Men - Heat straightening. Should I?

[Bandedloot]

I did straighten my hair JUST ONCE. I had it for 3 days in which I was completely embarrassed to go out and eventually I had to wash it and get it back to normal.
My hair: Here's a thread for those interested about how it looks. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=142584)
About why I want it straight:
1) Longer. I have really curly/coily 3C hair which shrinks like crazy.
2) CAN NOT BE DETANGLED THAT EASILY. Yes, my hair always gets tangled and matted very easily. I believe it's because I don't wear it up or use any protective wrappings during my sleep and I can go months and months without combing. I am just not used to combing my hair yet. It's been almost 2 years and just lately it started needing that much attention.
3) I am still unsure if my hair should even be combed or if it's normal to have it tangled all the time to almost a level where you can call it's matted.
4) It looks awesome.

I am just still concerned about how people will look at me with a straight head of hair. It's embarrassing. (I might be caring a little too much but I come from Egypt *Arab country* where people are really offensive about how one looks)

Tell me what you think of men that straighten their hair. If there're any men who has straight hair or tend to straighten theirs please share your opinions or how it's for you.

[lapushka]

Have you looked into the curly girl method yet, or visited this site:
http://www.tightlycurly.com/welcome

[FuzzyBlackWaves]

I don't see anything wrong with men straightening their hair! Although I wouldn't recommend it because of the damage and because your natural texture is lovely.

[yahirwaO.o]

Well Im a guy with fairly natural straight hair and still flat iron it once in a while cause it looks pretty neat and gets frizz control and sleek. Now I only enhance my natural texture and thats why its not crazy or artificial lookin (If i curl my hair its so drastic and not my texture and feel pretty awkward).

Theres nothing wrong with wanting poker silky hair from time to time but the best is to cope with your awesome natural texture. You could strech by braiding or rolle setting and not going for the complete press tool.

So yeah you get to choose now and theres nothing wrong rockin whatever style that makes you feel confident as long as you know damaging implications.

[yahirwaO.o]

About pleasing people or society well... Clearly I don't give a damn and i'm a "bad" example since I do crazy braided or hair stuff and live in a very close mind culture still I do my hair for me and feel effin amazing about it.

[luxurioushair]

Honestly, anywhere in the world, people would think you're strange for straightening your hair (only because it's really obvious that you straightened it). They said things about Kat Williams, Snoop Dogg or Al Sharpton but, those men do what they want with their hair. They don't care about anyone's opinion. If you're asking MY opinion (though it shouldn't matter to you) well, when I see a guy with obviously straightened hair, I think he does not have much ambition. But, it's just my opinion.

As previously suggested, maybe try Curly Girl. BUT in my humble opinion, Curly Girl will not do much for your Afro hair type when it comes to making it more manageable; it WILL make your hair much healthier and shinier.
But Curly Girl (in my opinion) will only improve the actual manageability of curly hair which gets straighter when wet. As far as I know, your hair type does not do that (correct me if I'm wrong).

Finger detangling seems to be your best bet, and yes you need to do it more than every few months LOL. Do it once a month at least, maybe twice a month. And maybe braid your hair the rest of the time or tie it up.

I won't suggest cutting your hair since you obviously want it long. But since you so seldom detangle it, maybe you really do not have time to maintain long hair? You can still reconsider growing it, maybe it is not suitable for your lifestyle right now.

[gthlvrmx]

Do whatever pleases your heart, just know what you are doing. Its your hair, your body, your rules. If you are concerned about safety, tie your hair up and hide it in a hat or beanie when going out or when around suspicious people, but if you don't mind comments or any looks from other people, then go ahead. It doesn't matter what other people think of you, the most important opinion is what you think of yourself.

And yes, heat straightening with a flat iron damages your hair. There are heatless ways to straighten hair like hair wrapping. Your curls look lovely and they look like they will be pulled out more as you gain length. Maybe not enough to be straight, but enough to be longer big curls.

One of the things I like to remind myself is: as long as Im not harming others or myself, do what you want.

[lithostoic]

Your hair is beautiful! If you want to flat iron it, go ahead, but be careful. I don't think it's strange at all. My boyfriend used to straighten his hair all the time.

[lucid]

If you want to - do it (just be aware that it is very damaging)! But I think your hair is beautiful as it is :)

[Todd]

Give it a shot if you like. If other people don't like it, that's their problem, not yours.

[Cherriezzzzz]

Start by keeping it combed out :) just do it while it's got conditioner in it, like in the shower. Grab a "wet brush" off Amazon so you aren't ripping your hair out. Then air dry. You seem to want length most? The quicker, cheaper way is to simply take care of it. Especially if you're going to take the plunge and straighten, you'll most likely be brushing it then too. Might as well get started now. If you hate it, then you might not like the upkeep required for straight hair look. Also add oil. I'm a coconut lover for hair. It feels great too and will help define and weigh down those curls. A little goes a long way! Post pics and keep us updated!

[MoonRabbit]

If you don't mind the damage then I would say go for it. My brother flat irons his hair all the time and I think he looks great. Honestly, I think if you have confidence in what you do, from who you are, to how you style your hair, it will shine through and you will pull it off perfectly.

