new thread
currently im in a major awkward stage, 5.5 inch at front and 4ish everywhere else, suffice to say it looked a total mess.
DUN - DUN - DUN!!!
Until I discovered straightners, they have saved my sanity as i was so close so many times to just getting the chop.
By straightning my hair it not only make it look longer it also is much easier to style, I wear mine in a "slap back" style.
I strongly reccommend to those in the awkward stage to buy a set of straightners (£30 for a good pair) or at least try it out. You can finally go outdoors without a hat!
On a sidenote, using the straingtners alone gives my hair a dryish look, to make it more slick looking try applying coconut/almond oil to it as this makes it more managable, it looks great...."Because im worth it"
Are you using some sort of straightening chemical? Or do you mean you've discovered straightening irons?
I'm pretty sure he means straightening irons.....Anyways do you use a heat protectant when you use them?? I've been thinking of getting them myself to be honest but I wouldnt want to dry out my hair and the fact that you can only use them on 'bone' dry hair is a bit inconvenient cos mine doesnt dry till a few hours after washing.....tho when its a few inches longer I may invest in a set, an just use em' now and again! - I'd rec using a protien treatment every couple a' weeks to prevent damagage like joico k-pak, and a deep cond once a week...thats if you dont already!
Hi :-)
I don't mean to rain on everyone's parade, but I am a former hair stylist, and here is some well meaning advice to those who want to grow their hair, but are using straighteners (chemical or irons). Both are extremely damaging to the hair, and if you continue to use them I really don't feel that long hair is a part of your future. Chemical straighteners are among the highest alkaline chemical hair product available. They dry out the hair to extreme, and cause it to break. Straightening using an iron is a more forgiving, but proceed with a lot of caution. They get hot enough to boil the moisture inside the hair shaft. With continued use that causes what is known as bubble hair. What happens is a tiny bubble appears on the hair shaft, and then in a short period of time after that happens the hair breaks off at that point.
The safest way, to straighten your hair would be to wet set it on the largest rollers you can get in your hair, like women once did, and allow it to either air dry, or set under a hair dryer on a low setting. The reason it is important to use the largest roller you can get in your hair is because for every time the hair travels around the roller it makes a wave, so with large rollers that is greatly reduced. That won't produce perfectly straight hair either. It will be slightly wavy hair, that has quite a bit a volume. To reduce the volume after setting push your hair down flat to your head, and run your hand across it while you use a hair brush to brush it down. This in the hair, and calms it down some. As you can imagine, wet setting takes a lot of time, and you get improved, but less than perfect, results. Frankly I'm not sure I'd be willing to put the time it takes into doing this, for the less than perfect results, but for those with extremely unruly hair it may be an option. Another option we have head about on the board many times is the use of gels while the hair grows, and they are the safest way to go.
I don't have curly hair. Experience working with clients who do has shown me that it can present challenges as it grows, mainly looking big and unruly in the beginning stages. It most cases what is needed to correct this is time, because as the hair grows its own weight eventually gets it under control. This can be difficult for people to accept, and so we have products we can use, i.e., straighteners, irons, etc. Those products work pretty well for someone who has short curly hair because before it ever gets too damaged they have it cut again. However, for those who want it to grow long they are destructive to the entire process. I wish I had 5 cents for all the people that came into the salon with extremely damaged dry hair that was breaking off due to the use of those products.
Theron
I haven't used my straighter for a long time now, and for many months I've only used it sparingly.
You're right. It DOES cause damage. Maybe it isn't initially, but in the end, it shows. And for a guy like me trying to grow his curls out, I cannot risk that damage.
Since going cold turkey on the straighter, my hair is A LOT less dry and feels good. My hair at a point where I can wear it down if I want, with the curls and have it looking okay (but I always wear a tail).
ALSO, I'm going to purchase a NO DAMAGE Bio Ionic straightener soon. I've talked with Patrik from the board (who owns one, and swears by it) and I've made up my mind.
So I'm shelling out $350 for completely straight, completely damage free hair. I can't wait!
