Safe & Healthy Ways to Make Hair Straight ~ Hair Styling Tips

For decades people have only known of two ways to straighten their hair: chemical relaxers and pressing combs. Each method had its own way of burning the skin. Chemical relaxers have left many with moderate to severe chemical burns on the scalp, around the hair line, and behind the ears. Pressing combs that were heated on top of the stove would fry the hair as well as burn the scalp, hair line, and ears. Fortunately, safer alternatives for straightening hair have developed along with the reinvention of an older straightening method.

Tightly coiled and kinky curls often require multiple steps to achieve straight locks, as these types of curly hair are most likely to revert back to their tight coiled and kinky structure even in dry conditions. Usually a frizz-eliminating styling product is used on the hair while it is still wet, such as John Frieda's Frizz Ease products. The hair is divided into sections and each section is held taut with a stiff brush and blown straight. Even though the hair is straight, the hair may need to be flat ironed to achieve straight and smooth locks, which blow drying alone may not give. To protect the hair from heat damage, a thermal protection balm or spray should be used before flat ironing the hair.

The old pressing combs, which required heat from the stove to get them hot, have been reinvented. The pressing combs of today are electrical and have temperature adjustment settings just as flat irons do. Since the temperature can be adjusted on these newer pressing irons, the hair does not fry like it did with the older pressing combs. By only using enough heat to straighten the hair, these pressing combs are safer than their older versions and also safer than flat irons, which tend to remove moisture from the hair. This method is suitable for all curly hair types.

This method is best for hair that has a loose curl pattern or is wavy. Velcro rollers work best for this straightening method. For medium length and long hair, choose rollers that are at least two inches in diameter; for shorter hair, a roller that is one inch in diameter is advisable. Shampoo and condition the hair as usual. Towel-dry the hair and apply a setting lotion to the hair. Comb hair to detangle and evenly distribute the setting lotion. Take large sections of hair and roll them from the ends toward the scalp with the rollers. Place a hair net over your head and sit under a hooded dryer for approximately an hour. Remove the rollers from the hair. Using a wide-tooth comb, comb your hair into the style you desire. Place a dime-size drop of smoothing balm into the palm of your hand and briskly rub your hands together. Smooth your hands over your hair to lightly apply the smoothing balm. Brush hair with a natural bristle brush to smooth the hair and distribute the smoothing balm through the rest of the hair. Your hair will not be as straight as the results a flat iron produces, but the curl will be removed from the hair.

Recommended for hair with a loose curl pattern or hair that is wavy, this method combines hair wrapping with the heat from a hooded dryer to straighten hair. Hair is shampooed and conditioned as usual and then towel-dried. Apply a generous amount of a smoothing balm such as Avon Advance Techniques Super Straight Smoothing Balm to the hair. Comb the balm through the hair to evenly distribute the product. Create a side part (choose whichever side you desire). Start on one side of the part and begin to wrap the hair around the head using a wide-tooth comb. Use a natural bristle brush to smooth the hair around the head and pin the hair in place using bobby pins or hair clips. Place a plastic cap over the head and sit under a hooded dryer for approximately an hour. After the hair is dry, remove the bobby pins or clips from the hair and comb the wrap out. Take your brush and brush the hair downward to smooth it. Apply a dime-size drop of oil or shine serum to your palm, rub your hands together briskly and smooth over the surface of the hair. Brush hair again with your natural bristle brush to smooth the hair and distribute the oil or shine serum. As with the jumbo roller method, the hair will not be as straight as the results a flat iron produces.

This method works for long, slightly wavy hair and long, straight hair that gets frizzy. Apply a setting lotion, frizz serum or smoothing balm to towel-dried hair. Detangle the hair using a wide-tooth comb. Using a stiff bristled brush, pull the hair back into a tight ponytail and secure with an elastic band. Smooth the ponytail out using your brush and either create a bun or wrap the pony tail around the base, where the elastic band is securing the ponytail. Use a bobby pin to pin the tail to your head. Leave hair like this overnight. The next day undo your hair and comb it into a style. Using a natural bristle brush, brush the hair from the roots to the ends to smooth it. Apply a light hold finishing spray to the hair to control any flyaway hair. The hair will not be smooth and straight like a flat iron makes hair, but the hair will be free from frizz and waves.

Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy Infusion Therapy
www.keratincomplex.com
Keratin Complex treatments and styling products are specially formulated to contain natural keratin protein, which rebuilds, restores and rejuvenates all types of hair.
For Consumers
www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/default.htm
Official bimonthly, subscription magazine of the Food and Drug Administration. Offers information on how to get healthy and stay healthy. It also reports on current ...
Hair Styling - How To Information Page 1 eHow
www.ehow.com Fashion, Style & Personal Care Hair Care
Don't just sit there scratching your head, find useful info on Hair Styling on eHow. Get essential tips and learn more about everything from Alternative for Bumpits ...
Health News - Medical, Mental and Dental Treatment - Beauty ...
www.cnn.com/HEALTH
Health news and trends, expert answers, views from people in the know, all to help you make better choices for your health.
Health Articles - Find Health Related Articles on ArticlesBase.com
www.articlesbase.com/health-articles
Find Health articles at ArticlesBase.com a free articles directory. Submit your articles for free distribution and find Health content for your website, Ezine or ...
Home girlshealth.gov
www.girlshealth.gov
Gives adolescent girls reliable, current health information. The site focuses on adolescent girls' health concerns and motivates girls to choose healthy behaviors.
Wellness Reader's Digest - Health Tips, Food and Recipes,
www.rd.com/wellness-advice
Learn simple and easy ways to adopt and maintain healthy habits. Start living healthy with our tips and advice. Learn how to lose weight, quit smoking, and more.
HealthCentral.com - Trusted, Reliable and Up To Date Health ...
www.healthcentral.com
HealthCentral.com is one of the most trusted sources of medical information and up to date news and contains a doctor-approved health encyclopedia of diseases and ...
Health News & Articles Healthy Living - ABC News
abcnews.go.com/health
Get the latest health news from Dr. Richard Besser. Here you'll find stories about new medical research, the latest health care trends and health issues that affect ...
barfblog safe food from farm to fork
barfblog.com
The N.Y. Times reports that 21 children died and more than two dozen were hospitalized Tuesday after being poisoned by an insecticide-laced lunch served at a primary ...