Best Black Hair Straightening Methods

To straighten. Or not to straighten.

African American hair or black hair come in a variety of textures. Curly hair originated among Africans therefor, the looser the curl of the hair the more obvious presence of another race where straight here originated. Black women have battled with the question, "To straighten. Or not to straighten" for decades much before there were so many options.

Black hair straightening methods have evolved by numerous different techniques over the years. Sarah Breedlove Walker also known as Madame C.J. Walker was believed to have invented the first straightening comb in 1905. Since then permanents, flat irons, texturizers, and blow drying techniques have become just as popular in straightening black hair.

If you have wavy or curly locks and desire a straight style but wish to return to your natural kinky style then you should probably stay away from the use of a chemical treatment like perm. Perms short for permanent, straighten black hair and permanently removes the curl and kink of your hair. Instead, try a heat process like flat ironing or hot combing to temporarily give your hair a relaxed look. Washing or in some cases humidity will cause the hair to return to its preprocessed texture.

Blow Drying repeatedly can cause damage to black hair. You should always apply a moisturizer before blow drying and make certain you towel dry your hair after washing. Hair that is too wet will result in extended and unnecessary heat exposure that will eventually cause breakage and split ends. It is always recommended not using alcohol based hair products such as gel or setting lotions that may cause additional dryness. A hair moisturizing hair lotion applied before and after blow drying will help restore moisture and elasticity to hair.

Flat Irons can work wonders in minutes to restore silky luster to frizzy lifeless hair or curly and kinky black hair. There are several flat irons on the market but not all are created equally. Ionic flat irons are the better choice as the ceramic plates protect the hair from excessive while locking in the moisture.

Texturizers and Perms when done right can give black hair the desired effect of silky smooth and straight tresses. However, they chemically restructure the composition of hair permanently and is irreversible.