Naturals Who Use Heat to Straighten

Miss*Tress · Feb 22, 2006

As I weigh my options for going natural, I'd like your opinion as to which is better for straightening natural hair. I've never handled either myself, but when I get my touch ups the stylist sometimes flat irons my hair.

TrustMeLove · Feb 22, 2006

I am natural and don't plan on straightening my hair. I've heard of too many cases of the naps not coming back. So you have this straight piece right int he front or in the middle of a bunch of naps. Thats ok you can keep that one jack.

But, I would go with a flat iron if I were going to straighten my hair. Just because you can keep control of the temperature better than a pressing comb.

However, if you purpose in going natural is to just stop using a chemical, but keep straight hair than use a pressing comb.

lana · Feb 22, 2006

I personally use a flat iron and then I may go over my ends with a pressing comb (the electric kind/wide tooth) because my ends are the hardest part of my hair to straighten (even with regular trims or at the salon). But I use a Sedu and sometimes I don't have to press it at all....so I would definitely say the flat iron is healthier. Less heat, more control, less damage.

However, I love a head of hair that's been pressed with a pressing comb. It just looks GOOD!

JamericanGurl · Feb 22, 2006

Shameless plug...cough Cough! :lol:

I jus bought a Solia flat iron from www.folica.com, and it's the truth! :up:

I'm natural 3c and 4a. I did my friends hair who is a 4f :lol:

Jus kidding I made that texture up cuz that chil have the thickest 20 inch plus mane I have ever seen. When I got it all straight her hair was 20-22 inches. :lol:

caligirl · Feb 22, 2006

I get the same results as a pressing comb with my maxiglide/FHI combo. I feel better about using the flat irons because once I set the temp, it never gets too hot. And I've done the tissue paper test where you put a piece of paper between the plates until it turns brown. The paper never turns brown with my flat irons.

balisi · Feb 22, 2006

Without a doubt, flatirons are my choice for straigtening hair with heat. Temperature control is a no-brainer with most irons and the typical results are straighter, smoother hair than you get from a pressing comb.

misspriss · Feb 22, 2006

I have a CHI and I love it! I just can't press my own hair as well with the hot comb.

Question: Do any of yall rollerset and then flat iron? It seems more difficult to do on natural hair than on relaxed hair, but I wanted to try and I wanted to know if anyone got good results this way (if so details please!!!).

I found another thread on this topic, thanks anyway! Carry-on...lol

FlowerHair · Feb 22, 2006

I think it depends on your hair type. For me, a flat iron works better.

thickness · Feb 22, 2006

I prefer the flat iron...I just don't like the way my hair smells with the straightening comb.

lnana04 · Feb 22, 2006

I've never pressed my hair, but there was this lady back home that would do it for me for $3, and my hair would be straighter than having a perm on it.

I bought a Sedu flatiron, and the results just don't compare at all. I think a good press by someone who knows what they're doing beats a flatiron any day.

onepraying · Feb 22, 2006

FlowerHair said:
I think it depends on your hair type. For me, a flat iron works better.

ITA, my hair is resistant to heat and chemical, it never could get real straight no matter what.

I've tried pressing with just plated irons with not success. The Maxiglide works as good as a comb because of the teeth and also it being a flatiron I can control the heat. I basically need something with teeth because of my hair type and resistance.

nurseN98 · Feb 22, 2006

onepraying said:
ITA, my hair is resistant to heat and chemical, it never could get real straight no matter what.

I've tried pressing with just plated irons with not success. The Maxiglide works as good as a comb because of the teeth and also it being a flatiron I can control the heat. I basically need something with teeth because of my hair type and resistance.

Yep..

mermaid · Feb 22, 2006

I don't use either tool, I use a regular curling iron to press. It gets a tighter grip and gets closer to the roots.

Peachtree · Feb 22, 2006

flat iron, specifically a Maxiglide cuz of the teeth & i can control the temp

Sweetyb · Feb 22, 2006

I KNOW the flat iron is so much better than a straightening comb. I've had my hair either burned with a straightening comb, or barely straightened at all with the electric straightening comb. I've gained the courage to learn to straighten my own hair, and now I've been doing it myself for over a year with the chi and Maxiglide...

- gold plated flat irons suck
- ceramic flat irons don't damage my hair; still reverts to nappy, and eventually "stretched out/tamed" nappy with time
- Maxiglide... amazing! gets my ends straight, lovin' the steam!

Country gal · Feb 22, 2006

I am considering getting the maxiglide. I don't want to loose my texture just want to switch up the style ever now and then.

Miss*Tress · Feb 23, 2006

Country gal said:
I am considering getting the maxiglide. I don't want to loose my texture just want to switch up the style ever now and then.

