9 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Decided To Permanently Straighten My Hair

Written by Niharika Nayak, BA (Media & Communication)  • 

If you have plans to get your hair straightened, you must go to your stylist with the right kind of information. It’s a challenging decision to make, especially if you’re someone who has had multi-textured hair all your life. But if you’re done frying your hair with a hair straightener each time you go out, and you’ve decided you want to get your hair straightened permanently, there are a few things that you need to know. The first time I got my hair straightened, I didn’t do adequate research and ended up highly regretting it. It was only after a few hits and misses, and educating myself on the topic, that I finally started to understand how to get a hair straightening done in the best way possible. So here are nine things that you must know before you decide to take the plunge and straighten your hair:

1. Chemical Straighteners Can Weaken Your Hair

Chemical Straighteners Can Weaken Your Hair
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At this point, it is pretty evident that chemical straighteners can weaken your hair. However, many companies have found ways around this and have started opting for gentler treatments. Since your hairline is one of the most fragile areas of your scalp, it’s essential that any smoothing or relaxing treatments be applied to it last. Since many of us with multi-textured hair have “baby hair”, it’s better that we ask our stylists to opt for a gentler product that suits our hair type.

2. It Will Change The Structure Of Your Hair

It Will Change The Structure Of Your Hair
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When we watch advertisements or images in magazines, we often want to ape the hairstyles of celebrities. Being frustrated with our frizzy, dry, and curly hair, we decide to straighten our hair so that we can style our hair similar to our favorite models and actors. However, what we don’t anticipate is that the structure of straightened hair is often different from that of naturally straight hair. Especially in the initial weeks, the texture of a salon straightened hair would be very thin and fragile, and would hardly look natural at all. You will have to wait out a few weeks before your hair gains some volume. So, if you have to attend a wedding or party soon, better postpone your plans for hair straightening till after the event, or you might have a big hair disaster.

3. Go To A Well-Trusted Salon

Go To A Well-Trusted Salon
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If you have a regular trusted salon that you like to visit, then it’s a good idea to stick to it. Find a stylist that you trust and check out the equipment that they are using. If it is the first time that you’re getting your hair straightened, then you should ask your stylist to first treat a small sample to see how your hair will react to the chemicals. I didn’t know that this was quite the gamble as your hair could take well to the chemicals or react poorly. Hence, you must do adequate research as to what chemicals you want to use.

4. Check The Tools Beforehand

Check The Tools Beforehand
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Before you decide on a stylist to treat your hair, you’d want to check out the salon and the tools that they use. It’s essential that your stylist doesn’t use any old tools as they can burn and damage your hair. You need to also pay attention to all the instructions that your hairstylist is telling you, especially if it is related to aftercare. Ensure that you don’t use any heat tools like hair dryers or hair curlers for a few weeks.

5. If You Want Your Original Hair Back, You’ll Have To Get A Full Shave

If You Want Your Original Hair Back, You’ll Have To Get A Full Shave
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As discussed above, once you put your hair through straightening treatments, the structure of the hair changes and will not go back to the original form. Even months after the treatment, though the effects of straightening will reduce and your hair will start forming frizz again, it doesn’t go back to being like what it originally used to be. So, in the case that you start missing your old hair badly enough, you will probably have to chop off your manes fully or at least very short, and then wait for them to grow back.

6. Ensure That You’ve Informed Your Stylist About Your Hair’s History

Ensure That You’ve Informed Your Stylist About Your Hair’s History
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Consider your hairstylist as important as your doctor or therapist. Get raw about your hair history and any problems you may have encountered with your hair. They are like therapists for your hair after all. The more they know about your hair the better they would be able to provide the best solutions for it. If you have any allergies or if you have sensitive skin, make sure that your hairstylist is well informed about it.

7. Be Ready To Give Up Curls For A Long Time

Be Ready To Give Up Curls For A Long Time
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If you have naturally curly hair and are considering permanent straightening, be ready to say goodbye to your curls for a long time. For those who want to have straight and curls both from time to time, non-permanent solutions like Keratin treatment or smoothening would be a better choice. If it is only the frizz that is bothering you, why not go for a frizz-controlling product. Permanent straightening is not the only way you can style your hair. In fact, straightening is a drastic process and you will have to stick with the ironed-out look for months before going back to your original style. So, if you love your curls, give straightening a skip!

8. Your Hair May Not Look Bouncy Anymore

Your Hair May Not Look Bouncy Anymore
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The harsh truth is that your hair will not look as healthy and bouncy as it once used to. Sure, your straightened hair will look great for some time, but it can look dehydrated pretty quickly if you don’t take care of it. Jet straight hair might look great with certain hairstyles, but it won’t look as natural as your multi-textured hair.

9. Understand The Gravity Of Your Decision

Understand The Gravity Of Your Decision
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There’s no going back from here. You will need to accept that. If you hate how your hair looks because of the treatment, you cannot press an undo button and get your old hair back. It’s vital that you don’t make this decision lightly. Ask yourself a few questions before you decide. Will you be ready to put in extra work into taking care of your hair? Would having straight hair make you happier overall?

And there you have it, nine things that you should know before you decide to make this major hair decision. I definitely wish I was informed about all of these before I went in, but I understand that I didn’t do my adequate research. Do let us know if these tips were helpful to you in the comment section below!

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