[Bandedloot]

Honestly, anywhere in the world, people would think you're strange for straightening your hair (only because it's really obvious that you straightened it). They said things about Kat Williams, Snoop Dogg or Al Sharpton but, those men do what they want with their hair. They don't care about anyone's opinion. If you're asking MY opinion (though it shouldn't matter to you) well, when I see a guy with obviously straightened hair, I think he does not have much ambition. But, it's just my opinion.

As previously suggested, maybe try Curly Girl. BUT in my humble opinion, Curly Girl will not do much for your Afro hair type when it comes to making it more manageable; it WILL make your hair much healthier and shinier.
But Curly Girl (in my opinion) will only improve the actual manageability of curly hair which gets straighter when wet. As far as I know, your hair type does not do that (correct me if I'm wrong).

Finger detangling seems to be your best bet, and yes you need to do it more than every few months LOL. Do it once a month at least, maybe twice a month. And maybe braid your hair the rest of the time or tie it up.

I won't suggest cutting your hair since you obviously want it long. But since you so seldom detangle it, maybe you really do not have time to maintain long hair? You can still reconsider growing it, maybe it is not suitable for your lifestyle right now.

It actually gets more straight when wet and detangled. When it's as messy as it is right now, it just gets bigger and looser.

[lapushka]

I would start trying to comb it out *regularly*, *every time you wash*, in the wash with plenty of conditioner on it. Otherwise the straightening isn't going to happen. You can't straighten matted hair. You can't. It is just basic care, and you have to be willing to provide it, whatever you choose to do with your hair. :flower:

[Ondine11]

Hi there! I looked at your progress photos, & you certainly got a lot of growth & length! As for straightening it, in the end, it is your hair. The idea of sacrificing your happiness because of other people's prejudices, in the absence of possible imprisonment or death, is tragic. Someone above mentioned seeing a man with straightened hair & assuming he has 'no ambition'. This is a bizarre assumption, since the list of men with 3C & curlier hair who straightened it are all internationally known multimillionaires (Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Snoop Dog) & throughout the 30s & 40s men with very curly hair used 'conk' to straighten their hair, & straight haired men got the bangs area permanent waved to make finger waves. Men wore all manner of elaborate coifs all over the world for centuries.

Nowadays, it is not unusual for men to dye their hair to cover greys, to dye their beards, to get blonde streaks & highlights. Many red haired men use an ash brown colour to tamp down the brightness.

I would not advise using a permanent cream relaxer-type product on any 3 range hair. A good idea is to go to a salon & get a keratin treatment. You can go for a mild formula that will elongate & de-frizz your curls if you leave your hair air dry, or make it straighten easily with a blow-dryer on the lower heat setting. Stronger formulas can permanently alter the curl pattern.

You'd wash/condition (Sulfate free) then let dry most of the way in your microfiber towel (Aquis makes an amazing one!) then apply a (sulfate free) heat protectant, & gently blow dry on low for about 5 mins. I do this at night, & let my hair rest overnight, then touch up with a flat iron on only 300 in the morning. I have 3a-b hair & you can see the results of my straightening in my photo. Very natural & no damage at all.

You can also do the shampoo/condition, dry in the Aquis towel 75% (these towels magically dry hair frizz free VERY quickly!) then add your heat protectant, blow dry & simply flat iron in smaller sections. This way, if you don't like your results, you can get your 3c curls back with your next shampoo.

[MidnightMoon]

As others have said, it will be obvious that you straightened it because of your natural texture, because people with straight hair naturally usually have straight eyelashes, and depending on ethnicity, much less facial hair (think mostly Asian and American people -not talking about US citizens lol), and it's more sparse and also straighter. I think you should do as you please. It's unfair to have to abide certain "rules", women do this, men don't do that, etc. If it makes you happy and feel beautiful, by all means do it... it's not good for your hair though.
What I would personally think, is that you care a bit too much for my taste for your appearance. It also depends if you're asking what I'd think as a potential date, as a friend, as an employer, and so on.
I myself don't straighten my hair, for example, and while I do wear makeup and care about that, it would be strange for me to date a man that cares too much for their appearance. Think Ronaldo -that's the type of man I'd never in life date.
As a friend, I wouldn't think anything, in fact, I'd probably help you straighten ir or care for it, or whatever experiment you wanted to do.
As an employer, I'd perhaps expect a certain look depending on where you work. At an alternative bar, no problem, at an office, I'd be a bit bothered by potential reaction from people who are close minded on what a man should do and look like.

[lapushka]

As others have said, it will be obvious that you straightened it because of your natural texture, because people with straight hair naturally usually have straight eyelashes, and depending on ethnicity, much less facial hair (think mostly Asian and American people -not talking about US citizens lol), and it's more sparse and also straighter. I think you should do as you please. It's unfair to have to abide certain "rules", women do this, men don't do that, etc. If it makes you happy and feel beautiful, by all means do it... it's not good for your hair though.
What I would personally think, is that you care a bit too much for my taste for your appearance. It also depends if you're asking what I'd think as a potential date, as a friend, as an employer, and so on.
I myself don't straighten my hair, for example, and while I do wear makeup and care about that, it would be strange for me to date a man that cares too much for their appearance. Think Ronaldo -that's the type of man I'd never in life date.
As a friend, I wouldn't think anything, in fact, I'd probably help you straighten ir or care for it, or whatever experiment you wanted to do.
As an employer, I'd perhaps expect a certain look depending on where you work. At an alternative bar, no problem, at an office, I'd be a bit bothered by potential reaction from people who are close minded on what a man should do and look like.

