flat ironing on your relaxer day

[esi.adokowa]

I'm going to be self-relaxing nine months worth of new growth at the end of may and i am attempting to arm myself with information.
previously, when i relaxed this much growth, my hair always came out underprocessed.

my main question is this:
is flat ironing after your relaxer harmful or helpful?

i've read that a lot of women flat iron after their relaxer.
why on your relaxer day?
are you trying to "set" your hair to maximize it's straightness?
are you doing it for another reason?
would flat ironing your hair after your relaxer be damaging to your already fragile strands?

i'm just trying to figure out what the benefits are.
thanks in advance!

 

[bellebebe]

Since you dont do it often, go for it. Make yourself feel beautiful, after all you do deserve it after a 9 months stretch.

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

I don't think there are any real benefits to flat-ironing after a relaxer. (frankly, I did it because that's what I saw others do...). If you are able to, try wet-wrapping your hair and then drying under a hooded dryer, or roller-set, then dry-wrap your hair for a sleaker look.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

i dont relax any more but when i used to i always flat ironed after a relaxer.

i didnt think it set anything, i mean i dont think that would be possible... i did it so my hair would be straight and presentable when i left the house lol... so, no magic behind it

 

[chasturner84]

I don't think it's too harmful because I always had it done after my relaxer. Since I've been on my HHJ, I haven't used direct heat in nearly a year. When I want my hair really sleek after a relaxer, I wrap it while it's wet and sit under a bonnet dryer. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference and I'm sure my hair thanks me.

 

[BellaLunie]

After I relax I roller set then wrap under my dryer. I usually sleep in it overnight. In the morning after I take it down if it's not straight enough for me I flat iron the sections that aren't straight enough. I don't flat iron my whole head. HTH

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

I have flat ironed on relaxer day because I needed to be somewhere and didn't have time to do a roller set as I normally would. But I think you'll be fine if you decide to flat iron after your relaxer, I didn't notice any problems after I did.

ETA: Just sitting here thinking about it, my Aug relaxer (34 week stretch) blowdried and used a curling iron. Then my Dec relaxer (18 week stretch)I blowdried and flatironed. You'll be fine!

 

[guudhair]

My stylist always flat ironed after relaxing...never had any setbacks...I self-relax now but I don't flat iron

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

My hair's flat-ironed by my stylist after the relaxer. I don't think it has any effects.

 

[kblc06]

I never saw of the point of having to use a relaxer and flatiron. I don't think I ever flatironed my relaxed hair unless I was 9-10 months post, and even then it was very rare (I didn't even own a flatiron). I just wet wrapped (not on rollers but around my head)- it got my hair as straight as it would if I had flatironed it. I was also bone-straight relaxed, but my hair still had a curl pattern when airdried.

 

[esi.adokowa]

Well, I might have to go out and buy a flat iron now.
but I'll try wrapping or rollersetting after my relaxer and see if that works :]]

thanks ladies!

 

[pisceschica]

I don't think you should do it before simply because it doesn't really allow you to see if your hair is processing the way that you like.

 

[ceebee3]

The hair should be straight, I would rollerset and wrap no direct heat needed.

 

[camilla]

WET wrap or flat iron if plans later i usually wet wrap and sit under dryer 45 min the tie scarf then bed morning unwrap for silk LOL

 

[LatterGlory]

__________________________

 

[kandake]

Its good to note that a flatiron is not always used to straighten the hair. Many people use flatirons as a styling tool.

 

[kyla]

Thanks for posting this question, I had the same exact question. I get my relaxer done at JC Penny's, and I NEVER allow her to use any direct heat on my hair, I know it's much healthier on my hair, and my hair is straight enough after a roller set/wrap.

 

[LushLox]

I always let my stylist blow dry and straighten my hair on relaxer day - she uses marcel irons at that. Yes it's a lot of heat but it's the only time that I will straighten the whole length of the hair and as I only do it a few times a year, I don't think it's that much of an issue.

 

[kittikat24]

I usually would touch-up, then DC, and airdry my hair, then a few days later flat iron when I feel its regained its strength!

 

[PuddingPop]

Its good to note that a flatiron is not always used to straighten the hair. Many people use flatirons as a styling tool.

Exactly. The way we used to used them before we started calling them flat irons and the were called bevelers .

I flat iron after relaxing to bump or curl my hair not to straighten it. Ive never had any problems. I used to even blow dry and then flat iron same day as a relaxer back in the day with no problems.

Now i wet wrap, tie it with a scarf and airdry over night and flat iron the next morning if needed although wet wrapping usually gives me a nice bump at the end.

 

[NJoy]

I've always flat ironed after a relaxer. Since my hhj tho, I may lightly flat iron but, only after I've let my hair "rest" for awhile. So, if I relax in the morning, I may relax that night, if I wanted to wear my hair out. Otherwise, I usually let it rest overnight. The poof usually settles down a bit and I may only need to hit my texlaxed sections.

 

[Aireen]

I have no clue what it is but before I would always think I would NEED the flat iron for a straighter, sleeker look RIGHT after a relaxer and throughout my stretching period because my hair was frizzy. Now, flat-ironing is very unnecessary because my hair looks almost the same with or without the flat iron after I blow-dry. I don't know if it's because my hair is healthier now or because I switched to a different stylist or both combined with other things but I just don't need to flat-iron because my hair always stays sleek and straight. In fact, flat-ironing just leaves my hair flat, limp, oily, and leads to my hair breaking off. I'm going to tell my stylist to skip that step next time I go and just blow-dry and add some shine spritz because the extra heat leaves my hair brittle with an overly straight and 'faux-healthy' look.

 

[esi.adokowa]

In fact, flat-ironing just leaves my hair flat, limp, oily, and leads to my hair breaking off.

Flat ironing always used to do the same thing to my hair.
My last relaxer though, I bought a FHI new ceramic flat iron, and the results were much better.

I can't be sure if this was because of my flat iron or my much healthier hair.