What is the best way to make my hair less curly permanently?

[P90]

I have a rather curly hair, don't know how much since it is short in comparison to the women's haircuts I see on the curly hair charts but I know that I want to make it straighter but not too much and have a permanent results(not in the new grown hair of course). What is the best method for that?, Japanese straightening make your hair too straight and I heard that it can cause hair loss and the procedure is quite complicated.. On the Wikipedia article about hair straightening I read about chemical relaxers and the risk of hair loss isn't mentioned unlike with Japanese straightening.

Can someone tell me more about chemical relaxers? or on other method?, I just want to have permanent results without the risks of the Japanese straightening even if it only have mild results because I don't want a really straight hair but just less curly than what I have.

[Kalamazoo]

Impossible. Anything that claims to be a permanent straightener is going to cause some damage, although some people have strong hair that doesn't show it as quickly as other people's. Also, there are some techniques and products that mitigate the damage to a certain extent.

A totally non-hair-damaging solution would be to choose to appreciate your hair even more than you already do. Perhaps look for photos of famous good-looking people with your kind of hair, wearing it in its natural state? Then you can tell yourself, "I have great looking hair! It looks just like so-and-so's! There are straight-haired people who pay fortunes to get hair that looks just like mine!"

[jane_marie]

There is no permanent, non-damaging way to get your hair straight.

That said, I can cox my hair into straightness by using a straightening shampoo and brushing it dry in front of a fan after I wash. I do this when I trim to make sure I get an even hemline.

I have also noticed that the Ph of water can affect my texture. Occasionally, I will take a bath at my m other's house and my hair will not wave no matter what I do. My sig pic was taken one day after washing at my mother's. I can't say what aspect of my mother's water causes the change though. I should really bring some test strips over.

Of course, my hair is merely wavy not curly so I can't be sure if these sorts of changes would work for you.

In general, if you really want straighter hair I think you should find out what flattens the hair of other curlys and experiment with making those things a part of your routine. :shrug:

Also, I think I heard somewhere that henna straightens slightly. That might not be right...

For the record, I think that curly hair is gorgeous but it's not my hair so it's not my business what you choose to do to make yourself happy. :)

[BerrySara]

P90 Its not entirely impossible as long as you aren't looking for straight hair and from the sound of it, wavy/less curly hair would be okay with you. Not sure how curly your hair is and how permanent you would be willing to go with, however I have a lot of experience with Japanese straightening.

I assume if you are considering relaxers and chemical straighteners, you are okay with permanent results. With that, if you hair is in the 2-range or even 3 range, it is possible to achieve elongated curls/waves by multiple application of henna. This would be a non-damaging method that requires multiple applications and an acceptance of a very specific hair color that is permanent. Note, not every curly experiences elongation of curls with henna but enough people do that it may be worth researching/ looking into as an option. I think there was a poll somewhere that showed majority of curlies did experience elongation. Will have to look to find it.

I personally don't recommend the use of chemical straighteners (not everyone will agree) but its something you have to keep doing - especially if you achieve a significant texture difference. If you stop relaxing, the mis-match in texture causes a weakness at the demarcation line that can cause a lot of breakage (I know this because I grew out chemically straightened hair for 1 year that started breaking at the demarcation line before chopping it all off to grow out the curls again) and at some point you will have to chop your hair if you stop treatments. In addition, yes it does cause damage to your hair plus having to deal with strong chemicals every few months (It gets old real quick in my opinion). Plus the cost of treatments.

Another thing to consider is length. Yes that takes a long time but with hair length, the weight of your hair naturally elongates your curls. I have 3b curls and now my hair looks more wavy at roots and mid length because of the weight of my hair with the exception of the last few inches of hair that still curls. This really is a significant difference.

[P90]

There is no permanent, non-damaging way to get your hair straight.

That said, I can cox my hair into straightness by using a straightening shampoo and brushing it dry in front of a fan after I wash. I do this when I trim to make sure I get an even hemline.

