Ways to Straighten Hair

You can straighten your hair with a straightening or flat iron. Choose flat irons with ceramic plates for best results. Make sure that the plates are clean before using. Blow-dry your hair completely after shampooing, and then apply a heat protectant styling lotion to keep hair healthy when using the flat iron. Section your hair into layers. Straighten a 1-inch section of hair at a time starting from the back bottom layers. Work your way up around your head. Glide the straightening iron down slowly for maximum effect. Follow through with a comb afterward.

There are gel and balm products with natural ingredients that can help with the straightening process. Alterna makes one that contains hemp seed oil that increases the hair's elasticity to make it more manageable and shiny (see Resources). It also contains seaweed extract that reduces static by softening the hair. Towel-dry your hair after shampooing, then apply the straightening balm all over. If you have frizzy hair, gently emulsify the balm in your fingers before applying. Pull hair down with a brush or straight comb while blow-drying. Continue until your hair is dry.

Professional hairstylists use a more permanent method called chemical rebonding, which lasts up to a year. It takes four to six hours, and can be very costly. As of 2009, the average price of rebonding is between $150 and $600, depending on the length and type of hair. The longer, coarser and curlier the hair, the more costly the procedure. The process involves breaking the chemical bonds in your hair, rearranging them and bonding them back again. Perming lotion is applied during the rebonding process, which will soften the hair as the chemical bonds break. Then the stylist washes the hair and uses an electric styling device consisting of two metal plates to pull the hair straight. The stylist then applies a neutralizer to reset the bonds and stabilize the hair.