Getting hair straightened at hairdresser - good idea?

[wolf63]

My hair is fine and quite curly. I am totally unable to use hair straigheners.

I am considering getting it straightened for for holiday to the US in August.

Is straightening hair in a hairdressers expensive? Will it damage my hair? Can it be done on bleached hair?

I know that Boots have a kit, but I am completely handless and don't trust any of my friends to do it for me.

Any ideas?

[daffy654]

Chemical straightening cannot be done on bleached or highlighted hair as I found to my cost the year before last. I did mine with a loreal professional product that I bought on Ebay and my hair just snapped off near the roots.I had to have all my hair cut off to around an inch in length.The hairdresser said the chemicals are totally unsuitable for hair with any amount of bleach on it.

[wolf63]

Your experience sounded nasty.

The last thing that I want to do is damage my hair.

At least I know that straightening it is a no-go. I will think of something else. Or I will just have my shirley temple curls on my middle age fat head.

:-)

[Goodsoulette]

Never do this yourself. In fact the only permanent straightening I could recommend would be the yuko system and even that cannot be done on a full head of bleached hair.

How long is your hair and how much of it is bleached?

[Goodsoulette]

Go with the curls, invest in some good shampoos and conditioners, a good moisturising spray. Get your hair spiral cut to make the most of your curls and make it look fuller and lay off the bleach.

[cruella]

With the heat you will experience in the US, I would just leave your hair the way it is, or if it is longish, just clip it up.
Depending where you are going, the humidity may be very high anyway, so think curls might be the way to go.
Have a nice holiday anyway.

[tiggerblue10]

I've had the Yuko treatment done in London a few years ago. It cost �400. There is another system called Extenso which I had done last year and it cost me �200.

[wolf63]

Thanks for the info girls.

My hair is not quite shoulder length, some days it dries quite straight by brushing. But it 'pings' up quickly.

I was planning to wash it on holiday and leave it to dry. But if I can flatten the first couple of inches it would look okay.

I am going to have to diet like mad for this break. It is costing me so much money I am going to enjoy it even if it all goes wrong.

My insurance for 6 days was �150. I have bipolar disorder and high blood pressure.

The fur balls are going to the cat-otel for a week or so and that will cost a bomb. They are getting put in different cells as they fight like...well...brother and sister, funnily enough.

So curly haired I will be.

Kevin Sorbo from Andromeda and Hercules (please tell me that you have heard of these) is going. I am a Stargate Atlantis fan so I hope some of those guys will be going too.

I am 44 going on 13!

:-)

[wolf63]

tiggerblue - is your hair bleached? Mines was done last week - full head of highlights.

[Goodsoulette]

As a curly girly wolf, ill give you some advice. After you wash your hair, gets some hair serum and a little blob of your conditioner mix it together in the palm of your hand and comb it through your hair. then take your hair in half to one inch sections and twist it so that it ends up wrapped round your finger. Start at the back of your head by the nape of your neck and work up. After you have done the entire head, you can either dry on a low heat setting with a diffuser but still protect with your hand to stop frizzing. Or you can leave to dry naturally. If the curls look to chunky whilst dry separate them. It's nice to finish with a bit of glossing spray..

[tiggerblue10]

I did have a few streaks in when I had it done last year. It wasn't a bleaching treatment though. My friend did it for me using one of those colouring kits with the highlight wand in it. It was supposed to be a coppery/bronxy colour but came out looking blond. Anyway, I had the Xtenso done and it didn't cause too much damage. If your hair is full of highlights I'd go for a professional consultation first.

Good luck xxx

[Ice.Maiden]

Sorry to butt in girls. Just a very quick message for Tigger - emailed Dris. x

[SRH]

I had the X-Tenso system done at a salon a couple of years ago. At first it was amazing - I could just wash and go (my hair is usually a curly fuzzball). But despite following the aftercare advice and deep conditioning it every wash, six weeks after having it done my hair started breaking off in chunks. I had to get it cut short :( Never again!

Now I swear by using Schwarzkopf Osis Slick Flattening Liquid on damp hair, blowdrying, spraying on Trevor Sorbie Protect, Flatten and Shine, then straightening. Its a faff, but it really works - and stays straight for a couple of days.

[Velvetee]

If you have your hair chemically straightened, then you should only have it done professionally. The chemicals can be quite harsh and if used by the inexperienced, can cause burns and permanent damage.

If you have fine hair, you might fine chemical straightening, makes it lank. I have mixed raced hair and have it chemically straightened. Ideally your regrowth needs to be done every six weeks or so, depending on how fast your hair grows. Also, without regular treatments, hair can become brittle and break off.

I try not to have mine done more than 3 times per year and on each ocassion, my hair salon charged about �100, including treatment, style and trim.