Aren't all eyelashes alike? That is so odd to say. :hmm:

[MidnightMoon]

Aren't all eyelashes alike? That is so odd to say. :hmm:

Eh, no :lol:
There's curly eyelashes, that naturally turn upwards.
Facial and body hair in general varies among ethnicities. Most hairy people tend to be Europeans and Middle Eastern. Americans and Asians don't tend to have thick bushy beards, or hairy arms and legs.
The texture of beards, arm and leg hair, even armpit hair is the same. While it tends to be coarser in armpits, legs and pubic area, it also varies. If you look at mens leg hair, you'll notice it doesn't all look and grow the same. Look at an "average" chinese man's armpit, and then at a mixed-race african-american...
and so on.
I don't see why it's weird to mention it... OP in question has a lot of thick, facial hair.
So far, I've met three major populations where naturally straight hair occurs commonly... europeans, asians, and americans that haven't been mixed with africans and europeans. I'm not saying everyone belonging to these groups has straight hair.
The general look of the OP would indicate me that he doesn't have naturally straight hair. Even if you can't point at exactly what it is, you can tell there's something going on. Got it?

[Hairkay]

It's your hair so you can choose to do with it as you wish. You can look at the pros and cons of heat straightening. You could also explore how to manage straightened hair and how to better manage your hair in its curly state. My hair is similar to yours. It looks straighter wet (only to shrink up when drying) and if it's not washed often. It'll also clump into curl spirals with this happening even more with finger detangling or not combing the hair at all. I've had it straightened once in my life. It was a blow out. Immediately I missed my volume. I found that I just did not know what to do with straight hair beyond tying it back with a hair band. I'm used to tight curls and I guess I'm biased towards them since that's what I'm sued to. The next day I was back to my curly bush.

I was always amazed when I saw African Americans men straightening their hair because it's very rare to see that where I grew up in the Caribbean. Men who kept hair long wasn't usual. Those with type 3 or 4 tend to tie it back and or use plaits/cornrows when it gets around shoulder length or longer. Others locked their hair. Wavies and straight haired ones also tied theirs back because it gets too hot to have hair hanging around shoulders, neck and back all the time.

Here's some videos of guys with long tight curls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=366LRByowjk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSbJJ1WXf3U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01NegQMlA4c&t=78s



That thing about eyebrows isn't true. My eyebrows and eye lashes are straight, they've always have been. I know many with type 4c hair and it's the same with them. The very few I've met that don't have straight eyebrows and eyelashes stand out so I remember them. Also South east Asia, the Indian subcontinent has a lot of Asians that are hairy complete with being able to grow the thickest beards, thick arm, leg and even back hair.

[MidnightMoon]

It's your hair so you can choose to do with it as you wish. You can look at the pros and cons of heat straightening. You could also explore how to manage straightened hair and how to better manage your hair in its curly state. My hair is similar to yours. It looks straighter wet (only to shrink up when drying) and if it's not washed often. It'll also clump into curl spirals with this happening even more with finger detangling or not combing the hair at all. I've had it straightened once in my life. It was a blow out. Immediately I missed my volume. I found that I just did not know what to do with straight hair beyond tying it back with a hair band. I'm used to tight curls and I guess I'm biased towards them since that's what I'm sued to. The next day I was back to my curly bush.

I was always amazed when I saw African Americans men straightening their hair because it's very rare to see that where I grew up in the Caribbean. Men who kept hair long wasn't usual. Those with type 3 or 4 tend to tie it back and or use plaits/cornrows when it gets around shoulder length or longer. Others locked their hair. Wavies and straight haired ones also tied theirs back because it gets too hot to have hair hanging around shoulders, neck and back all the time.

Here's some videos of guys with long tight curls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=366LRByowjk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSbJJ1WXf3U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01NegQMlA4c&t=78s



That thing about eyebrows isn't true. My eyebrows and eye lashes are straight, they've always have been. I know many with type 4c hair and it's the same with them. The very few I've met that don't have straight eyebrows and eyelashes stand out so I remember them. Also South east Asia, the Indian subcontinent has a lot of Asians that are hairy complete with being able to grow the thickest beards, thick arm, leg and even back hair.


As I said.. I'm not saying *everyone* who fits in these very general classifications is the same. India is right next to the Middle East, by the way.
I know you know what I mean, so I'm not going to waste my time discussing that.
If I saw OP with straight hair I'd tell it has been straightened, there's a reason why you can tell, and that's my point.

About eyelashes, lapushka asked if not everyone's are straight, and I said they weren't. Which is the same thing you're saying. I don't know why you assumed I said everyone who has curly hair has curly eyelashes.