If you love wearing straight hair all the time, it’s tempting to straighten the hair every day.
Can I straighten my hair every day? You will hear many people asking.
While you can do it, you end up damaging your hair extensively. According to stylists working in a permanent hair straightening salon, when you constantly expose your hair to heat and heating tools, the hair becomes too thin, brittle, and dry.
To keep your hair looking good and healthy, don’t straighten it daily. A good way to go about it is to straighten it every other day or twice a week.
Hair tends to lose its straight look when you wash it, so you should avoid washing it too often.
How to properly straighten hair without damaging it
When you are straightening the hair, you need to do it properly. How do you do it?
Use the right hair straightening products.
The products you use to straighten the hair greatly impact how the hair looks and the results you get. When it comes to a flat iron, you want a high-quality iron with multiple temperature settings. This way, you can easily set your desired temperature to give you your desired hair texture.
Avoid flat irons with ON, OFF, LOW, and HIGH settings unless you have thick, coarse hair that only works with the highest setting.
Besides the settings, also consider the size of the hair-straightening tool. Go for a smaller flat iron, perhaps an inch and a half wide or smaller. While a larger iron will give you more coverage, you won’t be able to get to your scalp, so avoid it.
The final thing to consider is the type of plates used in the flat iron. Flat irons often have two types of plates: ceramic and titanium.
Ceramic plates are the best at distributing heat evenly across the hair, so they are the best to go for. They also have a fast recovery time that keeps the styling consistent and reduces damage caused by repeatedly going over the hair strands to achieve the results you want.
On the other hand, titanium plates are best when you have curly hair.
Protect the hair
Once you have got a high-quality flat iron, you should proceed with straightening the hair. To avoid damaging the hair, apply a heat protectant. You should also apply a smoothing shampoo and conditioner to keep the hair moisturized.
Brush the hair before you straighten it
It’s always recommended that you brush the hair before straightening it. Use a high-quality brush meant for your hair type for the best outcome. For example, if you have curly hair, go with a vented brush that allows hot air to escape during the drying process.
Do you have thicker, curly hair? Go with a non-vented brush.
Prepare the hair for straightening.
Besides applying a heat protectant and moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, you also should separate the hair into sections so that you have an easier time straightening it.
When it comes to straightening, use the right temperature setting. Iron it at 300 – 380 degrees if your hair has an average texture. Do you have thick and coarse hair? Set your flat iron at 350 – 400 degree range.
If you notice some sizzling, smell the strands burning, or see creases created by the heat, chances are you have set the heat too high, and you need to adjust it downwards.
Work with a professional
If you don’t trust your skills, you should consider having your hair straightened in a Japanese hair straightening salon Olney by an experienced and certified stylist. Since you will be straightening the hair several times a week, ensure that the stylist has a great personality.