View Full Version : Teens and flat irons
lunalovegood
November 9th, 2010, 02:45 PM
My fiance rang his mum to ask for suggestions for Christmas gifts for his family. His 14 year old sister wants a flat iron! I'm not against them in moderation, but she has the most beautiful long glossy black hair that's naturally totally 1A straight (she's of 100% Chinese heritage). There's no way she could ever need one! I hate to think of her damaging her lovely hair for no reason. :(
I don't know if I'll be able to persuade her that she doesn't need one. It may seem a little rude to criticise her present request. :o Are there any that are less damaging to the hair? I will definitely include a big bottle of heat protection spray.
jenwexler
November 9th, 2010, 02:53 PM
Chi is supposed to be safe because it is ceramic. If you buy it, buy a heat protector spray too.
bluesnowflake
November 9th, 2010, 03:04 PM
I'd say the best thing if she is dead set on straightening would be a heat-protective spray and a ceramic iron. You could also try to convince her she doesn't need one - you said she's Asian, and most people of asian descent have fairly straight hair already. You could also show her less-damaging straightening techniques- wrapping, etc.
Jenn of Pence
November 9th, 2010, 04:14 PM
Well, I actually wouldn't recommend one with a fixed heat setting, which I think most CHIs are (maybe there are CHIs that are variable, but I don't know for sure). That setting is super ridiculously high, which is what you would have to have to make something like 3a straight, but trust me....on the recommendation of my (former) hairdresser, I cranked the heat on my straightener from pretty low to super high, and after two months my ends were a fried disaster. Of course, each person makes their own decisions about their hair and personal stuff, but I just want to throw in my :twocents: about my personal experience. I straightened at low temp for years and while it probably wasn't great it was nothing like the high heat.
So, I would personally recommend a variable heat one, and she could decide for herself how to treat her hair (some good advice from a knowledgeable LHC-er might be helpful, though ;)). I do agree that very smooth ceramic plates are a good idea. As far as heat protectant, it's debated whether it does anything or not, but I am of the thought that it won't hurt and might help so go for it. :) Gee...I liked straightening my hair, I have to admit; it's sort of fun to think about straighteners, at least for someone else. ;) Again, I think it can be done relatively responsibly, and besides, she's young; she can learn from her own experiences, and she has a full life ahead of her to experiment with her hair.
slz
November 9th, 2010, 04:16 PM
I wouldn't buy anything the use of which I do not condone, period.
jenwexler
November 9th, 2010, 04:29 PM
I remember in middle school which part of my hair was bleached I had my first straightening iron. The ends on the iron had melted hair on it. NOT GOOD. That wasn't ceramic though. That didn't happen with my chi thank god.
May
November 9th, 2010, 04:39 PM
Honestly I would get her a good quality iron and a protective spray and let her learn on her own...she's obviously going to do it anyway because I'm sure she can find ways to get her hands on a flat iron lol. Live and learn. She'll likely realize on her own that she doesn't really need it.
aenflex
November 9th, 2010, 04:40 PM
Jenn of Peace is right-- better idea to get one with an adjustable heat setting, or better yet one fixed at a low setting although I don't know if such a creature exists? Too bad she wants one, sounds like her hair is gorgeous.
jenwexler
November 9th, 2010, 04:45 PM
Honestly I would get her a good quality iron and a protective spray and let her learn on her own...she's obviously going to do it anyway because I'm sure she can find ways to get her hands on a flat iron lol. Live and learn. She'll likely realize on her own that she doesn't really need it.
True. I learned the hard way like the rest of us. It's a horrible tool to use daily which most teens do. I have seen my friends destroy their hair. I have a friend who bleached her ENTIRE head, more than once, to have crazy colors like pink and purple and blue. Her hair lost shine and was dry and to top it all off she flat ironed every day. Her hair was breaking off and it was honestly gross to look at. She really abused it and you think she'd know better since she was in a cosmetology school. Finally, she decided to go natural too from what I believe. Last time I saw her her hair had shine and seemed more natural. Dang flat irons! Flat irons + bleach = bad outcome.
pepperminttea
November 9th, 2010, 04:48 PM
Honestly I would get her a good quality iron and a protective spray and let her learn on her own...she's obviously going to do it anyway because I'm sure she can find ways to get her hands on a flat iron lol. Live and learn. She'll likely realize on her own that she doesn't really need it.
This. I think you need to mess with your hair for a while, experiment for yourself, and fourteen's a good age to do so - she's got a few years before she'll need to look "professional" for work, so hey, why not? Hopefully it'll be a phase, and after her hair's a little bit fried - but not beyond the reach of some TLC (that's where you come in with some LHC secrets :p) - she'll appreciate her hair for what it is all the more. :)
orbiting
November 9th, 2010, 04:52 PM
This looks like something that might work: Solia Tourmaline Ceramic Ion Flat Iron 1-1/4inch. (http://www.folica.com/tools/flat-irons/solia-tourmaline-ceramic-ion-flat-iron-one-and-one-quarter-inch-plus-free-heat-proof-pouch)
It's not cheap (like a teen would grab up at Target on their own) and it's not expensive (most flat irons top out around $150 it seems). It has a variable heat setting from 150-400 degrees F. It comes it nice colors, does a lot of stuff (you can dirty curl with it) and it's made of ceramic/tourmaline, which is better for hair. The reviews are pretty good too.
I personally don't like CHI products. They seem like cheap crap wrapped in a "Salon" style wrapper.
misspriss
November 9th, 2010, 04:57 PM
I think you should get her one if that is what she wants, or if you have an obligation to getting it, get her something unrelated. She knows what she wants to do with her hair.
Not everyone makes the choice to keep heat from their hair, and that is their choice to make, no one can force anyone to care about their hair the way they do.