I have also noticed that the Ph of water can affect my texture. Occasionally, I will take a bath at my m other's house and my hair will not wave no matter what I do. My sig pic was taken one day after washing at my mother's. I can't say what aspect of my mother's water causes the change though. I should really bring some test strips over.

Of course, my hair is merely wavy not curly so I can't be sure if these sorts of changes would work for you.

In general, if you really want straighter hair I think you should find out what flattens the hair of other curlys and experiment with making those things a part of your routine. :shrug:

Also, I think I heard somewhere that henna straightens slightly. That might not be right...

For the record, I think that curly hair is gorgeous but it's not my hair so it's not my business what you choose to do to make yourself happy. :)

I heard that Japanese straightening can actually stop the hair from growing if it isn't done properly and this is more than just some hair breakage. Anyway I am ok with some mild hair breakage, I already damaging my hair because I need to excessively brush my hair and including when it is wet and all this probably cause hair breakage. I just need some mild but permanent straightening with as much less damage as possible, what should I do for that?.

[ynne]

I assume if you are considering relaxers and chemical straighteners, you are okay with permanent results. With that, if you hair is in the 2-range or even 3 range, it is possible to achieve elongated curls/waves by multiple application of henna. This would be a non-damaging method that requires multiple applications and an acceptance of a very specific hair color that is permanent. Note, not every curly experiences elongation of curls with henna but enough people do that it may be worth researching/ looking into as an option. I think there was a poll somewhere that showed majority of curlies did experience elongation. Will have to look to find it.
[...]
Another thing to consider is length. Yes that takes a long time but with hair length, the weight of your hair naturally elongates your curls. I have 3b curls and now my hair looks more wavy at roots and mid length because of the weight of my hair with the exception of the last few inches of hair that still curls. This really is a significant difference.

Can confirm that both henna & length loosen the pattern! For me that's an unwanted effect but I like henna's color too much to give it up.

As for combing it into smoother texture, if your hair is more curly than wavy, I wouldn't recommend that. Generally, combing it dry/when it's drying is not a good idea for most of us with curly hair.

I know you wanted permanent solutions, but I don't know of any that wouldn't be damaging and too drastic. So I'd recommend trying to perhaps braid your hair every night to get smaller softer waves, or once your hair is long enough, doing the wrap-around method, basically any heatless straightening method should be okay long-term!

On a side note, I hope that eventually, you might be able to grow to like your hair as it is. :)

[P90]

P90 Its not entirely impossible as long as you aren't looking for straight hair and from the sound of it, wavy/less curly hair would be okay with you. Not sure how curly your hair is and how permanent you would be willing to go with, however I have a lot of experience with Japanese straightening.

I assume if you are considering relaxers and chemical straighteners, you are okay with permanent results. With that, if you hair is in the 2-range or even 3 range, it is possible to achieve elongated curls/waves by multiple application of henna. This would be a non-damaging method that requires multiple applications and an acceptance of a very specific hair color that is permanent. Note, not every curly experiences elongation of curls with henna but enough people do that it may be worth researching/ looking into as an option. I think there was a poll somewhere that showed majority of curlies did experience elongation. Will have to look to find it.

I personally don't recommend the use of chemical straighteners (not everyone will agree) but its something you have to keep doing - especially if you achieve a significant texture difference. If you stop relaxing, the mis-match in texture causes a weakness at the demarcation line that can cause a lot of breakage (I know this because I grew out chemically straightened hair for 1 year that started breaking at the demarcation line before chopping it all off to grow out the curls again) and at some point you will have to chop your hair if you stop treatments. In addition, yes it does cause damage to your hair plus having to deal with strong chemicals every few months (It gets old real quick in my opinion). Plus the cost of treatments.

