I have curly, very THICK hair that I have to flat iron daily. I'm debating on getting it chemically straightened. Does anyone have any advice or experiences with any methods?
thanks!

I have curly, very THICK hair that I have to flat iron daily. I'm debating on getting it chemically straightened. Does anyone have any advice or experiences with any methods?
thanks!





This is coming from someone who is natural. I'm not a gung-ho crazy naturalista or anything, it was just a choice as I wanted to grow my hair to my booty. I'm not saying anything against those who do get their hair chemically relaxed, to each their own, this is just my opinion.
I'd avoid chemically straightening your hair if you want an honest opinion. Perms/relaxers are very damaging to your hair follicles and scalp. Burns are not uncommon at all. I was relaxed from the ages of 11 until my mid 20s and my hair is much healthier now, grows longer, and is much more manageable. Not only did I suffer chemical burns (without scratching) I endured dandruff, scabs, hair loss to my edges (lawd, still suffering) burned through money for touch ups (maintenance) never achieving any length longer than my shoulders (just me, not everyone) and avoiding the hell out of swimming pools and rain, lol. Is there a reason why you have to straighten your hair daily? Why not keep it natural, have it braided and wear wigs or extensions?
Of course at the end of the day it's your choice but remember, if you ever wish to go natural again you have to regrow out that relaxer. I'm now 3 years shy of a relaxer and when I do a length check (I straighten it once a year if that) my hair is about 6" from being in the middle of my back. Why not have the best of both worlds? Get a sew in with a leave out and keep the heat off of your hair. Your hair will love you for it without the heat damage and chemical relaxers. You can use a heat protectant, blow dry it, or sit under a dryer with big rollers and still achieve the straight look. I wear wigs and I'm looking into getting back into sew ins again to help achieve my look. You can leave a u-part (some hair out) and straiten or roller set that if you want to great a more natural look without damaging all of your hair. My hair is super manageable now that I'm natural as weird as that might sound.
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This is coming from a different perspective as I have naturally poker straight hair. I cannot get it to keep a curl no matter how many hours of curling/rollers and products I use. I'd love to have curly hair but its never going to happen. It's a case of the grass is always greener.
Is there any chance you can embrace your natural curls? Maybe experiment with products to tame it a bit of its very wild?





both are incredibly damaging. i have super thick curly hair as well and after struggling with it my entire adult life i've finally decided to go natural. curly, lush, shining hair beats damaged, dull, straight hair that could actually break off and leave you almost bald. curly hair is a lot more delicate, so you need to be extra careful. pick up some coconut oil and do an overnight mask, get some cleansing conditioner, and curl defining smoothy ( i recommend shia moisture products) and enjoy your curls! i've found wearing mine to the side makes me awesome money