Tonks
November 9th, 2010, 05:01 PM
If you don't agree with buying her a flat iron, don't buy her one. And as bad as it sounds, chances are she'll not listen to your advice on how to keep her hair healthy anyway because we need to learn from experience. She's going to make her own decisions and mistakes. Hell, I'm still at that stubborn age and I'm almost 20 =P
Sylvanas
November 9th, 2010, 05:02 PM
You say there's no way she could ever need a flat iron, but keep in mind flat iron curls and the old-fashioned waves you can make with one are quite popular these days. Even if she doesn't need to straighten her hair, she could still "need" a flat iron. Just wanted to point that out :)
I would probably give her what she wanted, but make sure to kindly point out how damaging it can be.
sailing
November 9th, 2010, 05:04 PM
The CHI ones are really popular here. Tho' any of the girls who flat iron their hair tend to keep the ends trimmed pretty often, so not sure how much damage they do.
However, I do know that the Tresemme heat protection sprays are by far the ones that everyone seems to love. They don't smell bad, don't make the hair sticky or stiff, and they are cheap enough to actually use enough to maybe help the hair. Unlike the really expensive ones where they try to use as little as possible to make it last as long as possible. Got2b is another line that people like here.
luxepiggy
November 9th, 2010, 05:07 PM
The hair is my siggy is how my hair air dries. When I was in university, I wanted to get a Japanese straight perm.
Yes, I know. I was nutso. (>(oo)<)`
She probably has the same messed-up logic I had: If flatironing makes my friends' normally non-shiny hair look like mine, then if I flatiron my hair, it will get, like, twice as shiny! No little piggy, no. That is not how it works. :rolleyes:
With luck, she'll use the flatiron a few time, realize it doesn't give her the huge shine boost she was hoping for, and forget about it.
ETA: If you're going to get her one, I recommend this one:
http://www.folica.com/tools/flat-irons/sedu-pro-ionic-ceramic-tourmaline-flat-iron-one-inch-with-free-heat-proof-pouch
My friends with high maintenance hair swear by these. They say it's better than GHD or CHI, and it has different temperature settings.
Igor
November 9th, 2010, 05:17 PM
I have to agree that if she really wants one, she will buy it herself if she doesn’t get it. I think you should just get her one and be the cool one. Besides, if you buy her one that is better than what she otherwise might use, it could save her a lot of trouble with ruined hair in the future. If she already has very straight hair, she will probably figure out quickly that what little extra straightness she gets out of it, isn’t really worth the trouble anyways :shrug:
enfys
November 9th, 2010, 05:32 PM
Do you (or your fiance!) know if she has put a lot of work into growing her hair or if it's just long because it isn't shorter?
If you think she really cares about her hair maybe tell her about the damage they can cause. Does she want it for straightening or is it for lots of different styling? Maybe some tongs at a lower temperature would get more use? Or a curling wand?
Buy her a dress instead!
MissCoco
November 9th, 2010, 05:47 PM
Hmm, strange. This reminds me how 95% of hair straightening tutorials on Youtube are done by Asian girls with naturally stick-straight, completely smooth, 1a, flat, silky hair... I think they strive for perfection a little too much (not directed at you, luxepiggy ;) )!
luxepiggy
November 9th, 2010, 06:27 PM
Hmm, strange. This reminds me how 95% of hair straightening tutorials on Youtube are done by Asian girls with naturally stick-straight, completely smooth, 1a, flat, silky hair... I think they strive for perfection a little too much (not directed at you, luxepiggy ;) )!
Worry not. I have seen the error of my former ways (^(oo)^)v
I blame Asian period dramas. Talk about unrealistic media standards! :p
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/12620101109.jpg
spidermom
November 9th, 2010, 06:35 PM
I certainly wouldn't get her one. If that's what she's putting out as her Christmas wish, she'll probably get one anyway. You might give her a really nice set of hair care products, including a really good deep conditioner. She's going to need it!
gotzbrainz
November 9th, 2010, 06:49 PM
I think you should get her a good quality one. ceramic from sallys. chi are really very good and i always believed that chinese women and men as well, have much stronger hair. Man I wish i had asian hair, then I could bleach it straighten it and grow it. Asian hair is so lovely
christine1989
November 9th, 2010, 07:19 PM
Ceramic is the safest and be sure to purchace one that dosen't get too hot. My old one had 10 heat settings so I could get in burning hot. I'm always curious as to why prople with naturlly straight hair still straighten. The only function it could serve on straight hair would be to reduce the frizz.
TrudieCat
November 9th, 2010, 08:13 PM
Jenn of Pence and others who have mentioned it are right: Chi straighteners get hot and they don't have variable settings. I was addicted to my Chi because it was the only straightener I'd tried that made my stubborn coarse hair completely straight. That straightener was strong. I honestly think it would have destroyed my hair if my hair wasn't so thick and coarse.
I also had the Solia straightener that another person on this thread linked to (I was addicted - I had lots of straighteners :o), and it didn't work for me at all - but I think that might be a good choice for someone who doesn't need ultra mega heat straightening power. Plus, it's the right shape for using the straightener to curl if she wants to do that. Conair makes a more inexpensive ceramic straightener that is similar. Just make sure you get a straightener with ceramic plates, as opposed to "ceramic coated" plates. The latter are just metal with some weird metallic coating on them, and they are much more rough on hair than ceramic plates.
I don't use a straightener anymore, but I don't have a problem with anyone else using one. People make all sorts of choices I wouldn't make, but that's because we're all different and we have to find our own paths (cheese alert!!). As long as it's not illegal and it's not hurting anyone, I don't really see what the harm is. :shrug: Sure, when I look at pictures of some of the hair decisions I made as a teen, I cringe a little. But it was all part of experimenting to find what worked best for me. :)
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