getting hair straight without flat iron?

[barely.there]

hey all, my first post!

wondering how to get my hair straight without having to use a flat iron. I use a flat iron maybe 1-2 times a week but have no split ends. since taping down the "cold" button on my blow dryer, and using a boar bristle brush, this is the best my hair has looked probably in my whole life. i use Dr.bronners shampoo and occasionally put in coconut/olive oil to moisturize. Last time I got my hair cut was back in august. very surprised at the quality of my hair! I suppose a little change goes a long way.

thinking about braiding my hair on a regular basis, but my hair is so naturally fine/thin that the ponytail would slip out unless it was a longer length. (hair stats on sidebar). i would like my hair straight on a regular basis because when not straightened, it seems to collect so much dust during the day and clumps together, looking ratty! (although i like the natural wavy look). perhaps y'all have tips on keeping hair clean during the day? I brush in the AM and before bed.

[Madora]

About the only thing I can think of with regard to having straight hair w/o using heat is to use very LARGE rollers instead. The larger the better. I would not recommend straightening your hair on a regular basis because in time you'll damage your hair by altering its natural structure.

As far as keeping your hair clean during the day, try wearing it up if you can, and wearing a scarf on your head when you're outside.

Also, using a clean brush and comb every day helps keep your hair cleaner and free of lint.

[whitedove]

I have 2b fine hair, mines a little thicker than yours. Have you tried damp bunning? Takes alot of the wave out, not totally straight, but it does reduce my frizzes. You could test with a sock bun maybe?

[Vanille_]

I like using Herbal Essence Touchably Smooth conditioner. I find that I get great results with it and it makes my hair look straighter. Probably all the cones. Also, I've started using coconut oil. Putting some coconut oil on dry hair and then brushing with a BBB really helps get out some waves and tames the frizzies.

Sometimes I use Chi Silk Infusion on dry hair and blow dry for about 2-3 minutes. It helps smooth my hair and make it look silky and friz free. It also gets out the waves.

In my album, you can see my wave patten. But in my signature picture below, that's just using Chi Silk Infusion and a blow dryer on dry hair for 2-3 minutes.

Good luck!

[barely.there]

Thanks ladies!

Madora - do you recommend a certain type of roller? I'm thinking about large foamy ones, as the velcroy ones just suck. I will definetly start shopping around more for wooden hair ornaments to keep it up. I have some silk/nylon scarves and I could use for my hair on windy days, but not sure how to keep them ON and secured - any tips?

Whitedove - thanks for the idea on damp bunning. I've never heard of it before, so I'm doing my research now! :D

[fridgee]

I second the large rollers! Also have you heard of wrapping? You sort of smooth your hair around your head when its damp, cover it with a scarf, wait (or sleep on it) then it should be nice and straight. I haven't actually tried this but there are loads of YouTube vids on it, might be worth a go?

[barely.there]

Vanille - thanks for the suggestion. I will look around for a large round boar bristle brush to blow out with. :)

Fridgee - that wrapping idea is pretty cool! I just checked out a youtube video for it - very interesting. Sounds like it would hold better than a braid for my hair. Will try it when I get some polyester wraps!

[kitcatsmeow]

Wrap it! That's what I do to mine every time I wash and with a little practice and technique you can get it (well I can) pin straight! Search "wrapped" or "wrap" and there is an up to date thread on this I posted in as well as some other members contributed useful info.
YT also has some good vids on wrapping.

[Hollyfire3]

About the only thing I can think of with regard to having straight hair w/o using heat is to use very LARGE rollers instead. The larger the better. I would not recommend straightening your hair on a regular basis because in time you'll damage your hair by altering its natural structure.

As far as keeping your hair clean during the day, try wearing it up if you can, and wearing a scarf on your head when you're outside.

Also, using a clean brush and comb every day helps keep your hair cleaner and free of lint.


What do you mean by altering the hair's natural structure? Can this happen with flat ironing? I flat ironed 1-2 times daily for 3 and a half years and now my hair won't curl and has little volume, it never looked damaged while i was flat ironing it, did the damage just catch up to me? Please, this would REALLY clear up alot of issues i have been having with my hair. also, does no heat curling damage hair?

[Mesmerise]

To OP I also agree with wrapping, although I have never tried really large rollers (wouldn't know where to buy super big ones). I don't know that I ever got 100% straight with wrapping (haven't done it for awhile though) but it did work better than anything else (except for a flat iron :p).


What do you mean by altering the hair's natural structure? Can this happen with flat ironing? I flat ironed 1-2 times daily for 3 and a half years and now my hair won't curl and has little volume, it never looked damaged while i was flat ironing it, did the damage just catch up to me? Please, this would REALLY clear up alot of issues i have been having with my hair. also, does no heat curling damage hair?

My hair has irrevocably changed with flat ironing :( Now the only hope for my hair is growing it out. I noticed that my hair was very frizzy... and I started to think that was my natural texture HOWEVER my hair never used to be soooo frizzy (it was never frizz free... but not terribly frizzy). I realised after quitting the flat iron for some months, that the major frizz was due to a permanent structural change in my hair, which could only have been caused by the flat ironing. The affected hairs are just oddly shaped, which means they don't form a proper wave pattern at all anymore, leading to major frizz (because the hairs all sort of bend every which way).