- Brian
Interested. What do you get for $350? Is it a kit?
Egad that's way too much to pay. If you get it done at a salon, paying $200-$300 isn't unusual. But I bought the "Thermal Ionic" kit off e-bay for $25. You can get the "Bio Ionic" kits for about $50. I've seen them at Sallys too. You'll have to buy a ceramic flat iron as well.
My results with the Thermal Ionic system were very good. My hair stays straight even in humidity and looks great. Don't panic too much about damaging your hair, my hair is ok after using it. But I think I have pretty tough hair, if you have naturally fine/dry hair damage might be more of an issue. I just have to say if you want to try it go for it, in my experience it takes many many harsh chemical treatments to really damage hair, but using a relaxer on "virgin" hair is nothing to worry about.
Is Thermal Ionic the same as Bio Ionic? How long does your hair stay straight for? That's a huge bargain if it does the same job for 1/8 the cost.
No, it is actually a straightener that causes NO damage. The money is definitely worth it if you want nice and straight hair, and want to stop ripping through curls with a cheap iron.
You can, however, get a bio-ionic relaxer done as well. I know Santiago (I forget his new name on the board) has done this many times at his local salon. I'd MUCH prefer the iron though, so I'm going to buy it.
You can purchase them at http://lordsandladys.com and you can find out more info at http://bio-ionic.com.
Instead of damaging your hair, it actually IMPROVES it! Seems too good to be true? It's legit, I've done my research.
- Brian
Awesome.. How often does one need to use the bio ionic straightening iron? Does it last over several days and across several hair washings?
hey dude:)
what about the new generation irons that use cermic heating thingees?
My stlyist uses them all the time and says they are great, they lock in the moisture. if used with a protectant she says they are fine.
Ill admit i find it hard to belive something that is 300 degrees C can not be harmful to my hair but it feels so much smoother and healtheir when i leave the salon.
KiwiDan
Hi :-)
I can't tell you about the long term effects of these newer generation products, as I stopped working as a stylist, after 16 years of doing it, in the early 90's. They might be okay. What I'd do, is investigate the science behind them.
As a side note, never assume that just because a stylist uses a product all the time that it is not damaging. Think about it, stylists do all types of things to hair that are damaging. If someone comes in and wants their hair chemically straghtened, or permed or bleached, the stylist isn't going to say no don't do that it's damaging to the hair. The same goes for the use of curling irons, etc. What they will do is perform the service. The stylist, like the client is often most concerned about what the immediate results of the service will be, and typically does not focus on what is known as more long term damage from using certain products. I can tell you first hand, the only time we ever advised against any type of treatment, in the salons I worked in, was when in our judgement the hair was already in poor condition, and we were concerned it might not immediately survive the treatment in a way that was pleasing. In those cases we would recommend cutting, conditioning, all so we could get the hair in shape to sustain the treatment in the future. Unless they specifically deal with long hair, many stylists are not too worried if the services they provide result long term damage in hair, as that type of damage does not immediately reflect back on them, but it does allow them to recommend more cutting, sell more deep conditioning treatments, send you home with the latest products to protect your hair, etc. After all, cutting and styling hair is their business, so they want you to come back, again and again.
Theron
yes I too invested in some straightening irons to get rid of the annoying wings. As im in the same stage at minute.
I was told only to use them once a week if not longer if possible due to possiblity of damage. The ones I got are the conditioning ones which have steam etc so the hair is left with a shine.
So i would also recomend straightening irons.
I have fairly straight hair but my sister has a little wave in her hair.
We are both brunettes. She wanted blond straight hair. She wanted really light bleach blond color. Her hair was mid back length at the time.
She bleached it out and started ironing it with a regular clothes iron! I couldn't believe what she was doing.
Oh boy she thought she was hot with her sharp blond perfectly straight hair until after about six months it started breaking and falling out.
Leave your hair be if at all possible. Temporary esthetic fixes usually lead to damaged hair.
do waht you want dont let them sway your opinion, i know EXACTLY how great straight irons are trust me