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If you want to replace those unwanted curls with a sleek and shiny look, then a hair straightener is just the answer.
Hair straighteners are all the rage these days and are fast becoming a commonplace household appliance. They are used to straighten hair much the same way that an iron is used to take creases out of clothing. They are basically designed with two arms with a hotplate at the end which clamps over the hair and drawn down along the hair length to straighten. They get hot very quickly and retain their heat to get that smooth and shiny look. The hotplates are made of either bare metal or ceramic and are designed to heat up to temperatures of 180-220°c. A word of warning though, due to the fact that the hair straighteners reach these extreme temperatures that they can take up to 7 minutes to cool below a temperature that would burn adult skin with a 1 second contact. Children and crawling babies are at particular risk from preventable burns from hair straighteners. The frequency of burns from hair straighteners is rising and even to the hand can have serious injuries. So please be careful.
The ceramic coated hotplate is the better choice for your hair, as you still need to be aware that any heated appliance can weaken and damage hair. That’s why it is advisable to always use a heat protection product on your hair prior to straightening. Choosing a straightener that has a variable temperature capability will also help as you can then control the heat and it won’t cause as much damage to the hair with extreme heat. Some of the more advanced straighteners are built with infra red heat which is designed to protect the hair by sealing in its natural oils; moisture and hair color, leaving the hair with a silky smooth finish and attractive shine.
Hair straighteners come in all different styles to treat short hair, long hair, fine hair and thick hair. Most of the more popular styles of hair straighteners are lightweight yet sturdy; they are scratch resistant and easy to clean. If you have short or mid-length hair, you may find those with smaller plates easier to work with and if you have thick, long hair the wider plates are more ideal.
Please remember that if you're using a hair straightener every day, you need to make it up to you hair in other ways. Condition after each wash and use an intensive treatment every 7 to 10 days. Using a hair straightener on wet hair is likely to damage the ends and it is never a good idea to mix electricity and water because this is a safety hazard. Regular trims are a must also, to help prevent split ends.