My hair isn't showing damage in the traditional sense either... in that it doesn't split a lot, and doesn't break. I think a lot of people think of damage as super dry hair, or split hair, or breaking hair. My hairs seem robust enough... just weird.

Since quitting the iron in January 11, there is probably 7" of new growth and the hair is just "normal" with respect to frizz and whatever (although it's not really long enough to impact the overall hair appearance).

I figure in a few years my hair will look okay again... :rolleyes:.

[Hollyfire3]

To OP I also agree with wrapping, although I have never tried really large rollers (wouldn't know where to buy super big ones). I don't know that I ever got 100% straight with wrapping (haven't done it for awhile though) but it did work better than anything else (except for a flat iron :p).



My hair has irrevocably changed with flat ironing :( Now the only hope for my hair is growing it out. I noticed that my hair was very frizzy... and I started to think that was my natural texture HOWEVER my hair never used to be soooo frizzy (it was never frizz free... but not terribly frizzy). I realised after quitting the flat iron for some months, that the major frizz was due to a permanent structural change in my hair, which could only have been caused by the flat ironing. The affected hairs are just oddly shaped, which means they don't form a proper wave pattern at all anymore, leading to major frizz (because the hairs all sort of bend every which way).

My hair isn't showing damage in the traditional sense either... in that it doesn't split a lot, and doesn't break. I think a lot of people think of damage as super dry hair, or split hair, or breaking hair. My hairs seem robust enough... just weird.

Since quitting the iron in January 11, there is probably 7" of new growth and the hair is just "normal" with respect to frizz and whatever (although it's not really long enough to impact the overall hair appearance).

I figure in a few years my hair will look okay again... :rolleyes:.


This sounds like my hair, i quite the iron last summer but blow dried almost daily and washed up to 3-4 times a day becaus my hair suddenly lost its curl, all of it. The damage just caught up in a flash, now, my hair has very little body, very little curl and i kinda (alright, really) hate every strand of it right now. i don't iron and am scared of it now, but i have a LONG way to go....i also had a period of MAJOR frizz and volume a few months after i quite ironing, hey i will take that over my flat hair any day...i think the volume will come back and so will the curl, but for now, i die a little each time i air dry my hair and see how terribly flat and lifeless it looks now.....

[barely.there]

To OP I also agree with wrapping, although I have never tried really large rollers (wouldn't know where to buy super big ones). I don't know that I ever got 100% straight with wrapping (haven't done it for awhile though) but it did work better than anything else (except for a flat iron :p).



My hair has irrevocably changed with flat ironing :( Now the only hope for my hair is growing it out. I noticed that my hair was very frizzy... and I started to think that was my natural texture HOWEVER my hair never used to be soooo frizzy (it was never frizz free... but not terribly frizzy). I realised after quitting the flat iron for some months, that the major frizz was due to a permanent structural change in my hair, which could only have been caused by the flat ironing. The affected hairs are just oddly shaped, which means they don't form a proper wave pattern at all anymore, leading to major frizz (because the hairs all sort of bend every which way).

My hair isn't showing damage in the traditional sense either... in that it doesn't split a lot, and doesn't break. I think a lot of people think of damage as super dry hair, or split hair, or breaking hair. My hairs seem robust enough... just weird.

Since quitting the iron in January 11, there is probably 7" of new growth and the hair is just "normal" with respect to frizz and whatever (although it's not really long enough to impact the overall hair appearance).

I figure in a few years my hair will look okay again... :rolleyes:.

makes sense! sounds kinda like what my hair has been doing for a little while now....the last couple weeks seem to have intensified frizziness, but I think that can also be due to a very humid/warm climate im in, and that its allergy season (pollen and dusts blowing around at a higher concentration than the rest of the year). Been wondering if I should get a trim (cause its "that time of the year" and the fact that my hair is dry)....I think I'll just leave it be and work on getting it moisture and nutrients every day, as well as keeping it neat/covered from its environment - thats half the battle.

but seriously, 7" of new growth in 3 months? are you serious????????????? thats like how much my hair grows in a year :boohoo:

[barely.there]

Also, my hair still can go pretty well curly if I want it too. So maybe not a full spectrum of actual damage, but still gotta keep er under wraps for the season.

[Mesmerise]

makes sense! sounds kinda like what my hair has been doing for a little while now....the last couple weeks seem to have intensified frizziness, but I think that can also be due to a very humid/warm climate im in, and that its allergy season (pollen and dusts blowing around at a higher concentration than the rest of the year). Been wondering if I should get a trim (cause its "that time of the year" and the fact that my hair is dry)....I think I'll just leave it be and work on getting it moisture and nutrients every day, as well as keeping it neat/covered from its environment - thats half the battle.

but seriously, 7" of new growth in 3 months? are you serious????????????? thats like how much my hair grows in a year :boohoo:

Haha I wish!! I meant I haven't used the flat iron since January 2011, so it's been 14 months!!! If ONLY my hair grew 7" in 3 months :D.

[barely.there]

Haha I wish!! I meant I haven't used the flat iron since January 2011, so it's been 14 months!!! If ONLY my hair grew 7" in 3 months :D.

hahaha okay :P

[cheetahfast]

A lazy wrap bun on damp hair loosens my curl a lot. Mine is super curly and is never pin straight without heat.

[barely.there]

alrighty. so i got a large round BBB and decided to use a blow dryer (cool option) on it. makes my hair straight enough, and then just curly at the ends so it plays around my shoulders. uber cute :D