That's why I'd straighten my hair too. Thanks for your responses, ladies; this has been really helpful.

joyous · Feb 25, 2006

I use both the ceramic flat iron and a pressing comb. My hair is fine, so when I want to achieve more body and fullness I use a pressing comb. On occassions I want straight, silky hair I use a ceramic flat iron. I have no reversion with the ceramic iron.

beyondcute · Feb 25, 2006

Im not fully natural but I answered anyway because Im about 40-60 natural. I use roller sets to stretch out my hair and smooth it but if I need extra straightening I use a flat iron on low. Natural hair can be burnt straight and you will lose those napps. They will stand out like a gay black man at a Nazi rally. I use a falt iron ecause you can control the heat. Hot combs tend to smoke and get WAY too hot IMO.

so so chic · Feb 25, 2006

I do not flat iron or press my hair. I go to the dominican salon and get a blow out....that's all. I go about every two weeks, or weekly sometimes, and it lasts. I have a flat iron, but I have no need for it

.

Qurlyqt · Feb 27, 2006

I prefer my flat iron (CHI). I've had my hair pressed with a straightening comb (the Marcel) and it permanently straightened my ends (3" in some spots) that would not revert back to the natural curl. I ended up having to trim the straight ends off after trying several different options. After that incident, I didn't straighten my hair for about 6 months and had almost decided that I'd never straighten it again. Then, I had it straightened with the CHI, wore it straight for a week and when I washed it, my curls popped back!

Country gal · Feb 27, 2006

so so chic said:
I do not flat iron or press my hair. I go to the dominican salon and get a blow out....that's all. I go about every two weeks, or weekly sometimes, and it lasts. I have a flat iron, but I have no need for it .

SO chic your hair looks really nice. Kristina had a DS blowout too. Her hair looked so full.

Lucia · Feb 27, 2006

I def. prefer Maxiglide, over a comb I never liked it ever I always had some hair loss with it.
I don't need to wear my hair bone straight daily, so if I want a straight look I do it, most of the time it's natural or braided.

Brownshugaz · Feb 27, 2006

I used to hot comb my hair and it was torture. I hated it. I got a maxiglide this winter and it went through my natural hair like butter. You can look in my album for pictures

Chicoro · Feb 27, 2006

I prefer to use a pressing comb for straightness but as some other ladies mentioned, I don't like the smell you can sometimes get. I have a ceramic flat iron but at this time I am not able to get my hair as straight as I would like to with it.

I think it's a matter of improving upon the technique for me, though. One day, I would love to be able to get my hair straight on my own, with a ceramic iron. I attempted to do it once or twice before but it just took too long and after one hour I had only gotten through 1/4 of my hair and my little arms and hands were worn out. Someday...sigh...

Miss*Tress · Feb 27, 2006

For those of you who prefer to press, how do you control the temperature of the comb and avoid permanent straightening? Are you using electric pressing combs or the traditional model that you have to heat up "on the stove"?

ETA: Chicoro, I love your hair - you've made great progress over the years. I especially like those bantu knots. :up:

caligirl · Feb 28, 2006

Chicoro said:
I prefer to use a pressing comb for straightness but as some other ladies mentioned, I don't like the smell you can sometimes get. I have a ceramic flat iron but at this time I am not able to get my hair as straight as I would like to with it.

I think it's a matter of improving upon the technique for me, though. One day, I would love to be able to get my hair straight on my own, with a ceramic iron. I attempted to do it once or twice before but it just took too long and after one hour I had only gotten through 1/4 of my hair and my little arms and hands were worn out. Someday...sigh...

Chicoro, if I can press my own hair, anyone can! I literally paid someone for years to press my hair every 3 weeks. Then one day last month I decided to set aside a day and try it myself since I knew the technique from watching them. I got a perfect, silky press ( if I do say so myself) using my turbo 1500 blowdryer/maxiglide/fhi combo.

Blackbird77 · Feb 28, 2006

I have very soft hair. I tried pressing it this weekend with a hot comb followed by flat ironing (a stylist once I told me I need a LOT of heat to straighten it) and NOTHING HAPPENED. Y'all all I got was an even bigger afro. So I've decided if I wear it straight sometimes, I have to get it professionally done. Those marcel irons make my hair look like I have a relaxer. I've got a crazy grade of hair, beautiful, but crazy. I say I have 4a hair but it could very well be 3b/c. But those *ahem* naps at the hairline and the fact that it can "afro up" when combed out convinces me I'm a 4a. Perhaps when I get some pictures in my album, somebody can tell me what I really have. The only thing heat does for my hair (when I use it myself) is make it even softer. :mad:

MsCounsel · Feb 28, 2006

4a hair - FLAT IRON - SEDU IS THE U KNOW WHAT! My hair is 9 weeks post relaxer and I can't tell where the new growth is!

Chicoro · Feb 28, 2006

MissBiss said:
For those of you who prefer to press, how do you control the temperature of the comb and avoid permanent straightening? Are you using electric pressing combs or the traditional model that you have to heat up "on the stove"?

ETA: Chicoro, I love your hair - you've made great progress over the years. I especially like those bantu knots.

Thank you for the compliment MissBiss!

caligirl, what is your technique that you use to get your hair silky straight with your blowdryer and your flat iron? Please share! I would love to know how you get your hair straight without using a hot comb.

Naturals Who Use Heat to Straighten

Which is better for straightening natural hair?

Flat iron

Straightening (hot) comb

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