I have med. thick curly/wavy hair..I've had some luck w/John Frieda 3-day straight, & have heard good things about Frederik Fekkai Ironless Spray straightener. Both of them you're supposed to use a blow drier, which I haven't, but after I used the JF prod. I combed my hair almost dry. I didn't totally straighten, but relaxed the curl.
There's also Ouidad prods. they are specially made for curly hair.
I go w/Simone, @ this point I color & that's enough..I go w/my curl mostly.
MANY MEN WANTED TO LAY ME DOWN, BUT FEW WANTED TO LIFT ME UP
-Eartha Kitt
Sure! There are many methods you could go to straighten thick hair. One suggestion I will start with is Henna which really good in sealing damaged spots within the hair shaft. You could also use a Brazilian Keratin treatment, which can be done at a salon or at home using a protein filler and iron on low heat. This is a safer way to straighten unmanagable hair without using chemicals which I NEVER recommend! It can cause damage that eventually will grow out, but coming from someone who suffered from hair thinning/loss caused by using chemicals over the years it isn't worth it. All you may need is Keratin..
I have extremely curly hair. I tried relaxing it a few years ago, and it damaged my hair so badly I had to basically shave my head. The strands were so damaged they were like rubber, I could stretch them like 2-3 inches, it was horrible. I followed the instructions and have been bleaching & dying my own hair for 10 years. It was sad. I wouldn't recommend it.
Now to save time on having to straighten my hair every day (and the heat damage it causes) I only wash my hair once a week. Search for threads or google about the no-poo method which involves not shampooing your hair. I still do shampoo, but only once a week. Your hair will be greasy at first but after a few weeks your head stops producing so much grease. Now I only need to blowdry and straighten my hair once a week after I wash it. Make sure you're using a good quality straighter, it helps with frizz. At night I tie my hair up in a tight bun so it doesn't get curly again while I sleep. Using a silk pillowcase or silk head wrap helps keep it straight too. Then I just need a quick touch up straighten each day and I'm good.
Be careful with chemical straighteners. Yeah its 'easier' to manage your hair when it's straight but the chemicals are most likely toxic. The Brazilian Keratin contains Formaldehyde which is a carcinogen. Think there is a reason pregnant ladies don't get relaxers / chemical straighteners / hair color / etc. because once it lands on your scalp it can then be absorbed into your skin and then into your bloodstream.
I used to get relaxers all the time but I quit once my scalp started becoming more sensitive and I was getting chemical burns. The hair stylists aren't supposed to put it directly on the scalp but each time the edges were smoothed it was smeared onto my scalp. After I had a kid I stopped doing it because not only was I slow torturing myself in the name of beauty but I didn't want the kid to get the message that in order to feel pretty one must get a relaxer or straightener.
Now I just use some coconut oil to moisturize and beat frizz and I swear by the Instyler Pro over the regular flat iron because it smooths the cuticle of coarse texture hair a lot better in my experience.
And if you have thick curly hair you don't have to wash it everyday. You can get by with every other day so that way once you style it you don't have to put heat on it everyday.
“Cook for him like a housewife, fuck him good like a nympho….pay the rent and the car note, he invests in me like crypto”




The best option is to get a keratin treatment. Chemical straightening is really bad for your hair, and it's crazy expensive to keep up with. It makes your hair stick straight permanently so you can't wear it any other way. Keratin treatments on the other hand, eliminate frizz and make your hair softer and healthier. It cuts down your drying and styling time, and you can let it dry naturally without there being any frizz or poofiness. I found that it made my hair straighter, less poofy and more silky as well as improve the health of my hair.




I forgot to add, the best keratin treatment to do is one that is formaldehyde free. The Dar X keratin treatment is the one I get done and I love it!




Deleted
Last edited by JessaJade; 07-16-2016 at 04:59 PM.




I've been doing it for 4 years and have not experienced any negative effects from it. If anything, it has improved my natural hair texture and the overall health of my hair. I'm not sure why it had that effect on your hair? I use sulfate free, salon brand hair products to maintain it, so maybe that helps?




Maybe because I have extremely dry hair naturally, I don't know. When I actually have the treatment it looks and feels soft and healthy but when it starts wearing off I can see the true texture of my hair isn't what it used to be, it's like straw.
I have always used good quality products too.
One thing I am going to try is using a filter on my shower, the water is very hard especially since I've moved (lots of white scale on shower doors) so it must be playing a part
Last edited by JessaJade; 04-04-2015 at 03:21 PM.





Last edited by whirlerz; 04-05-2015 at 10:57 AM.
MANY MEN WANTED TO LAY ME DOWN, BUT FEW WANTED TO LIFT ME UP
-Eartha Kitt
My hair was naturally very curly (mixed hair), and I got relaxers every so often for a few years.
I recently began getting Keratin treatments, and it's changed my hair for the better! I don't think anything will reverse the relaxer's effect on my hair, in bringing my curls back to how they were, but it's improved the texture. Plus, my hair NEVER frizzes when I'm in Miami or the Caribbean - even in the summer.
I'd suggest getting a Keratin treatment, which will tame your hair tremendously, but won't get rid of or damage your curls. Regular blowouts are an option, too, but more of a short-term, regular solution.









http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/prod...mpprod12041745
Hope this works^ If not, it's L'oreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Leave in Balm $6.99
Also this http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/prod...mpprod12041749
Loreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Boosting Pre-conditioner^ $6.99
Here's another thread I found https://www.stripperweb.com/forum/sh...ut-much-damage
MANY MEN WANTED TO LAY ME DOWN, BUT FEW WANTED TO LIFT ME UP
-Eartha Kitt
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