Another thing to consider is length. Yes that takes a long time but with hair length, the weight of your hair naturally elongates your curls. I have 3b curls and now my hair looks more wavy at roots and mid length because of the weight of my hair with the exception of the last few inches of hair that still curls. This really is a significant difference.

You went from a curly hair like in your pic to a straight hair using chemical relaxers?, I want more mild results because my hair is straighter and I don't want to have really straight hair. Can you control the level of straightening with chemical relaxers?, what kind of chemical relaxer did you used? I see that there are different chemicals used for chemical relaxer with some using sodium hydroxide and some using other chemicals like calcium hydroxide for more sensitive scalps.

[lapushka]

What category is your hair in? If it's in the 3s it is quite possible to just blow it out with a hairdryer.

Other than that, you aren't meant to brush curly hair dry, only wet, rest of the time you need to just leave it alone, and only detangle when you wash it.

Sharing more of your routine, products, how often you wash, how you style, etc. might be helpful.

[P90]

Can confirm that both henna & length loosen the pattern! For me that's an unwanted effect but I like henna's color too much to give it up.

As for combing it into smoother texture, if your hair is more curly than wavy, I wouldn't recommend that. Generally, combing it dry/when it's drying is not a good idea for most of us with curly hair.

I know you wanted permanent solutions, but I don't know of any that wouldn't be damaging and too drastic. So I'd recommend trying to perhaps braid your hair every night to get smaller softer waves, or once your hair is long enough, doing the wrap-around method, basically any heatless straightening method should be okay long-term!

On a side note, I hope that eventually, you might be able to grow to like your hair as it is. :)

I have no problem having some hair breakage if my hair get straight without me having to struggle with keeping it like that every day. I am already damaging my hair with all my excessive brushing to control my curly hair.

[Kalamazoo]

Maybe you could roll it on big rollers to loosen the curl? If you don't have to wash it every day, that might last 'til the next wash day...

[ynne]

I have no problem having some hair breakage if my hair get straight without me having to struggle with keeping it like that every day. I am already damaging my hair with all my excessive brushing to control my curly hair.I'd try something, anything else than brushing it; you are making it more frizzy and wild by brushing it! It will be very very likely more manageable when you stop and change your routine. :) Even if you don't want to encourage the curls. Also, afaik heatless styling can last for days if you use some styling product to help it stay that way. But even with heat; last time a hairdresser blew dry my hair into perfect straightness, I didn't get my curls back until I washed it again.


[...] Sharing more of your routine, products, how often you wash, how you style, etc. might be helpful.
Also, agreed with this!

[Laurab]

So this question made me google Brazilian Blowouts, because I've heard of them before. It turns out they're a brand name of a keratin treatment. Who knew?
Anyway I know that's a way to straighten hair.
The trouble I'd have with it is it uses formaldehyde.
I think all perms use pretty dangerous chemicals though. If you go to a professional they should know how to apply it safely, but if you decide to get any of this done heavily research both the method and the salon you're going to.

[cjk]

It really is true, we all want what we don't have. Grass is greener, all that stuff.

You have natural curls. Beauty shops charge hundreds of dollars to create curls on clients with straight hair. They want what you have been given naturally.

And vice-versa, you want the straight hair they have.

I have not seen any pictures. Would you please post a picture or two. I'd like to see what we're dealing with.

I always hated the unpredictable and frizzy nature of curly hair, that is until I learned to take care of my own. The technique curly girl, popularized by Lorraine Massey and her book, is a great way to care for curly hair. My own hair has never looked more beautiful and I get compliments on it constantly, and because it's my natural texture I don't have to fight it every day.

That seems to be your biggest problem. Fighting and everyday.

Maybe a bit of an attitude adjustment, stop thinking of it as a problem to be overcome, a daily struggle, and instead embrace the curls?

[Ylva]

I'm no expert on the matter, but I've heard of people using clay (high pH) to straighten their hair. I think it's more commonly referred to as "hair smoothing". Maybe worth looking into.

