Difficult to Straighten Hair

[TonyaB]

I am African American and I have the most difficult hair. It's very poofy and hard to tame. I would love to have straight hair, but my hair can never be perfectly straight. For the past couple of years I have been using relaxers on my hair. It only thins out my hair, it only goes straight with with the help of my straightening iron (ceramic nano?), which I have to use every day. I personally think this is damaging my hair and preventing it from growing, my hair has only grew 2 inches in the past years that I've been relaxing.

When I wash my hair it goes back poofy and I have to spend hours standing in the bathroom straighting it out again. After a couple of hours, my hair is very stiff-ish and not so straight.

Recently I got bangs, these are not working for me every since I left the salon they stick straight out instead of laying flat on my head. Now I'm regretting this hair cut and I don't think it's going to be growing back anytime soon.

I would love straight healthy hair esp. for my bangs.
What is the best way to fix my problem?

 

[makeup_wh0re]

Do you put anything in your hair when you go to straighten it?

 

[Larkin]

I understand your hair situation.
First off, please stop using the flat iron everyday.

You want your hair to be healthy and it cannot be healthly using heat on it everyday. You're right, it is damaging it & stunting the growth.

What flat iron are u using? This is important. If you have a good one there is no way you would have to use it everyday. Your iron may be ceramic but it probrably doesn't get hot enough for your hair. I have coarse hair and when I flat iron my hair I won't use it again for about 3 weeks. (unless I get it wet & it frizzes around my hairline) We need irons that get up to a certain degree.

Use a good moisturizing shampoo. I rec Cream of Nature. White bottle, green writing,yellow top. It's for dry brittle hair and it works wonders.

After you wash your hair try wrapping it.(familiar with this?) That way it will dry straighter,so, when you iron it you'll get better results. And when u do flat iron it, spray oil sheen on each section. I swear by ORS's Olive Oil Sheen.

I totally understand your problem with the bang.

When I do have a bang I have to use the iron like every other day to keep it flat. PM me if you are interested and would like more detailed info. I can tell you about my hair journey. I went over a year w/o using a flat iron! I too was once an addict

It made all the difference. You just need the correct tools & hair products and you'll stop thinking your hair is "most difficult" and "hard to tame". Happy to help you more

 

[mzdawn]

I started going natural a little over a year ago, my hair was exactly the same. My stylist put me on a "moisture" schedule, alternating some different Redken products into my daily routine.

Today, without the relaxer my hair is easier to flat iron. It's so much more healthy than it was when I was relaxing it.

Everything Larkin has said above, I 2nd! Doobie wraps work wonders, but IDK how well it works for longer hair? I just braid mine and put a headband in. =)

 

[Skubie123]

hey there
i dunno if youve heard of GHD Hair straightners, but they are absolutely HUGE in the uk, and they are amazing, they will straighten any type of hair, and it lasts!
ive had mine for about 5 years now, i really couldnt live without them.
And also, it is safe to straighten your hair everyday as long as you put a heat protection product on first.

 

[Loveleighe]

you hair poofs bcus it needs moisture. kill your flat iron ... regardless of your hair type flat irons destroy hair so don't use it everyday better yet don't use it at all. I'd also like to inform you that your hair is relaxed and use of a straigthening iron is not recommended which is why your hair is probably growing so slowly.... what i did when my hair was longer with bangs was deep condition really well, then use a wrapping lotions like olive oil or motions run it through my hair. I'd wrap my bangs around a soft roller to hold the curl and then wrap the reat of my hair around my head as flat and as straight as you can get it... use sanuk strips or a really tight scarf and really hold the hair tight in place bcus howeer you wrap it is how it is going to fall. I would sit under the dryer for about 10-15 minutes to get a lot of the mositure out f my hair and then fall asleep. when i woke up in the morning i would take out roller and brush out my hair and if i was good at wrapping it... then it would hold my relaxer longer and better.. you can get all of these things the soft roller, silk wrapping scarf, sanuk strips, and hooded dryers at Sally beauty supply.

 

[TonyaB]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I've bought the Creme of Nature shampoo (for dry and brittle hair) and the conditioner, also ORS's Olive Oil Sheen. I went to Sally's Beauty Supply about a month ago when I bought all this, and they didn't have the straightening iron you recommended Larkin

so I am just gonna keep my one I have now until I find the recommended one.. I bought a hooded dryer too, but unfortunately it didn't work so I returned and I think I've been doing fine without it.

I am having a problem with wrapping my hair, my hair is short, it stops right above my shoulders, and it's not all even some parts are shorter than the other, making it hard to wrap. I guess I just need to practice TONS more.

My hair is really soft and has a nice shine to it, my bangs are even staying down. My hair has grown at least 1-2 inches! I barely use my straightening iron anymore, maybe 2 times month.

Thanks again everyone