Getting married... straightening hair

[miss_purple]

Hello everybody!
I really need some advice in helping me to maintain my hair healthy after straightening it at hair salon (with the straightening iron).

I choose this hairstyle for my wedding day because I did straighten my hair once, like 4 years ago and I was very happy with it and everybody told me how good I looked.

The problem is I have 1 year of no heat (used to blow dry) and I'm really scared (panic) of the consequences of deep heat on my hair, since at the moment I consider my hair healthy (after many trims). Also, I'm in "No trim for 2011" and looking forward to get to waist length (hopefully this year).

This is a link to my pictures, so you can see my hair type and history. http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/album.php?albumid=6981

The hair thing it's my major problem, since I've already choose dress, make-up style, etc.

So, how can I reduce damage? What should I do before/after straightening process?

Oh, I'm so excited about getting married, but stressed because of hair. :D

Please, help me! :cheese:
Hugs.

[Sanyia]

If it's a one time deal it should be no problem, I never iron my hair, but I know there are protective serums? Maybe some more experienced members can offer advice.

Congratulations on your wedding! :)

[Coan-Teen]

Well, frankly, it will be damaging no matter what you do but in my experience one day of heat styling shouldn't be too damaging. Just make sure your hair is dry when the stylist uses the flat iron to make sure the hair follicle doesn't rupture from the steam. Other than that, relax and enjoy your wedding day! Maybe do a deep moisture treatment after to help restore what the straight iron took out.

[Mesmerise]

Honestly, I doubt there will come a time when I'll say goodbye to heat straightening forever, cause it just looks so darn good on me! However, I rarely do it, and I honestly don't think that doing it just once for a special occasion will cause too much damage. Even now my hair isn't too bad at the ends despite being straightened a few times (probably once a month, sometimes more, sometimes less) as well as chemical colouring done several times too. Without the chemical damage, I think my hair would be excellent now, even with the straightening!

My advice would be to ensure the hair stylist uses a protective spray or serum, and then afterwards give your hair regular treatments with your product of choice (whether coconut oil, EVOO, or some sort of commercial product). Maybe even consider a very small trim afterwards too (no more than 1/4").

[HintOfMint]

Heat protectant, a quality flat iron, perfectly dry hair, and fingers crossed. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!

And only one session is unlikely to cause serious damage. It may just be dry afterwards.

ETA: after, clarify (to get the silicone from the heat protectant off your hair) and follow with a deep moisture treatment like an SMT (or two)

[Athena's Owl]

It will damage your hair, but we're not talking like bleaching your hair platinum blonde levels of damage. it's just the once.

[Fufu]

Many congratulations :) I will say do a few good moisturizing hair treatment for your hair before the great day and to use a heat protectant on the day itself before flat ironing your hair straight.

After your big day, do some oiling hair treatment for your hair :)

[leslissocool]

I used to straighten my hair like 2 or 3 times a week until 2 months ago. My damage was really minimal, I soaked my hair in CHI thermal heat protection, I loved it and I do think it did the job.

I stopped all heat too, but I think just once won't be nearly as bad as doing it regularly. Congrats!

[UltraBella]

Well, I curled my hair with a curling iron three times a week for seven years and my hair is still beautiful and healthy. I think you will be just fine, deep condition afterwards and enjoy your beautiful hair on your special day !

[miss_purple]

Thank you all so much for your advice! So I'm going to do deep condition before and oiling after.
Can't wait the 1st day of March. :)
Hugs.

[Lianna]

I think once won't be that much of a problem, but if you're really concerned, how about trying the wrapping method? There's a lot of videos on youtube about it. Try a few times before the wedding, your hair is not that curly, I think it might work for you, it does for me. :)

[chopandchange]

If you're that concerned about it, why not wear your hair with its natural texture?

Edit: if you take all the advice here and do deep treatments on your hair the day after the wedding, maybe your new husband might not appreciate you being so preoccupied with your hair on Day 1 of your honeymoon?! "Sorry, honey, I can't do what people normally do on honeymoons because I've got to sit here all day with this oil on my head." LOL

I understand brides wanting to look pretty but I just DO NOT understand this obsession with the straight-haired ones demanding ringlets and the curlies going straight, because if you're not a person who wears your hair like that regularly, surely you'll be looking at the photos afterwards and hardly recognising yourself?