[Kake]

Even if you are OK with the chemicals used in permanent straightening, would the grow out not bother you? If you had your own texture for a couple of inches would that not look odd?

[P90]

I forgot to mention that I am a guy with a relatively long hair for a guy but not long like what the women here have, my hair in the front can reach my eyebrows/eyes when it is wet and straight but when it is dry it can be a nightmare. Curly hair in that length can look extremely messy and is very hard to control in some days, almost everyday I have to wash my hair and brush it backward and let it dry like that just to make it manageable enough. And I have no plan to have a short haircut or to let it grow too much and I need a solution that doesn't require too much to maintain. That why chemical relaxers seems like the best solution for me but I need to learn more about them so I get good and natural looking results.

[Dark40]

I have a rather curly hair, don't know how much since it is short in comparison to the women's haircuts I see on the curly hair charts but I know that I want to make it straighter but not too much and have a permanent results(not in the new grown hair of course). What is the best method for that?, Japanese straightening make your hair too straight and I heard that it can cause hair loss and the procedure is quite complicated.. On the Wikipedia article about hair straightening I read about chemical relaxers and the risk of hair loss isn't mentioned unlike with Japanese straightening.

Can someone tell me more about chemical relaxers? or on other method?, I just want to have permanent results without the risks of the Japanese straightening even if it only have mild results because I don't want a really straight hair but just less curly than what I have.

You can get chemical relaxers or hair texturizers. The texturizers will just soften up your curly hair giving you a looser curl. I have chemically relaxed hair, and it isn't damaged at all. As long as you condition, condition, and condition....and also keep it well-moisturized with any type of oil you like. The only way chemical relaxers or Japanese Straightening causes any damage is if you don't know what you're doing. But I get my hair chemically relaxed twice a year and I've just gotten it relaxed 6 days ago after it had been 6 months post relaxed, and I never suffered any damage.

[ynne]

I forgot to mention that I am a guy with a relatively long hair for a guy but not long like what the women here have, my hair in the front can reach my eyebrows/eyes when it is wet and straight but when it is dry it can be a nightmare. Curly hair in that length can look extremely messy and is very hard to control in some days, almost everyday I have to wash my hair and brush it backward and let it dry like that just to make it manageable enough. And I have no plan to have a short haircut or to let it grow too much and I need a solution that doesn't require too much to maintain. That why chemical relaxers seems like the best solution for me but I need to learn more about them so I get good and natural looking results.

Before you figure out how you'll straighten it permanently (good luck!), do you currently use leave-in conditioner, any oil, gel/mousse, smoothing serums? This type of hair needs extra help to not be "messy", especially when you insist on brushing it, but it should be absolutely possible to tame and make look good even at this length.

It honestly sounds to me like you didn't figure out how to style your hair yet; most of us with curly hair had a time like that. :) It's not much effort once you know what your hair likes, and guys with wavy/curly hair look great. So, while I do wish you luck with finding a solution that will make it easier on you and I understand the appeal of straight her (trust me, I have spent so many years aiming for that!), I just wonder, have you ever seen your hair in its full well-styled potential?

Btw, there are guys on this forum too; cjk who posted above is a guy. :) With longer hair than yours but his experience might still be relevant to you.

[Kalamazoo]

I'd like to propose something really radical: I know you want your hair to be straighter. Why not try doing the opposite of what you want?! I mean, dealing with hair is like living in Alice Through the Looking-Glass (Lewis Carroll). I mean, there's an episode in there, right after she enters the mirror in her family's livingroom, when she tries to go someplace, and the more she tries to walk there, the farther away she winds up from it! (Well, of course! She's in Mirror Land, so everything's backwards.) After Alice gets very frustrated, to the point of tears, another character tells her she must turn her back on the place where she wants to go & walk away from it. Nothing else is working, so Alice finally tries it. And then it's amazing how fast she winds up where she wants to be!

