relaxer.

Silk press 

This is an upgraded old fashion press, using a flat iron. Your stylists might use different silk press products to help you condition and protect your hair. These products normally include protein rich conditioners moisture and products designed for heat protection. Your silk press should have more bounce and body than the traditional press. A silk press should be light, silky and bouncy. Giving your natural hair the look of a relaxer. Best done professional for pristine results. 

High chances of heat damage

Dominican blow out

The way many Dominican hairstylist straighten Afro hair. It is a combination of silicone products, blow drying using a brush, flat ironing on high heat. The purpose is to get the hair super silky while maintaining lots of body. You have way more bounce than a regular old fashion press. 

High chance of heat damage. 

Not a permanent service but can lead to permanent straight hair. Raking the brush through your curls, while blow drying with high heat is very damaging.  This service gives you 3 stresses on your hair: the brush, blow dryer and flat iron. 

7 Hair Care Traps

1)  SILK PRESSES AND HEAT STRAIGHTENING

If you desire to grow your natural hair healthy and long, heat straightening it is not a good ideal. Once a year is okay. But even then it depends on the amount of heat and techniques you use. Stay away from Dominicans salons. Stay away from any heat straightening service which uses heat higher than 410 degrees. Lots of naturals are ending up with irreversible heat damage, due to wanting straight hair. 

LEARN HOW TO PREVENT HEAT DAMAGE HERE

2)  TEXTURIZERS

Some naturals become frustrated with their natural coil. They think that putting a texturizer in it will turn their type 4 hair into type 3 hair. They desire to loosen their curl slightly. A texturizer is just another word for relaxer. You are putting the same chemical in your hair. It is also permanent. Texturizers rarely give people the results they desire. They are unpredictable. The average natural who texturizes their hair, ends up big chopping again. In most cases you will end up with breakage and thinning. Think long and hard before making this permanent choice for your hair. 

FIND OUT WHAT RELAXER CHEMICALS DO TO YOUR HAIR.

3)  BAKING SODA

Some naturals use baking soda on their hair to soften it or help to relax their coil. Baking soda is very damaging to your hair. It is abrasive and will lead to damage. It roughs up your hair cuticle and will turn your normal porosity into high porosity in just a few application. Never use baking soda on your hair. 

4)  DENMAN BRUSHES

Scraping a brush through your hair wet or dry, roughens up the hair cuticle. Brushing on a consistent basis will lead to damaged hair. Hair will become weak and easy to break. Finger combing is best for your natural coils.

5)  RELYING TO MUCH ON FAKE HAIR

Going natural but consistently covering your hair in fake hair is one of the worst things you can do to your natural hair. Fake hair dries your natural hair out. It also makes people really lazy about taking care of their hair. In many cases you are not washing your hair weekly when you have braid extensions or a weave. Your hair becomes dry from the fake hair then dehydrated due to lack of hydration. Those two issues lead to breakage and excess shedding. Using extensions on occasion is okay. Wearing extensions for more than 6 months out of the year is not a good thing for a healthy hair regimen. 

6)  NOT WASHING YOUR HAIR ENOUGH

Hair grows best on a clean scalp. If you are having issues with slow hair growth the first thing to examine is your wash regimen. Hair must be cleaned often. All hair no matter the type get dirty daily. Lots of people with slow hair growth have clogged hair follicles. Clean your hair twice a week or no less than once per week. Washing your hair only once every two weeks or once per month is not a healthy practice. 

7)  NOT HAVING A REGIMEN

The biggest mistake you can make is not having a consistent hair care regimen. No matter what your goal is in life, you need to have a plan, a guide. If you want to have long healthy hair, you need a good hair care regimen. If you are lost and do not know where to begin, then you would benefit from hair growth coaching.

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