But that's just my opinion. Personally I want to look like "me" on my wedding day but I know that a lot of people feel the need to have a radical makeover and temporary image change that will go back to normal a day later!

I hope you work out what's best for you, hubby and your hair!

[Rivanariko]

I really wouldn't stress about it. Use a protective serum and make sure your hair is dry. Heat is not the greatest evil in all of the world, and occasional use, while damaging, is not going to make your hair fall out in protest! If this is the look that you want (though, personally, I agree with Chopandchange) then don't feel guilty about it. I think we often get caught up here in doing "what's right" and forget that the whole point is that we should be ENJOYING our hair! Don't let yourself feel guilty about it. It's just hair, after all :)

[miss_purple]

Thanks for posting.
Very good point, chopandchange, indeed.

First of all, it wont be any honeymoon, as it wont be a religious ceremony either (not yet), because we want that to happen on a beach and we don't really have all that money yet.
On March, the 1st, we do the civil ceremony because we are together for almost 7 years and want to make it official, since we are going to to buy an apartment together.

As for the hair... I wanted to be something different than usual, since I always wear my hair down. I don't like wearing it up. And since straight hair looks good on me, I could wear it down and still have a different hairstyle. I don't want to be (look) someone else, just look and feel beautiful that day. After the civil ceremony we are going to go to a club, so I was thinking that my hairstyle would be very appropiate.

In some strange way I'm afraid of ironing process because I read an article on TLHC about the heat process where it showed the hair on a microscope and the liqued in the interior actually boiled... "THE PAIN!" :D

[chopandchange]

Well if it's not till March the 1st you've got time to experiment with gentler straightening methods (wrapping, banding, repeatedly combing while drying, or even just blow-drying straight, as a blow-dryer is nowhere near as hot as an iron). If none of those methods work you could just go ahead and have it done at the hairdressers. I'm sure just once won't make a difference but do bear in mind that if your hair is naturally curly the straightness may turn to frizz, especially in the humidity of dancing around in a nightclub!

Have a happy day whatever you do with your hair.

[Ranee]

Don't worry about it. I had it done twice for my wedding day. Once for the test hairdo and one for the actual 'do. There was absolutely no damage afterwards. Just tell her to iron on low setting. You only get married once, so I would not hold back hairwise. As for the humidity: use a silicone serum that you can wash out the next day.

[EvaSimone]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Like others have said one day of heat styling won't ruin your hair. Just give it a moisturizing and protein treatment after and it should be alright.

When I got married I had been growing for two years and using no heat. I had my hair curled, pinned and hair sprayed to death. :lol: The only thing I refused to allow them to do was backcomb, the damage from that is extensive. My hair is still healthy, perhaps even healthier and I didn't notice any huge problems from one day of curling. :)

[twolunarspring]

For just this one occasion, I'm sure you won't do much damage at all. I straighten my hair about once a year, for special occasions, just because it's fun to have a change. I'd recommend doing a deep condition before and after, using a protective styling spray (I have used one from the Charles Worthington "dream hair" range, which I've found to be pretty good) and not using the super-hot setting.

I didn't use a straightener for my wedding day, but I did have it blow-dried, which is something I NEVER usually do. I didn't notice any damage at all.

[x0h_bother]

One thing about hair straightening is that your hair should be completely dry and not moist. In my experience, it is not a good idea to use moisturizing shampoos on hair right before it is straightened, as it creates 'bubble hair.' If I were you, I wouldn't let the stylist both blow your hair dry and flat iron; rather, I would wash and air dry your hair before coming in and just have them use the flat iron. The 'double damage' isn't good for hair, especially fragile hair.
Another thing I would do is begin to use coconut oil weeks before flat ironing. I can tell my hair is stronger and has less weak points doing this. Just don't use oil directly before flat ironing (there is a thread on oil and heat).
As for protectants, some leave hair feeling dry or sticky or like you sprayed hair spray, but others are great. I have my favorites, but you may not have the time to experiment since it takes trial-by-error. GL :)

[ibleedlipstick]

Just do it! It is a one time thing, and it won't damage your hair that much. Do it, enjoy your special day, and let it go.