What I mean is, you say you want your hair to be straighter, and I think you ought to try the Curly Girl Method and try to bring out your curls.

I know, I sound crazy. But I think that what you really want is hair that's happy, healthy, easy to manage, and good-looking. What you're doing right now, brushing it constantly & trying to get it to lie down flat, is fighting it. You're trying to beat it into submission & make it "behave" totally contrary to its nature. So, of course, it's rebelling, breaking, frizzing, because it's incapable of doing what you want it to do.

The Curly Girl Method is an entirely different way of treating your hair, which will probably (YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary) increase its healthiness. If you give CGM a try ~ say for a month? ~ before you try permanently straightening your hair, you might be very surprised at how much better your hair coöperates! You might be extremely amazed at how you may not have to fight it every single day.

If after a month, you still don't like your curly hair, then go ahead and try straightening it.

But I think that straightening your hair will damage it more than all the excessive (for you) brushing is already doing, while I think that CGM will start allowing your hair to heal.

So I think that you should try the least damaging route first, before adding more damage.

And after you've given CGM a whirl (which may turn out far better than you imagine possible) you may wind up loving your hair more than you already do and really not have the desire to straighten it any more. But if, after giving CGM a fair shot, you decide you still want to straighten, then at least your hair will be healthier going into it than it is now.

I really believe that everybody ought to have access to hair-care products, info, & services that are ideal for his/her own hair type. CGM is not for me! I've tried out CGM-compatible shampoo & conditioner, & they're far too thick & creamy for my hair type. (I still think I'm a 1B, even though I sometimes see spirals in my hair after washing with amla, which increases curliness. So I was encouraged to rate myself as a 2C, but I think I'm really a 1B, & CGM really does NOT work for me! But I learned a lot about how hair and hair care products work, by studying up on the Curly Girl Method, & it very definitely contributed to my development of my own hair care technique.

Even if it isn't the right path for you, studying it would help you understand how these hair products work, so you'd have a little better idea of what you were getting yourself into.

There's a ton of CGM info available for free on this forum. Personally, I bought the Kindle book, If You Love It, It Will Grow: A Guide to Healthy, Beautiful, Natural Hair, by Dr. Phoenyx Austen. (I :heartbeat that book!)

But the most important thing is for you to realize that you're among friends here, friends who all have hair that turns out wonky from time to time. It's your hair. If you want to straighten it, then you should. There's no reason why you have to take any of our advice, not even mine. We're all cheering for you, whatever you decide to do.

But we're talking about hair here, and the way every one of us sees his/her own hair is by looking at it in the mirror, so we're all with Alice, through the Looking-Glass.

[cjk]

Btw, there are guys on this forum too; cjk who posted above is a guy. :) With longer hair than yours but his experience might still be relevant to you.

You're definitely not alone. Like she said, there are a number of guys on this forum. Hello!

You want to talk about a styling challenge? Try bangs that are long enough to get stuck in your beard. LOL

https://i.imgur.com/HlQj9o0.jpg

[P90]

You can get chemical relaxers or hair texturizers. The texturizers will just soften up your curly hair giving you a looser curl. I have chemically relaxed hair, and it isn't damaged at all. As long as you condition, condition, and condition....and also keep it well-moisturized with any type of oil you like. The only way chemical relaxers or Japanese Straightening causes any damage is if you don't know what you're doing. But I get my hair chemically relaxed twice a year and I've just gotten it relaxed 6 days ago after it had been 6 months post relaxed, and I never suffered any damage.

Can you control the level of straightening with chemical relaxers?. is your hair straight like the hair of women who done Japanese straightening or not that straight?.

[P90]

You're definitely not alone. Like she said, there are a number of guys on this forum. Hello!

You want to talk about a styling challenge? Try bangs that are long enough to get stuck in your beard. LOL

https://i.imgur.com/HlQj9o0.jpg
Nice hair. I want to have hair texture like yours, far from curly but not too straight.


