by T Payne

Created on: January 21, 2007   Last Updated: October 25, 2011

"I have crazy hair!", "My hair won't lay flat", "My hair's too frizzy"; words that many curly heads can relate to. Nowadays, people with curly hair want to find some sort of "cure" for the natural thickness and frizz that defines what curly hair is. As of now, straightening seems to be the only cure for untamed curls, but could it, perhaps, be the answer to more frizz?

Historically, straight hair, in the western world, is the most acceptable type of hair. This social ideal has left several millions of curly headed people no choice but to find a way to tame their curls. Of course it is acceptable to straighten hair, but the methods that we, as curly heads, attempt straightening has been altogether wrong on several levels.

1a.) Prep
As with all hairstyles, the outcome of the style starts in the shower. How one washes and conditions their hair before straightening determines how sleek and healthy the hair appears after straightening. Before styling any type of hair, hair must be clean and CONDITIONED! The purpose of conditioning protects the hair from excess damage from heated tools (see 2a), and also to detangle hair before the heated process....we can't straighten tangles, now can we?

1b.) After shampoo and conditioner, a curly headed person MUST use some sort of protective hair serum before the straightening process. Naturally, curly heads have dull hair due to its curl pattern. Straightening serum assures shine and extra conditioning. Hair can NEVER be wet before straightening! Hair can be slightly damp to touch. Wet hair can be damaged very easily by any tool/appliance.

2a.) Tools
The type of tool a curly headed person uses determines the final outcome, of course. Traditionally high-quality, high-heat flat irons have been the best weapon of choice in taming a lion-like mane. In choosing a heated appliance, brands like Sedu and Maxiglide cost well over $75, yet the price is right for gaining good quality straightening. Why? Cheaper brands like Conair and Revlon have some of the same qualities, but do not last long. And after lots of wear and tear, the quality begins to diminish. This results in uneven heat, broken iron plates, and lots of breakage to the hair.

2b.) In straightening the hair, flat-irons alone can't do the job. One must also rely on good daily grooming tools to ensure healthy looking hair. Here are some do's and don'ts in grooming hair while straightening hair:

Do: Comb curly hair with a wide-tooth comb during blow drying. It is necessary to achieve

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