Congratulations, btw!

[HintOfMint]

Edit: if you take all the advice here and do deep treatments on your hair the day after the wedding, maybe your new husband might not appreciate you being so preoccupied with your hair on Day 1 of your honeymoon?! "Sorry, honey, I can't do what people normally do on honeymoons because I've got to sit here all day with this oil on my head." LOL



I've always done an SMT as I would a regular conditioner. After washing, slap it on, finish other shower activities, rinse. And it's always worked, so there's no need to take inordinate chunks of time out of her day.

[BrightEyes7]

I straighten my hair all the time. No damage here! And I don't have that massive mane like you! You should be more than fine for straightening it one day!

Do a deep treatment before, make sure hair is completely dry, use a heat protectant, and do a deep treatment after. If you do your hair on the 1st you could probably leave it for a few days, you won't need to do the deep treatment on your wedding night or whatever. I always try to make sure that my hair air dries before straightening, no need to do double damage with a blow dryer and straightener.

It's your special day. Don't worry, your hair will be fine if you do it just this once. Heck you could do it even more if you really wanted to and still have great hair! Maybe a trim a few weeks after will help too!

[Nicolesid1]

I curl my hair once a week and let the curls set.

First I suggest a Keratin treatment (at home) before you straighten. It makes my hair sooo soft and minimizes frizzy

then use a heat protector.

brush out the knots to ensure they don't get pressed and cause later damage.

I also suggest a frizzy tamer to ensure that you get perfect results for the day.

Use a flat iron than after your big day (CONGRATULATIONS!)you can keep the hair sleek for a day more or so.

Before washing again use a good deep conditioner (or coconut oil) and let it soak for a few hours and you should be peachy.

Enjoy your big day and don't stress it will be amazing and you will look beautiful!

[Hylia]

I think you`re hair looks way healthier than most peoples around here. Considering most girls these day straighten their hair everyday, I dont think one time for you will hurt much if at all. But it is always a good idea to deep condition after anyways.

[RavennaNight]

Congratulations on the big day! Don't worry too much about one day of straightening. Have fun, enjoy your special day, and don't sweat it too much. Enjoy your honeymoon, and then give yourself a nice deep treatment, or two. ;)

[JulietCapulet]

It won't be a problem, don't worry about it. Also, you don't need the iron, just the blow dryer.

[scorpio_rising]

It won't be a problem, don't worry about it.


Exactly.
Congratulations!

[Lianna]

I agree it doesn't need hours of DC, but if you want something really quick, is a light oiling on damp hair...will restore some moisture without trouble. If you could keep it in a bun is better, but not necessary.

[curlymarcia]

Congratulations for the wedding!! I don't believe you can get damage for using the ironing hair one time. You can also use a hair treatment before and after. Relax, and enjoy your wedding :)

[lyria]

A one time heat treatment shouldn't cause lasting damage to your hair. I get mine blown straight when it gets a trim so I can see the results clearly. This happens about three times a year and my hair seems totally fine with it. Afterwards you could do your regular cleansing (I like to use shampoo to be sure to get out the chemicals from any products used) and then an SMT. (I haven't done an SMT in a while now, hmmm :) )

[Druid of Alba]

Like others have said, a one time thing will have no consequences. Even straightenening/curling as often as once or twice a month doesn't cause much damage at all. I'd reccomend a heat protectant product. Don't bother buying one if you never use heat, just ask at the salon, they'll surely carry heat protectant, and they can put it in your hair prior to straightening! Good luck, and have fun!

[miss_purple]

Thank you so much ladies for your advices and encouragements!
I'm going to: do deep treatments before, wash and air dry at home, tell the hairdresser to use the lowest level of heat OR ask her to blow dry instead...
Hugs.