Before you figure out how you'll straighten it permanently (good luck!), do you currently use leave-in conditioner, any oil, gel/mousse, smoothing serums? This type of hair needs extra help to not be "messy", especially when you insist on brushing it, but it should be absolutely possible to tame and make look good even at this length.

It honestly sounds to me like you didn't figure out how to style your hair yet; most of us with curly hair had a time like that. :) It's not much effort once you know what your hair likes, and guys with wavy/curly hair look great. So, while I do wish you luck with finding a solution that will make it easier on you and I understand the appeal of straight her (trust me, I have spent so many years aiming for that!), I just wonder, have you ever seen your hair in its full well-styled potential?

Btw, there are guys on this forum too; cjk who posted above is a guy. :) With longer hair than yours but his experience might still be relevant to you.

The only thing I do with my hair is washing it with a shampoo like 'head and shoulders', is that causing my hair to become messy and frizzy?. When I get up in the morning many times my hair become a mess, like the hair in different parts of my head chose to become in some different shape and I can't get out like that and it only becomes manageable after I wash my hair but even that is not always helping...

[cjk]

Nice hair. I want to have hair texture like yours, far from curly but not too straight.


Thank you. I got another compliment today, random woman in the parking lot of dominos.

The only way you're going to make your hair a different texture, permanently, is with a chemical permanent. A perm.

I know what you're thinking, curls. No.

At a chemical level what happens is the chemicals break apart the bonds inside your hair and then they are shaped, if you're getting a curly permanent they put your hair around curlers. And you look like a poodle!

But at a more basic level what you're doing is imposing a new shape. Curly, straight, or anything in between, it's still a new shape.

Believe it or not, a lot of hairdressers will use really large diameter barrel curlers to reduce the poodle curls to something more like beach waves.

Given the questions you're asking, and frankly the way in which you're asking them, you need to do two things.

First, post some pictures on this forum. The members here have more knowledge about hair than most professionals. Seriously, it is a veritable fountain of information. But if we don't know what we're working with, all we can do is give you general guidance.

Second, armed with what you learn here, talk to a professional in your area. Talk only. Don't pick a place at random and sit down in the chair. Think of it like an interview process. Find one from whom you get a good vibe.

You said it in your original post, permanent. There is such a thing as corrective processes but they build on top of the damage already done. You don't want to go there.

And you need to be aware, also, that different textures on different parts of the head is a pretty common thing. Since the majority of the members here are women I'll use them as an example, many women will straighten only their bangs.

[lapushka]

P90, do you have a picture of your hair, maybe? I think upthread cjk asked about it, but maybe it's better for us to see, so we can better help you out.

Some of us are plain old confused about our own texture, so much so that we think it is one thing when it is another.

It would help us out! :flower:
Only if you don't mind!

[jane_marie]

I forgot to mention that I am a guy with a relatively long hair for a guy but not long like what the women here have, my hair in the front can reach my eyebrows/eyes when it is wet and straight but when it is dry it can be a nightmare. Curly hair in that length can look extremely messy and is very hard to control in some days, almost everyday I have to wash my hair and brush it backward and let it dry like that just to make it manageable enough. And I have no plan to have a short haircut or to let it grow too much and I need a solution that doesn't require too much to maintain. That why chemical relaxers seems like the best solution for me but I need to learn more about them so I get good and natural looking results.

Although it depends on the size of you head, it sounds like your hair is probably about 4" at the longest. Is that correct? Also, is that how long you plan to keep it.

I guess I might be a bit confused. Hair grows about 1/2" a month on average. It seems like hitting the salon to straighten it could be really costly considering that you would hypothetically regrow that amount every 8 or so months.

My SO has very curly hair. Some days it can look... less than great but those are days when he has brushed it with something not suited to his hair type. Over time he has learned that just putting a very small amount of curl product when his hair is still wet (he uses OGX coconut curl hair butter) can help his curls clump which makes them look very neat, dapper and manageable.

