Every woman with curly or wavy hair knows that exposure to temperatures is a must to have your hair really flat and smooth. Those with somewhat straight hair will serve a combination of brushes and blow dryer, while the other will have to find a solution to the inevitable flat iron. One of the most common myths is that the hair straightening with flat iron eventually result in scorched, strawy hair, but with a few tricks you can easily avoid such a result.
1. Don't save when buying hair straightener: quality flat iron will serve you for at least five years, so consider this as a long-term investment. Pay special attention to the material that straightening plates were made of : those made of ceramics or titanium will evenly distribute the heat on its surface, causing minor hair damage. The secret is in the release of negative ions, which reduce electricity and tighten the hair cuticle, resulting in shiny and straight strands. If the panels are only covered with ceramic or Teflon, heat will be uneven and the damage to the hair and drying out will be considerably larger.
2. Choose the flat iron of appropriate size, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. If you have short, rare or fragile hair, select a iron with a smaller and narrower tiles, so you could more easily maneuvered with it and caused less damage to the hair. Likewise, long and thick hair will be easily and quickly straighten with wider plates.
3. Adjust the temperature to the hair type and texture: when buying flat iron you must check the possibility of adjusting the temperature to the desired level. Light, thin and dyed hair will withstand temperatures up to 160 degrees, while a thick or tough hair requires temperatures higher than 170 degrees.
4. Prepare the hair for straightening: after shampooing and applying conditioner, apply hair product that will protect hair from heat (usually in a spray), which will protect your hair from styling and straightening.
5. Take your flat iron and begin. Divide the hair into tufts a few inches wide, and start with straightening at the length of ten inches from the root. Lightly drag flat iron along the hair without stopping so your hair would not be overheated. If you want to add some volume to your hair, start from the middle towards the ends, slightly move your flat iron from your face as you go towards the ends.
Never use the flat iron until your hair is wet, because this is a sure path to the scorched and drained hair. Occasionally clean your flat iron with warm cloth to remove traces of styling products. Regardless of the quality of your straightener, daily practice is still not recommended - any styling tool or technique that involves high temperatures will inevitably dry up the hair after a certain time, if repeated and prolonged used.