To me it sounds like you are upset that your hair gets wild looking. Honestly, I don't know if it would be worth the money to get a Japanese straightening treatment for 4 or so inches of hair especially when you consider that the regrowth is going to look a bit odd.

I'm going to have to agree with everyone else who has suggested that maybe the best course of action would be to learn to treat your curly hair like curly hair.

I know that might sound contradictive since I initially mentioned that I can brush mine straight with the ceiling fan on high. However, I was speaking from my experience which is that of a person with 1c/2a waves not full on curls. being at the low end of wavy gives my texture some malleability that other's might not have.

[ynne]

The only thing I do with my hair is washing it with a shampoo like 'head and shoulders', is that causing my hair to become messy and frizzy?. When I get up in the morning many times my hair become a mess, like the hair in different parts of my head chose to become in some different shape and I can't get out like that and it only becomes manageable after I wash my hair but even that is not always helping...

It is possible the shampoo might be drying your hair out, and making it more frizzy, yes!

In my experience, if I only use regular shampoo and nothing else, my hair will be very wild, somewhat dry to the touch (especially near the ends), and with a lot of flyaways/frizz. And then it gets worse with the brushing (have you seen this thread (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=7003&page=73)?), so you really need to help the hair out a little!
A hydrating conditioner can help a lot – I don't know what your hair might like so it's hard to recommend specific types, but any conditioner for dry/curly/damaged hair might be a good start. I used some really cheap ones and some of them worked fine. You can try applying a little bit after shampoo and rinsing it well; if your hair doesn't hate it, next time you can apply more & you can leave some conditioner in. That itself shouldn't affect your curl pattern much, but it should help the hair hold together when you style it later. And if it doesn't help visually, it should still reduce some of the damage you are causing it. That's why I recommend oils too, but that's trial-and-error as to which type of oil or oil-based product your hair will respond well to. (Since curly hair has trouble with natural oil distribution, it's not protected from the environment as well as straight hair is, and you are basically giving it a new protective layer; also, shampoo further removes these natural oils so you are just making up for that) :)

TL;DR:
Proper hydration and care will help so much, proof: you can see how my hair looked over the years on this embarrassing photo set (https://i.ibb.co/Cw2VwZY/190316-hair.jpg) (warning for unmanagable chaos; it had good days and bad days) but now, no matter if it's curly or straighter (https://i.ibb.co/TkHYFQC/hair-comp.jpg) (the right-bottom photo is just a length shot, I don't wear it like that, but it gets the point across), it's a lot more managable!

[shelomit]

I have wacky in-between-y wurly hair, not out-and-out curls. If you're also somewhere on the "wurly spectrum," you might find that you are able to make slight variations in how you treat your hair that will influence it to be straighter or curlier. I find my hair much easier to care for (and less likely to absorb random objects!) when it's on the straighter side. Things that help:

- Rinsing out conditioner very thoroughly
- Detangling when wet, then doing another quick comb-through when the hair is half-dry
- Letting hair dry "stretched" in a bun
- (Or braid, if you don't mind some braid-waves)
- Avoiding getting lengths wet/damp in between washes; no leave-ins or styling products
- Combing daily
- Henna twice or three times a year

That's all YMMV stuff. I doubt any of this would make a significant difference for a person with seriously curly hair. Even with mine, it's far from failproof. Although I find that treating my hair this way makes it much more manageable, the ends (and random shorter pieces of hair) are going to be wurly no matter what I do to 'em; temperature/humidity still makes a difference; some days I have ringlets and that's just The Way It Is. At the very least, though: I'd recommend adding conditioner to your regimen along with the shampoo. Many wurly- and curly-headed folks find that their hair doesn't retain moisture as our straight-haired friends. Experiment some with conditioner, and you will likely find that that decreases the frizziness/wildness, even if it has no effect either way on your curl pattern.